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Technical glossary of tents and PVC fabric covers
This glossary brings together the technical terms most commonly used in the tent and PVC fabric industry, aimed at installers, hire companies, local councils and event organisers who need to answer questions such as what is a keder or what does the T2 fire rating mean before requesting a quote. Our workshop is based in Málaga, Spain.
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The terms are grouped into four sections: materials, tent types and structure, manufacturing and fixing, and standards and safety. Where useful, each definition links to the relevant product page or resource.
Materials: covers, PVC and fabrics
Weight (g/m²)
The weight per square metre of a PVC fabric determines its strength and thickness. Plastold mainly works with 650 and 850 g/m² PVC fabric, recommending the lighter option for frequent assembly and the heavier one for large spans or permanent installations.
Opaque cover
An opaque cover is a PVC-coated polyester that blocks light and is manufactured in white and other colours. It is the usual choice for tent covers and PVC fabric that need to shield the interior from view or from direct sunlight.
Translucent cover
A translucent cover lets part of the natural light through without allowing anyone to see through it, so it brightens the inside of the tent during the day and reduces the need for artificial lighting.
Clear or transparent PVC
Clear PVC, also called crystal fabric, allows a full view through the surface. It is used in transparent tents or in side walls and windows that need to keep a view of the outside while still protecting against the weather.
Stretch fabric
Stretch fabric is an elastic cover that is pulled taut to create organic curves, a feature typical of jaima tents in stretch fabric. Unlike rigid PVC, it adapts to wavy structures and gives a more scenic finish.
Roll
A roll is a 100-metre length of PVC fabric, usually 2.5 to 3 metres wide in opaque versions and 1.4 to 1.6 metres wide in transparent versions. Plastold sells full rolls to manufacturers and workshops.
Tent types and structure
Ridge tent (carpa a dos aguas)
A ridge tent has a roof with two sloped panels meeting at a central ridge, similar to a traditional pitched roof. It is the most common structure for ridge tents used at events and in industrial settings, thanks to its good rainwater run-off.
Jaima or pagoda tent
A jaima, also called a pagoda tent, has a roof with a raised central peak and panels sloping down on all four sides. It is used at events and in fixed installations alike, and can be seen on the jaima tent page.
Bedouin tent
A Bedouin tent combines a metal structure with stretch fabric to achieve curved, enveloping shapes. It is a scenic option often chosen for weddings and events, and is part of Plastold's tent range.
Portal frame
The portal frame is the transverse structural element, made of two vertical posts and a horizontal or sloped beam, repeated along the length of the tent to form its skeleton.
Clear span (width)
The clear span is the internal distance between a tent's portal frames, not counting posts or fixing elements. It is the first measurement to provide when requesting a made-to-measure cover.
Gutter
The gutter is the roof piece placed at the join between two panels or two tent modules, designed to collect and drain rainwater away from the structure.
Manufacturing and fixing: the keder and other terms
Keder
A keder is a cord sewn or welded onto the edge of the cover that slides into a metal rail on the structure, holding the cover firmly in place and making it easier to fit and remove. It is the fixing system most widely used on professional tents.
High-frequency welding
High-frequency welding joins panels of PVC using heat and pressure, creating a continuous, watertight seam without stitching. It is the standard manufacturing method for technical fabric covers.
Eyelet
An eyelet is a metal or plastic reinforcement fitted into the cover to create a strong fixing point, through which ropes, hooks or straps can be passed without damaging the material.
Webbing strap and tensioner
The webbing strap is a strong fabric band sewn onto the cover to spread out tension, and the tensioner is the mechanism used to adjust that tension during assembly, so the cover sits smooth and free of creases.
Standards and safety
T2 classification
The T2 classification is a European fire-reaction rating for construction and decoration materials. Plastold's T2 fire-rated PVC fabric is supplied together with the corresponding certificate.
Fire-rating certificate
A fire-rating certificate is the document issued by the manufacturer or a testing laboratory confirming a fabric's fire-reaction classification, commonly requested by local councils and organisers of public events.
UNE-EN 13782
UNE-EN 13782 is a European standard on the safety of temporary tent structures, covering matters such as structural calculation and assembly. Each project should be assessed against this standard individually, according to its use and location.
UV and anti-mould treatment
UV treatment protects the cover against degradation caused by sunlight, while anti-mould treatment prevents fungus and damp stains from forming. Both come as standard on Plastold's PVC fabric covers.
What a jaima tent is called in each European market
The same type of tent has different names depending on the country, which is useful to know when comparing quotes or searching for information abroad. These are the usual terms:
Spain: jaima, carpa beduina, carpa pagoda. France: tente berbère, tente caïdale, khaïma, tente pagode. Germany and Austria: Beduinenzelt, Stretchzelt, Pagodenzelt. Poland: namiot beduiński, namiot stretch, namiot pagoda. Netherlands and Belgium: bedoeïenentent, stretchtent, pagodetent. Italy: tenda beduina, tenda stretch, gazebo a pagoda. Portugal: tenda beduína, tenda stretch, tenda pagode. United Kingdom and international English: Bedouin tent, stretch tent, pagoda marquee.
The differences are in vocabulary, not in the product: in every case these are structures covered with fabric, either stretch fabric or PVC, which we make to measure.
Related guides: What is a keder · PVC fabric: 650 or 850 g/m² · T2 class under EN 15619
Need more information about tents and covers?
If, after reading this technical glossary of tents and PVC fabric covers, you still have questions about which material or structure suits your project, you can request our free PVC fabric sample book for professionals, visit our contact page, write to info@plastold.com or call +34 670 087 956. We will get back to you with a free, no-obligation quote.
