Marquee hire and assembly glossary
Plain-English explanations of the terms you will come across.
- Ballast
- Heavy weights, usually steel or concrete, used to hold a marquee down on hard surfaces where stakes cannot be driven in. The amount needed depends on the structure size and design.
- Bay
- The section of a frame marquee between two sets of legs, often 3 metres or 5 metres long. Marquees are lengthened or shortened by adding or removing bays.
- Cable avoidance tool
- A handheld device, often called a CAT, used to detect buried electricity cables and some metal pipes before stakes are driven into the ground.
- Cassette flooring
- Interlocking timber or composite floor panels laid on a levelled framework, giving a flat, dry floor on grass or slopes. Carpet or a dance floor is laid on top.
- Clearspan structure
- A large frame structure with no internal supports across its width, used for big weddings, corporate events and festivals. Widths can run from around 10 metres to much larger spans.
- Eave height
- The height at the edge of a marquee where the roof meets the walls. It affects headroom near the sides, the feel of the space and whether tall items can fit.
- Frame marquee
- A marquee built on an aluminium frame with no internal poles, giving a clear floor. It can stand on grass, tarmac or paving and is the most common type for parties and weddings.
- Gutter
- A fabric or rigid channel used to join two marquees side by side, carrying rainwater away from the join so the structures can be linked into one larger space.
- Guy ropes
- The tensioned ropes running from a pole marquee down to stakes in the ground. They hold the structure up and take wind load, and need clear space and lighting at night.
- Indirect heater
- A heater that sits outside the marquee and ducts warm air inside, keeping fumes and flames out of the structure. Usually diesel powered and thermostatically controlled.
- Lining
- Fabric fitted inside the roof and walls to hide the frame and soften light. Pleated linings give a gathered look, while flat linings are cleaner and more modern.
- Stakes
- Long steel pins driven into the ground to anchor a marquee's legs or guy ropes. Their number and length depend on the structure, the soil and the expected wind.
- Stretch tent
- A tent made from a single sheet of stretchy fabric pulled over poles and tensioned to the ground, giving a flowing, free-form shape. Popular for festivals and relaxed parties.
- Traditional pole marquee
- A marquee held up by tall internal king poles and shorter side poles, with guy ropes pegged out around it. It has a peaked look and needs a grassed site with extra space.
- Window walls
- Side walls with clear or arched panels that let in light and views while keeping out wind and rain. They can often be swapped for open sides in good weather.
Last updated 6 November 2026