FAQs
Here are the answers to some common questions.
Can I buy a marquee direct from Rhino?
Rhino is a wholesale distribution company that services both a retail dealer network across Australia or directly with larger commercial/corporate clients.
Retail Customer? (single orders)
Retail clients purchasing one or two marquees can find a dealer nearest to you by heading to our WHERE TO BUY page. Our helpful dealer team will help you through the entire selection and ordering process to find a marquee that is perfect for your needs.
Larger Customer? (multiple orders)
Please contact Rhino directly if you are a larger organisation that requires help with:
- procurement of multiple marquees
- asset management (including cleaning) of your promotional marquees
- storage of multiple marquee assets
- regular hire of marquees
- distribution & regular setup and takedown of marquees at events
We specialise in working with larger organisations managing their marquee assets including distribution, event bump in/out, asset cleaning, marquee assessment & repair and monthly asset reports. CONTACT US
Do you have all frame sizes in stock?
Rhino carry a large variety of frame types and sizes perfect for every application and budget. We rarely run out of stock, but it can happen.
If you have an urgent deadline or need a marquee by a specific date, please contact your local Rhino dealer for assistance.
Can I buy a printed marquee?
Yes. We specialise in custom printed (branded) marquees.
Our printed marquees are popular with schools, sporting clubs, show exhibitors, charities, small businesses, government departments and large corporates. Printed marquees are great for trade shows, exhibitions, sporting carnivals, weekend club sports, market stall holders, business networking events and much more.
Have Artwork?
Great! Simply use one of our DOWNLOADABLE TEMPLATES to apply your artwork to, then submit your artwork with your order.
Need help with Artwork?
No problem. We have in-house graphic designers who can help with anything from applying your logo in the right spot, to a fully designed canopy, branded to stand out from the crowd. CONTACT US for more information.
Do you deliver?
Yes. We can deliver any of our marquees door-to-door Australia-wide.
Alternativley we can arrange for warehouse pick up at our Brisbane depot or at your nearest local dealer.
My frame is broken, can you repair it?
Generally the answer is yes! We can fix most frames by replacing damaged components with new ones.
However, if a lot of damage has been done to many components sometimes its better to replace the entire frame.
Happily, we find very few faults with our frame manufature and asembly, though occassionally it can happen. If one of our frames is faulty we like to fix it, and fix it fast. We enjoy an excellent reputation for warranty repairs and fast turnaround, along with excellent customer service.
As a guide, most frame repair issues we come across are due to one (or more) of the following reasons:
- frame age (wear and tear after years of use)
- neglect (left out and exposed to sun/storm/dust, exposure of moving parts to sand/dirt/grit, never cleaned etc)
- damage from windy and/or stormy conditions
- exessively rough handling during setup/takedown
Generally if a customer sends us a few photos of the problem we can advise the best course of action. Often, we can send out a replacemnet part for clients to DIY, or we are happy to repair on a back-to-base arrangement with your local delar or at our Brisbane warehouse and Head Office.
CONTACT US to find out more.
What makes a good quality marquee canopy?
There are numerous factors that influence marquee canopy quality. Reputable marquee dealers will be able to provide you with detailed answers on all of the quality factors outlined below. We believe that the following factors are most important for overall customer satisfaction and product longevity:
Choose only high quality polyester or PVC fabrics.
Look for 600DD polyester, ideally with this denier rating in both directions. This means the fabric is equally strong in both directions which in turn makes the fabric stronger, more stretch resistant and greatly reduces likelihood of tears. Often, suppliers will state a denier rating that is in single direction only. This can be misleading as the denier rating in the other direction is often much lower (inferior).
PVC quality varies greatly between manufacturers and unfortunately many PVC canopies imported into Australia use cheaper PVC material with unsubstantiated credentials or very limited Warranties. Your marquee dealer should be able to tell you the source of the material, along with warranty, dimensional strength and much more when questioned. Ideally your dealer should be using premium quality PVC brands as they will provide much longer product life and result in far better value for money.
UV resistant for harsh Australian conditions.
In Australia we experience very high UV radiation and so products left outdoors constantly will deteriorate much more quickly than in many other regions of the world. Consumers should be cautious of canopy materials that are UV rated by European or Asian standards as these materials will be made for the local UV conditions in those regions, often deteriorating much quicker in harsher Australian environmental conditions. Check with your retailer what their canopy warranty actually covers, specifically around customer usage, return policy and replacement policy. A reputable retailer will provide accurate advice on how long their canopies last in our Australian conditions with low or high exposure to UV light through outdoor use.
Longer Warranty Length.
Warranty length is a very good indicator of overall marquee canopy quality. Longer warranties indicate that the seller has confidence in their materials, manufacturing processes and canopy longevity. Shorter warranties are generally offered on inferior quality product with significantly reduced lifespan.
Waterproof seams.
Seams are the join lines between large fabric panels and are critical to the longevity and weather-proof capability of your marquee canopy. Look for seams that are double-stitched (Polyester) that are also sealed underneath. Often the seal is a semi-transparent tape that runs across canopy seams and joins. Of particular importance is the thread quality used on polyester canopy seams. Your supplier should be able to tell you about the type of thread they use and its longevity. After all, if the thread deteriorates quickly the seam will fall apart as a result. The details really do matter!
For PVC canopies, look for solid welded joins that are neat, even and do not create substantial 'ripples' in the large fabric panels.
Poor quality seams can leak and pull apart quickly, greatly reducing the life of your canopy.
Close fit to frame.
Too much 'give' or sag in a new canopy may result in issues later on, as well as giving your brand new marquee a poor visual appearance. Excess sagging in a canopy can lead to excessively noisy 'flapping' in breezy conditions. It can also mean the canopy corners (where there should be double layers of reinforced material) may not line up well with the frame, giving rise to rubbing and tearing in the canopy corners.
How can you tell if a marquee frame is good quality?
Marquee frame quality is a significant factor for overall marquee longevity. Quality and dimensions varies significantly across manufacturers, however these following factors are in our opinion most critical to a long lasting marquee frame:
Leg diameter and material (steel or aluminium)
Typically the most economical marquee frames are made from lower grade steel (not stainless) that are powder coated to prevent rusting and have a square cross sectional leg profile of approximately 30mm x 30mm or 40mm x 40mm for 'heavy duty' steel frames. These steel frame can be quite strong depending on the leg/arm wall thickness used and of course the general soundness of assembly/construction.
Aluminium frames are generally hexagonal in shape which helps with overall strength and often have thicker leg walls due to the relative lightness of aluminium versus steel. This means there is more material used in the frame itself resulting in stronger end-product. Hex legs generally start at 40mm diameter and can range up to 50mm diameter for heavy duty versions. These frames are very string and stay relatively lightweight due to teh nature of teh aluminium (being lighter than steel). Aluminium frames will not rust or corrode like steel, so no poweder coating is required. They really are a great low maintenance frame that will last for years.
Metal thickness - legs and arms (or ribs)
There are no absolute industry standards for leg and arm/rib thickness and dimensions. However, in our experience the following dimensions are excellent at the corresponding marquee quality/budget levels.
Light Duty Steel (30mm x 30mm legs)
Look for 0.8mm wall thickness for legs and 0.8mm wall thickness for arms (ribs)
Heavy Duty Steel (40mm x 40mm legs)
Look for 1.0mm wall thickness for legs and 0.8mm wall thickness for arms (ribs)
Light Duty Aluminium (40mm diameter legs)
Look for 1.5mm wall thickness for legs and 1.2mm wall thickness for arms (ribs)
Heavy Duty Aluminium (50mm diameter legs)
Look for 2.0mm wall thickness for legs and 2.0mm wall thickness for arms (ribs)
Materials used for fittings & components (ease of use)
Critical to smooth operation and frame longevity are the smaller components that along with the legs and ribs make each frame function. These components include items such as brackets, connectors, pull rings, bolts and washers. The choice of materials and the engineering behind each component are vitally important to your marquee frames ease of use not just initially (they should all be good at the start) but also after years of operation. Look out for the following:
- Stainless steel connectors and bolts
- UV resistant Nylon brackets (more economical frames)
- Cast aluminium brackets (heavy duty frames)
- Soft plastic coated pull rings
- Stainless steel springs
Length of Warranty
Length of Warranty is probably the best overall indicator of frame quality. The longer the warranty the more confident your supplier is about the longevity and quality of the frame. Of course frames come in varying quality levels and price points to fit most budgets, so its critical to compare features at each budget level to ensure you are purchasing a marquee frame with the warranty and quality that suits you. Rhino offer a minimum of 1 year frame warranty of our steel marquee frames, and range up to a whopping 10 year frame warranty for our heavy duty aluminium frames. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions on which frame will best fit your application.