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Here are a few things to look for when shopping for outdoor patio umbrellas
Products shown: Umbrella | Umbrella Base
Many of us have been there before… you’re relaxing in your backyard patio, looking up at the clouds, when overhead comes something that can only be described as a tumbling Mary Poppins poltergeist. Your eyes focus in on what used to be your neighbor’s patio umbrella, tumbling head over tail in the wind on its way past your backyard oasis. “Odd,” you think, “I could have sworn that umbrella should have been firmly planted on the ground…”
You’d be right. Ideally, we try to keep our patio umbrellas touching terra firma as much as possible, and it looks like your neighbor may have skipped a step or two in anchoring his umbrella. Let’s not let that same thing happen to your patio umbrella, we’ll start by getting a base that is appropriately weighted for your patio umbrella.
When selecting an umbrella base, experts will tell you to use a heavier base than the minimum recommendation – it’s better to be over-protected than under-protected since wind damage is NOT covered under the umbrella warranty.
When selecting the base for your patio umbrella, there are a few things to consider
Here at Patio Heat and Shade, we’re lucky enough to have the best patio experts in the business at our beck and call and when we said that our customers need to know more about patio umbrella bases, they put together this all-encompassing guide to help you understand your options better. As Meghan Trainor would say, “It’s all about that BASE.” (Wait… shouldn’t that be bass?). Let’s take a look…
There are two basic types of umbrellas, the ones most people know (called “Market Umbrellas”) where the pole is in the center of the umbrella, and cantilever umbrellas where the pole and stand are off to the side leaving no obstructions under the umbrella itself. Because of their off-center nature, cantilever umbrellas need to have extra weight in their bases. For instance, we recommend a minimum weight of 75 pounds for a market umbrella that is 10 ft. in diameter, and a minimum weight of 180 pounds for a cantilever umbrella of the same size.
Further, many of the better umbrellas have a tilt feature that allows you to track the sun as it completes its westward path, providing maximum shade and comfort. This is fantastic until the wind kicks up… if you have more than a 15° tilt your lovely shade can turn into a sail, causing your umbrella to tip or even take flight. In windy conditions, forego the tilt feature.
Market-style umbrellas (remember, the ones with the pole in the middle) can be either freestanding, or the umbrella is placed through a table and into a base. This second type adds significantly more stability, as the table adds an additional deterrent against wind in the middle of the pole where the umbrella pole is surrounded by the table.
Finally, consider your elevation when selecting your umbrella base. It’s windier the higher up you go, so a ground-floor balcony umbrella will need less weight than an umbrella on the 15th floor.
As we’ve seen, there are quite a few variables that go into how much weight do you need in an umbrella base. Let’s break it down:
A good conservative estimate would be to use 10 pounds of weight per foot of diameter, so a 9’ diameter umbrella should need 90 lbs. of weight
Generally, select the heaviest option in your budget to assure yourself of years of catastrophe-free service (remember, wind damage is NOT covered under the umbrella warranty)
Another option (also from your local home improvement store) is to purchase sandbags… two bags holding 50 lbs. of sand each should help considerably in weighing down your umbrella.
Let’s step this up a notch. When you’re weighing down your umbrella base, you’re trying to keep it attached to the ground/deck that it’s on as best you can. There’s no better way to do that than to physically attach it to the ground/deck.
Remember that mounting your umbrella doesn’t make it invincible – it’s still able to be harmed by the wind (those ribs under the canopy can’t take a huge beating) but should significantly lessen the possibility of your umbrella ending up being “gone with the wind.”
If you haven’t selected your base yet, these principles will guide you to the right size base for your situation. Already have your base, these helpful tips will get the most out of your outdoor shade without fear of your umbrella ending up in the neighbor’s yard.
If you have an umbrella-in-table setup, your base weight needs are 10 pounds less than if you had a freestanding pole… but in a strong wind you risk not only a migratory umbrella but possibly a broken table as well. You see, frequently the tables are made of glass with a rubber-ringed hole in the middle for the umbrella pole, and when a heavy wind kicks up the umbrella can shatter the glass by putting too much pressure in one spot on around that hole.
The short answer here is, “Yup.” The better question is does the size matter? If you have two bases of approximately the same weight (and weight distribution), the wider the better. If you have two bases of different sizes and different weights, take the heavier weight regardless of the diameter/width of the base.
Again, the size/diameter of the umbrella base isn’t nearly as important as the weight… but the standard umbrella base size is about 20” in diameter.
Something else to remember when selecting an umbrella base… does it need to move (I mean, on purpose)? If so, you may want to consider an umbrella base with built-in wheels to make movement a breeze (sorry, had to say it).
If it works the same way for umbrella bases as it does me, all we have to do is wander the base past the ice cream aisle at the local grocery store and it’ll gain 10 pounds. Sadly, we’re going to have to work at getting your umbrella base to gain weight. Basically, the idea for adding weight to your umbrella base is simple – find something compact and heavy and set it on the base.
Easily, the most aesthetic option is to purchase a base weight for your existing umbrella base. We’ve got options that add as much as 200 lbs. to your existing base, while keeping the beauty of your base design intact.
A little more “blunt force trauma” option can be found at your local big box home improvement store – cinder blocks. Found in varying sizes, shapes and weights, cinder blocks can be spray painted to match (or contrast) your existing base or umbrella canopy. Once painted, take your umbrella out of the base, slip the cinder block over the stem of the base and put your umbrella back in. You’ve easily added close to 30 pounds to your base in just a few minutes.
Mounting your umbrella base to the ground requires an in-ground mounting kit. With these kits, you would create a hole, fill it with concrete (like you would any buried pole or post) and add the in-ground section of the kit, burying the base of the umbrella in heavy concrete surrounded by earth. If you’re looking for the ultimate in stability, this is your guy.
If your umbrella is on concrete or a patio deck, you can use a mount kit to attach your umbrella directly to your floor.
Keeping your umbrella grounded can be as easy as adding sandbags, or as intricate as pouring a concrete footer and installing a ground mount… and quite a few steps in between. Identifying the potential issues surrounding the wind vs. umbrella feud helps you fortify the base of your umbrella to get ready for the next wind attack.
Whether you need a new base, an umbrella with a new base, or need to bolster your existing base with some extra weight that matches your umbrella system, you can rely on Patio Heat and Shade to have the options you need at the best prices. Combine that with our fantastic patio experts and you’ve got the recipe for long, lazy summer days staying cool under your patio umbrella. Have a question? Give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.