Lounging in an outdoor space can be one of the most relaxing and enjoyable ways to spend your time. But on those especially sunny summer days, pleasantly warm temperatures can quickly become sweltering ones. But even on the hot days, there are ways to enjoy the outdoors while also escaping the stifling heat and painful sunburns.

Shade cloths and shade structures can block harmful solar radiation and have been shown to decrease outdoor temperatures by ten to thirty percent. By adding some shade to your backyard, you can continue to enjoy the outdoors while remaining cool and healthy.

Here are eleven great outdoor shade ideas that will allow you to beat the heat and keep your cool all summer long.

1. Keep cool in your backyard pool with a shade sail

Lounging in the pool on a hot day is a treasured summer pastime. But on especially sunny days, the combination of heat and UV rays can get overwhelming, even when you’re in the water.

Adding a shade sail over your pool can help combat the heat and protect your skin. Plus, your shade sail could also help to keep debris like leaves from drifting into your pool.

2. Awnings make adjusting the shade level a breeze

There are times when you want to adjust the amount of shade in your outdoor living space, but it’s annoying to constantly move an umbrella around your patio as the sun moves.

To create shade that you can easily control, an awning is an excellent option. You can effortlessly extend or retract an awning, creating the perfect amount of porch, patio, or outdoor deck shade.

3. Create a shaded area in your backyard with a gazebo or pavilion

Backyard gazebos and pavilions are great because they can be placed almost anywhere, as long as the ground beneath them is relatively flat. Pavilions tend to be larger than gazebos and have fully open sides.

Gazebos, while smaller, have built-in flooring and balusters attached to a railing on the lower half of the structure. Whatever choice you make, a gazebo or pavilion can create a beautiful, permanent shaded structure in your backyard.

4. Use small triangular shade sails to quickly create backyard shade when you need it

5. Umbrellas are a classic option for versatile outdoor shade

6. Consider building a pergola for a permanent shade structure

Like a pavilion, a pergola is an outdoor structure that is open on all four sides. The difference between the two, however, is a pavilion has a covered roof while a pergola has a latticed roof which is partially open.

Despite its airy construction, with an attached canopy or when covered in vining plants like jasmine, grape, or wisteria, a pergola can not only provide shade but also create a beautiful and blissful outdoor space in which to relax.

7. A freestanding awning can create shade anywhere

Freestanding awnings combine an awning’s ability to create expansive shaded space with the portability of an outdoor umbrella. Available with v-sloped or flat shades, a freestanding awning can be moved to where you need shade most.

Plus, many freestanding awnings are retractable, so you can easily create shade when you want it, or open your space up to the sunshine when you don’t.

8. Keep the pole out of the way with a cantilever umbrella

While outdoor umbrellas are a classic, it’s sometimes difficult to maximize the shade space beneath them because of the pole in the center.

Cantilever umbrellas solve this issue by moving the pole out to the side and hanging the umbrella from a swiveling arm that extends off the pole. Designing the umbrella in this way frees up the space below, allowing for seating, tables, or even a spa underneath.

9. Build a balcony that doubles as a ceiling over a porch or patio

10. Shade a large area of your patio with an oversized umbrella