Tensile Structure FAQ

PVC coated polyester fabric is a high-strength woven polyester base material that is coated with Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). It is the most commonly used material in tensile architecture due to its cost-effectiveness, strength, and flexibility. Full details on PVC Coated Polyester →

Standard PVC fabric is a polyester base coated in PVC. PVDF fabric adds a top layer of Polyvinylidene Fluoride, which greatly improves dirt resistance and UV protection. Full details on PVDF Tensile Fabric →

PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) is a woven fibreglass membrane coated in Teflon. It is the gold standard for permanent tensile architecture. Full details on PTFE Architectural Membrane →

ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene) is a highly transparent, ultra-lightweight polymer foil used as a modern alternative to architectural glass. Full details on ETFE Film Foil →

PVC is highly flexible and cost-effective with a design life of roughly 15–20 years. PTFE is a woven fibreglass base coated in a fluoropolymer, making it extremely durable (25–30 years and beyond) and non-combustible, but at a higher initial cost. Full details on Fabric Materials →

Yes. All our membranes are treated with flame retardants. Materials like PTFE and ETFE are inherently non-combustible and self-extinguishing, meeting the strictest global fire safety standards. Full details on Fabric Materials →

Polycarbonate is a tough, transparent thermoplastic material used as a lightweight and highly impact-resistant alternative to glass. Full details on Polycarbonate Structures →

Yes, solid polycarbonate is up to 250 times more impact-resistant than standard glass, making it virtually unbreakable. Full details on Polycarbonate Structures →

Coated membranes — PVC-coated polyester, PTFE-coated fibreglass and ETFE film — are fully waterproof. The coating seals the base cloth and the panels are welded, not stitched, so the seams are watertight too. A tensile roof is designed with enough curvature and fall for the water to run off and not pond. Open-weave shade fabrics (knitted HDPE) are the exception — those cut sun and glare but let rain through, and are used for shade only. Full details on Fabric Materials →

It is quoted as a breaking strength per 5 cm width, in both the warp and weft directions, and it rises with the weight class — a light Type I PVC membrane and a heavy Type IV–V roof fabric differ by several times. The design never uses the full breaking strength: a large safety factor is applied for long-term load, UV ageing, temperature and seam efficiency, and the working stress is only a fraction of the rated figure. The exact numbers come from the manufacturer’s datasheet for the specified grade. Full details on Fabric Materials →

There is no meaningful fixed rate per square foot — two canopies of the same area can differ by a wide margin. Cost is driven by the membrane grade, the span and form, the steel and foundations, the site conditions and the total covered area. A simple car-parking shade in PVC is at the economical end; a large clear span in PTFE or ETFE, or one with heavy steelwork, is well above it. Every project is quoted individually after a site survey, with an itemised breakdown. Full details on Tensile Structure Cost Guide →

Four factors drive most of the variation: the membrane grade (PVC, PVDF, PTFE or ETFE), the span and geometry the steelwork has to support, site accessibility and foundation conditions, and the total covered area — larger projects generally have a lower cost per square foot than small ones, since design and mobilization costs are spread over more area. Full details on Tensile Structure Cost Guide →

PVC-coated polyester is the most cost-effective membrane and the most commonly used in tensile architecture, with a design life of roughly 15–20 years (longer with a PVDF finish). PTFE-coated fibreglass costs more upfront but lasts 25–30 years and beyond, is self-cleaning and non-combustible — the higher initial cost is a trade-off against a longer service life and lower maintenance. How long each membrane lasts →

Ekra Decor's work is engineered, fabricated and installed in-house rather than subcontracted, so a quote covers the full process — site survey, structural design, engineering, membrane fabrication and on-site installation — rather than materials alone. Full details on Tensile Structure Cost Guide →

Not from a per-square-foot rate — that would be misleading here. An exact, itemised quote comes from a site survey and a design brief: send a layout with rough dimensions, tell us the site and the design life you need, and you get steel, membrane, foundations and installation as separate lines. Request one through the contact form or by phone. Full details on Tensile Structure Cost Guide →

Most standard car parking and walkway tensile structures are fabricated in 10 to 15 working days and installed on-site within 3 to 7 days. Large-span auditorium or stadium membrane roofs may take 3 to 6 weeks end-to-end. All steelwork is pre-fabricated at our Delhi facility to minimise on-site disruption. Full details on Home →

Yes, Ekra Decor handles end-to-end turnkey execution—”including structural design, 3D membrane modeling, steel fabrication, site foundation preparation, membrane tensioning, and quality certification across India. Full details on Home →

A tensile structure uses tensioned membranes (fabric) and a network of steel cables and columns to carry structural loads, creating lightweight and visually striking roofs. Full details on Custom Fabric Structures →

They offer large column-free spans, are quick to install, permit natural light, are earthquake resistant, and provide unique 3D organic shapes. Full details on Custom Fabric Structures →

Our structures are designed using advanced form-finding software that ensures the membrane is perfectly tensioned (double curvature) to resist aerodynamic flutter and wind uplift. Full details on Custom Fabric Structures →

Yes, when constructed with architectural-grade materials like PTFE or heavy-duty PVDF and robust steel foundations, they function as permanent, highly durable structures. Full details on Custom Fabric Structures →

All our structures are custom-engineered with high-grade steel framework to withstand wind loads of up to 150 km/h, adhering strictly to Indian Standard (IS) structural engineering codes. Full details on Home →

Yes. Every Ekra Decor tensile structure is fully bespoke. Our engineers model conical, hyperbolic-paraboloid (hypar), barrel-vault, dome, and free-form membranes in 3D CAD to match your exact plot dimensions, load requirements, and architectural intent, from a single-car gazebo to a 50,000 sq ft arena roof. Full details on Home →

Depending on the membrane material specified (PVDF, PTFE, or ETFE), tensile structures manufactured by Ekra Decor have a lifespan ranging from 15 to 30+ years with minimal maintenance. Full details on Home →

PVDF and PTFE membranes are largely self-cleaning and need only periodic rinsing with water and a visual inspection of tension cables and anchor points once or twice a year. Ekra Decor offers optional Annual Maintenance Contracts (AMC) covering re-tensioning, cleaning, and structural health checks across India — see tensile structure maintenance & repair for the full schedule. Full details on Home →

We recommend PVDF-coated PVC or PTFE fabrics, as they offer excellent UV protection, durability, and are easy to maintain. Full details on Car Parking Tensile Shades →

Yes, our modular designs, such as barrel vaults or multi-cone structures, can span continuously to cover dozens of vehicles. Full details on Car Parking Tensile Shades →

Yes, cantilever designs are highly popular for parking lots as they reduce obstacles for reversing and opening vehicle doors. Full details on Car Parking Tensile Shades →

Tensile gazebos offer a lightweight yet highly durable shading solution. They provide excellent UV protection, are waterproof, and add a modern architectural touch to your space. Full details on Gazebos & Conical Shades →

Yes, to ensure structural stability against wind uplift, our gazebos are anchored using properly engineered RCC foundations. Full details on Gazebos & Conical Shades →

Tensile covers offer large, column-free spans, keeping the pool area open while providing essential UV protection and architectural elegance. Full details on Swimming Pool Covers →

Yes — tensile architecture is ideal for large-span applications and can cover massive Olympic pools without requiring central support pillars. Full details on Swimming Pool Covers →

Yes, tensile membrane architecture allows for massive, column-free spans, ensuring unobstructed views for all spectators. Full details on Auditoriums & Stadiums →

PTFE (Teflon-coated fibreglass) is the global standard for large permanent stadiums, offering incredible strength and a lifespan of over 30 years. Full details on Auditoriums & Stadiums →

Yes, our retractable systems utilize advanced motorization, allowing you to open or close the massive roof at the push of a button within minutes. Full details on Auditoriums & Stadiums →

A shade sail is a small, simple form of tensile fabric structure — a single tensioned membrane anchored at a few points, without the steel frame and cable network a larger tensile roof uses. Ekra Decor builds both, from garden shade sails up to large-span tensile roofs, using the same membrane materials at different scales. Full details on Tensile vs. Shade Sail vs. Polycarbonate →

Polycarbonate is the clearer option — solid sheets look close to glass, while multiwall sheets give a diffused, evenly lit effect. Tensile fabric membranes are translucent rather than transparent: they let daylight through and glow from within, but you can't see through them. Full details on Tensile vs. Shade Sail vs. Polycarbonate →

Solid polycarbonate is up to 250 times more impact-resistant than glass, making it virtually unbreakable — a genuine advantage for hail or falling debris. Tensile fabric is not rigid, so the comparison works differently: it's highly tear-resistant, and if punctured, the high tension in the membrane stops the tear from spreading, and it can be patched rather than replaced. Full details on Tensile vs. Shade Sail vs. Polycarbonate →

A premium polycarbonate roof typically lasts 10 to 20 years with proper installation and maintenance. Tensile fabric spans a wider range depending on the membrane: PTFE coated fibreglass is rated for 30+ years and ETFE foil for 30 to 50 years, both well beyond polycarbonate; lighter PVC membranes used for shade sails and budget applications typically last 10–15 years — shorter than PTFE, traded off against a lower upfront cost. Full details on Tensile vs. Shade Sail vs. Polycarbonate →

Not to the same degree. Polycarbonate sheets can be cold-curved on site into vaults and domes, but tensile fabric's tensioned-membrane structure is what makes very large, column-free spans and complex 3D or organic geometry possible in the first place — that's the main reason it's used for stadium roofs and large public structures. Full details on Tensile vs. Shade Sail vs. Polycarbonate →

We specialize in the design, engineering, fabrication, and installation of high-quality tensile structures, membrane structures, and custom fabric works for commercial and residential applications across India. Full details on About Us →

While our headquarters is located near IGI Airport in New Delhi, we design, fabricate and install membrane structures India-wide, including major cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, and Lucknow. Full details on About Us →

Yes. Our team handles the entire process from concept design and 3D modeling, to load analysis, structural fabrication, final installation, and even post-sale maintenance services. Full details on About Us →

Yes, and both are our own written warranties, not a manufacturer's pass-through: one year on the structure and workmanship, and 5 to 15 years on the fabric membrane depending on its grade. Original mill certificates for the membrane and steel are handed over with the documentation. Motorised and retractable systems are warranted for one year on the complete system. Full details on About Us →

Ekra Decor's project archive documents 63 completed tensile structures across education (schools including G.D. Goenka, Vasant Valley and Scottish High International), industrial and manufacturing sites (Siemens, NTPC, Indian Oil, Procter & Gamble, Vikram Solar), hospitality (ITC Grand Bharat, event venues), healthcare (ILBS Hospital), commercial and institutional buildings, residential developments, public infrastructure, stadiums and auditoriums, airports, and sports and recreation facilities. Full details on Industries We Serve →

Documented projects range from roughly 121 m² (a small canopy in Port Blair) to 20,000 m² (an industrial site in Goa for Siemens), so both compact single-building jobs and large industrial or institutional campuses are within scope. Full details on Industries We Serve →

Yes — use the industry cards on this page to jump straight to that sector's projects in the filterable project gallery, or browse all 63 documented projects on the Projects page. Full details on Industries We Serve →