The clear span marquee is the most common style of structure offered by marquee hire companies in Australia. The name “clear span” eludes to the fact that the entire internal area is free of obstruction (i.e free of any internal legs or poles that could be intrusive on your event). The marquee frame is made of aluminium and the roof sheets are made from heavy duty PVC which can either be clear (eg: clear roof marquee) or white. The roof material is thick and thus provides a fully water proof membrane so that your guests are protected from the elements. The clear roof style aesthetically looks a lot better than the white roof, however, can be problematic if the temperature exceeds 25 degrees (it is not advised to utilise a clear roof marquee for a day time event). The white PVC contains a black membrane which actually blocks out the sun and provides a perfectly shaded area. In order to maintain the quality and cleanliness of our PVC canvas we have invested in an automatic fabric washing machine which is larger than the size of an entire 20 foot container. The machine is similar to an automatic car wash and uses large concentrations of bristles in conjunction with water mist to ensure every section of the canvas is cleaned on both sides. It is then blown with a heavy duty dryer and a wax shine is applied.

Regarding wind; all our marquee structures carry Australian engineering and we hold valid occupancy permits through the VBA (Victorian Building Authority) which means they have screened our structures to ensure they meet Australian Standards for fire tests, wind loading, materials etc. The walls of the marquee can be in a few different materials, however the main style we offer for our smaller tents is either white or clear PVC walls. In our larger structures, we will be introducing black glass walling systems as well as ABS (solid thermo plastic ) hard walling systems which are appropriate for certain corporate events and large warehousing structures. Clear span structures by design are modular, which means one bay (i.e one section) joins to the next and so on and so fourth. The widths of the marquees are fixed and cannot be changed, example; 3 metres wide, 6 metres wide, 10 metres wide as outlined in the below table. The length of the smaller width marquees is incremental by any number divisible by 3 metres i.e 3 metres long, 9 metres long, 15 metres long, 27 metres long. Our bigger tents (15m wide, 20m wide, 25m wide) can be built in any length divisible by 5 metres i.e 10 meters long, 15 metres long, 25 metres long, 50 metres long. Side height (eave height) of our small structures (3m to 10m) is 2.4 metres. Side height (eave height) of our larger tents is 3.0 metres. Peak heights vary depending on the width, please contact us directly for more information about dimensions and or technical drawings.

When the structures are positioned on grass/dirt and where there are no underground services (water, gas, electrical pipes etc) then we drive pegs into the ground to secure the structures. Our smaller marquees we utilise 350mm long pegs, whilst our larger width structures we utilise 1000mm long pegs. If the marquee is being erected on a solid surface such as concrete/asphalt or if pegging is not allowed then we weigh the marquees down with concrete weights. For the larger marquees we need to utilise the use of a forklift to position the concrete blocks as they can weigh anywhere from 500kg to 2 tonne.

If the event space happens to fall on unlevel ground or an a hill/slope then we can utilise a specialist raised flooring system (RFS) that integrates with our marquee structure. For more information on this product, please follow this link – https://www.openairevents.com.au/shop/cassette-flooring/

When selecting the appropriate size of marquee it is always best to contact us directly with as much information as possible. Our staff utilize a range of software’s including CAD so we can input your event layout to scale with exact dimensions and ensure everything will fit the way you require it. We also utilize sketching and rendering software for custom design, printing and fabrication solutions for your marquee.   Pertinent information such as total number of guests attending, are they seated at dining tables or standing ‘cocktail style’, dance floor requirements, whether or not there are service bars, photo booths, stage areas for announcements can all effect the marquee size. As a general rule of thumb, we allow 0.75 square metres per person when standing ‘cocktail’ theme eg: 120 people standing = 120 x 0.75 = 90 square metres of marquee required. In this instance, to get the 90 sqm for 120 guests standing we could utilise a 6m x 15m marquee or a 10m x 9m marquee. Our wide range of sizes can cater for small intimate dinners, weddings, birthdays up to corporate events containing 1,000 guests seated.

Once the marquee size has been confirmed, we can then assist with the ancillary products for hire such as dining tables, chairs, bar tables, bar stools, dance flooring, cassette flooring (high end oak veneer finish), glass walls, glass doors, lighting etc. Given there are a large amount of variables to consider we often recommend arranging a time to visit our warehouse and show room to discuss your event layout, furnishings and run you through the lighting options in person. By doing this, you will get a much better understanding and appreciation of how all the items come together to create a memorable experience for you and your guests.

To discuss your marquee hire options and to obtain a detailed quote please contact our office on 1300 558 770.

Please note: if cost is a prohibitive factor then we would recommend utilising one of our cheaper styles of marquee seen here which is the instant style or pop up marquee – https://www.openairevents.com.au/diy-marquee-hire/

We look forward to assisting with your next event!