heat,Industrial

What is the difference between a frame tent and a pole tent?

This article is part of a series of posts with further explanation on many of our frequently asked questions.


Many people wonder what the difference is between a frame tent and a pole tent. This article will be a bit more technical than most. So, I'll do my best to make it easy to understand.

Pole tents, also known as tension structures are an evolution of the earliest type of tents. The forerunners to modern pole tents were the big top circus tents of the past. They have one or more high peaks in the center. Their structure comes from the fabric itself. They can be installed quickly with no need for beams to support them. Many of today's pole tents are engineered to withstand up to 70 mph sustained winds and 90 mph gusts. Pole tents are the most economical type of tent that we offer. They are great for weddings, backyard parties and other events of all kinds. They have tall, graceful peaks and airy spacious interiors. Many people prefer this style over the more traditional square frame tent appearance. They can be installed on nearly any surface where stakes can be driven into the ground.

While pole tents fill the needs of most of our customers, there are some situations where only a frame tent will fit the bill. Frame tents, also known as clearspan structures or clearspan tents offer some unique advantages. Sometimes, tents must be secured with weights instead of driving stakes into the ground. In locations where a driveway cannot be penetrated or where underground utilities make it unsafe to drive stakes, a frame tent with weights is the perfect solution. Frame tents are much more flexible in the ways that they can secured. They can be installed on a deck, patio or even the rooftop of a building. Frame tents have other advantages as well. They have no interior poles. This is great for construction projects where machinery must work inside the tent or events where poles would obstruct the flow of people. Frame tents also work well as weather protection for a stage at a graduation ceremony or other outdoor event with a large audience. Lighting and speakers can be hung from the aluminum beams of the tent. The front of the stage can be completely unobstructed by tent poles. Frame tents can also be easily raised to a taller height to cover a stage or to allow machinery to enter the tent. Some people prefer the more modern, "Euro" appearance of a frame tent.

Still not sure which type of tent you'll need? Contact us and let our representatives find the best solution for your event. Whichever type of tent you choose, rest assured that Tents For Rent will provide you with a quality tent and excellent service to make your event successful.

Why Google is Proposing a Huge "Tent" for It's New Headquarters

Of course, we, here at Tents For Rent have been touting the flexibility of tents for years. Now Google is doing the same. They are planning to achieve numerous benefits with their new fabric structure:

  • Openness to the surrounding community

  • Green indoors and out

  • Flexibility for changes in future needs.

Whether your tent is for a wedding or an office space it offers you:

  • A blank canvas to design or decorate as you like

  • The ability to easily move or change it as necessary

  • An "outdoor" feel

  • Low environmental impact

  • Reasonable cost

Contact us today and let us help you find the tent for your needs.

Keep Your Construction Project on Schedule Even During the Winter

When I think of a tent event, I think a beautiful spring day. The sun is setting and a soft breeze is blowing as a couple exchanges their vows. However, this certainly isn't the case for every tent event. In January 2014, ARCO Design/Build and Stief Concrete were working on a construction project that was running behind schedule because the cold weather was delaying the pouring of the concrete walls. Stief Concrete looked to Tents For Rent to supply tents, heaters, power and lighting to allow the construction project to move forward in spite of the unusually cold weather.

 The site presented some unique challenges. Parts of the tents could not be secured with traditional stakes. Instead, they needed to be secured with concrete anchors that could penetrate only 5 inches into the concrete. Yet, they had to be able to hold the tents in place safely and securely. Also, during this time there was a severe propane shortage that increased prices and made propane difficult to find at any price. We kept a crew onsite during days that concrete was being poured in order to open and close the tent walls to give access to the work crews. In addition, tents needed to be moved frequently as the project moved forward. Frequent changes in the weather and schedule required us to be flexible to keep everything moving forward smoothly.

All in all the project is moving forward smoothly and the tents are allowing this project to be completed much more quickly than otherwise possible.

Hailstorm Response Tents Video

We've just been hit with one of the worst hailstorms in history to hit this area. We are installing 38,000 square feet of tent oftenting for repairing dented cars. We are also installing, power, lighting and heating to create a temporary repair shop for about one month. Here is a video of the installation of the first tent: