No event is complete without a grand entrance, and modern tents offer an almost endless selection of event tent doors for glorious entryways. Coming or going, your event rental customers have more variations than ever for creating access to their event.
In days of old, tent sidewalls were simply split to allow event attendees access to the good things happening inside. Later, sidewall closures provided a better way of holding back the panels for easier access. Since then, sidewalls have evolved to today’s variations that combine form and function with windows and zippers, velcro, and keder. Now, a rental company truly can have it all when it comes to event tent doors and entrances.
Not every sidewall option will work with every tent style, though. The perimeter construction of a tent system dictates the sidewall design that will function the best — pole tents need a different sidewall construction than a traditional frame tent and modern kedered frames have specialty sidewalls designed to flow within the keder frame itself.
The most basic sidewall systems are configurated as a hanging sidewall that is attached to a curtain rope with either hook-and-snap or velcro closures. The user can disconnect the wall closures, fold them back and re-hook at the top to create an opening. Functional and easy to install, this type of design is often used as an economical option for the smaller tent operator.
The Keder System
Next up is keder. Frame tents and larger structures with perimeter and side poles designed to accept kedered tops gave rise to kedered sidewalls as the ideal marriage of form and function.
Keder really did change everything — at least as sidewalls for the party and event rental industry is concerned. Kedered sidewalls are designed with keder sewn or sealed into the edges that engage in the special tracks/channels in the poles/legs. Kedered sidewalls create tighter panels that give the tent a polished look. These sidewalls can be designed with vertical zippers at the center or side and horizontal attachments at the top that slides within the track/channels on the perimeter poles. These two additions allow the walls to be zippered apart so that they can slide open or closed like conventional curtains.
Keder sidewall systems are simple to operate so that even the end-user can simply unzip and slide open, or slide together and zip close a zippered sidewall at will to create an ideal atmosphere/temperature inside the tent.
Wind whip on a sidewall can damage zippers and mechanical closures, so the manufacturers developed an alternative: the loop and grommet system to combat that damage. Similar to lace lines on a tent top, loop and grommet sidewalls slide through a keder track on the perimeter and side poles and are then laced together for a tight but flexible connection that minimizes wind whip damage.
Durable Tent Doors
Door systems come in almost every shape and size in the event rental industry. Built specifically as a rental option, these doors are modular and break down into carrying cases for easy loading onto trucks and delivering to the job site. Conventional door sets are sturdy and can even come with hydraulic hinges that allow the doors to shut quietly — especially for important events like weddings or VIP speeches.
Lightweight event tent doors are growing in popularity. Weighing far less than conventional doors, these lightweight doors that simply slide into conventional door frames for a quick install that still looks professional but with a smaller price tag. They’re a perfect way to separate catering and food-prep areas from the main tent activities. Often available with interchangeable panels, these lightweight doors are available as solid white panels, clear, and even colored panels. Some companies also offer printed panel inserts that can extend a corporate event’s brand presence. For the ultimate flexibility, you can even find conventional and lightweight tent doors and their frames with a variety of brackets that can connect to virtually any tent style in the market.
So whether you’re planning a relaxed seaside wedding with clear sidewalls and an open feel or a product launch party that’s pulling out all of the stops, today’s event rental professionals have access to the product options they need to create a grand entrance perfect for the atmosphere of the day. Contact TopTec to learn more about tent accessories and event tent doors.
