Umbrella Bases. How low do you go?

Now that you have your super cool patio umbrella, did you remember to pick out the right umbrella base?  Most patio shoppers don’t think of the smaller details when placing their patio umbrella, but believe me, the umbrella base is one of the most import parts of your purchase.

There are a few things to consider when purchasing an umbrella base so as not to fall into the WHATEVER TRAP.   What’s the WHATEVER TRAP, you might ask?  Well, it’s something most consumer’s go through when making a purchase without being fully informed about the product or product choices available.  I’ve been through it myself.  Faced with a multitude of choices, like colors, or styles, or options, you either don’t buy anything, or worse, buy the first thing you see, i.e., the WHATEVER TRAP.

Customer:  Ok, so what kind of umbrella bases do you have?

Salesman:  Well, we have 30, 40, and 50lb bases.  Each one comes in different colors, like black, white, sand, or a neutral champagne, or you can get a plastic base and fill it with water and sand, or cement.  Our bases also come in cast aluminum, steel, water filled or cement filled steel.  Which one would you care to look at?

Customer:  …..Whatever.  Give me that one.

You can see where this is going to get us?

So we’ve created a little guide list on the top 4 of things you should look for when buying an umbrella base for you patio umbrella.

What kind of umbrella are you buying it for?

This might seem like a dumb question, but it really isn’t.  Your base should match the style and color of your umbrella, but it should also match it’s function as well.   Take the time to consider the uses of your patio umbrella.

1. Is it a main umbrella, a centerpiece at your patio furniture set, or is it side umbrella that you use for backup around your pool or patio set?
2. Do you want to match your frame or your shade?
3. What is the material of the umbrella?  Most bases work great with both aluminum and wood market umbrellas, but plastic bases are a great alternative that might fit with aluminum patio umbrellas a bit better.

What size is the umbrella?

This might seem a no brainer, but the plethora of choices usually keeps the thinking part of your brain out of the loop.  If the umbrella is 10, 11, or 13 feet wide, there is no way an inexpensive 201lb flat umbrella base will ever be able to hold that it up.  A 40, 50 or 75lb base should be what your looking for.

Is the umbrella in a table or free standing?

If your umbrella is free standing, you should consider a more ornate or stylish umbrella base to complete the look of your patio umbrella.  If your umbrella sits in a patio table, you should definetly look to using a flat or more simple umbrella base.  Why get a stylish base that will never be seen?

Is your umbrella an Offset?

Offset patio umbrellas are a fantastic way to shade large areas or large tables without having a center pole getting in the way.  That being said, not all offset patio umbrellas have bases readily available for them.  They usually come with a t base or cross base that can me mounted using cement or stone screws, but most people opt for getting patio blocks.  Make sure to measure the available space for patio blocks.  4 blocks is usually the magic number, but some offsets are light enough to use only two.  However, better safe than sorry.  Always uses 4 blocks.  Home Depot and Lowe’s offer great cement patio blocks.  However, there is a new, recycled rubber patio block from RubberForm that’s a great Green alternative.

With these guides in hand, you should do great when you’re looking for the right umbrella base for your outdoor umbrella.

Aluminum or Wood?

One of the big questions we’re getting this season is about the differences in materials.   It usually goes like this:

What’s better?  Aluminum or Wood?

To which we almost always answer:

Yes

At this point the customer asks for an answer with a few more details.

The differences between aluminum patio umbrellas and wood market umbrellas are as diverse as the differences between the actual materials of aluminum and wood.  So let’s go over those briefly to get a better understanding of each.

Industry just loves aluminum.  Once it’s properties and especially it’s uses in construction and fabrication where finally hammered out by using aluminum alloy, it became one of the most popular metals for fabricating everything from toys to parts of the Washington Monument.  Aluminum is actually the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust, and is popular because of it’s resistance to corrosion and it’s flexibility in temperature changes.  Aluminum can be combined with a plethora of minerals, and can be colored, shaped, or textured to almost anything you can think of.  With the right combination of metals, aluminum alloys can be lighter and stronger than steel and iron.  No wonder it makes such a cool patio umbrella!  You can twist it, turn it and powder coat it to make any kind of umbrella you want.

Wood is probably second only to stone in it’s history with us humans.  Wood has been used by us from our earliest history for everything from tools to artwork, architecture, food production and storage.  We can burn it to warm ourselves, or burn it to heat things like water, or burn it to run engines.  We can use pure wood to make almost anything we want, and what’s left over, can still be used.  We paint it, cut it, shape it and make instruments from it.  It appears naturally in our environment, and comes in a myriad of qualities from soft and white to hard and dark.  Some older trees contain wood that is so dense and dark that diamond saws are needed to cut it.  We love wood for it’s look, it’s depth and it’s history with us.  Wood makes awesome market umbrellas.

So it’s easy to understand why there’s so much to think about when you’re picking out your patio umbrella.  Geez, if both of these materials are so great, what do I choose?

So here are some guides you can go by to really help you get through the decision process.  Guides?  Well, really you can take them, take the advice, and throw them away.  I’ve always been a big proponent of the “it’s your home, you do what you think is right” attitude, but if your having a problem deciding, the following can help you in a pinch.

1. If you’re trying to match wood furniture, a wood umbrella would probably be a good choice.   Keep in mind most wood market umbrellas are made with either a darker, redder hardwood or the beautifully pale teak.  Teak wood changes color over time also, so keep that in mind.  Also keep in mind that many aluminum patio umbrella manufacturers provide faux wood finishes.  These can be a great match as well.
2. If it’s wrought iron, cast aluminum or aluminum furniture that your getting an umbrella for, definitely look at aluminum patio umbrellas.  Aluminum patio umbrellas come in a lot of different color and finishes to match almost any metal furniture.  You can match bronze, black, white or green furniture easily, and if not, there are a plethora of neutral frame colors like champagne and sand finishes.
3. Consider your patio environment.  Aluminum is somewhat better for high wind areas, but wood can most definitely stand the test of windy environments as well.  Although we always recommend putting down your umbrellas before storms, aluminum can bend or warp under prolonged high speed winds, where wood will not.  Wood will simple split or break when it reaches it’s limit, however, sustained winds and water have shown to bow wood.
4. Wood will not rust, but will rot if not maintained.  Stained or sealed wood will give years and years of service before showing signs of decay.  Aluminum will not rust, or resist rust much longer than wood resists rot, but it’s working parts are prone to damage.
5. Consider the general decor of your outdoor area.  Lush and thick foliage tends to work best with a wood umbrella, while more sleek, modern looking outdoor areas, with less plants, tend to work well with an aluminum umbrella.

After going through your needs and this list, it’s absolutely fine if you decide to chuck it and decide based on your own aesthetic preferences.  Aluminum furniture can look wonderful with a wood umbrella, while heavy foliage would look great with an aluminum umbrella.  Both are great choices.

The best advice we can give is to go over the reasons you need an umbrella, and mix those with your personal prefence.

From the Finial to the Base. All the parts of a Patio Umbrella.

Today’s shopper is very educated about the products they..uhm…shop. When we’re out buying a car, we educate ourselves on the make, the model, the options, the paint, the engine, the cylinders, even the kind of stereo that comes in the car. When we shop for our electronics, like a stereo, we research each and every feature, like whether it plays CD’s or not (no, I’m not stuck in the 90’s) MP3’s (see, I told ya) the type of speakers it has, the ohms (repeat after me) and for the guys in the audience, the POWER!!!

But it’s funny how such a great investment like a patio umbrella isn’t a topic of regular conversation. I mean, when I talk to my friends about a new piece of furniture, like my new sofa, they ask about the leather, and the feet, and how wide it is, and the construction. When I talk to my friends about a patio umbrella, they never ask about the finial or the canopy fabric.

So let’s go down all the parts of a patio umbrella, from the finial to the base, and give you a better idea on what makes up a standard patio umbrella.

THE FINIAL

According to Wikipedia, a finial is

The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed to decoratively emphasize the apex of a gable, or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure.

So for a patio umbrella, the finial is the ornamental piece at the top. Patio umbrella finials come in varying shapes and sizes, and serve as finishing detail for a patio umbrella. It’s purely decorative in function.

THE CANOPY

You pretty much can’t have a patio umbrella without a canopy. As the name suggests, it’s the top of the umbrella. The actual working part that provides shade. This is where the magic happens. Now the canopy has in itself some parts that make up the overall construction of it. The fabric, the vents, and the pockets.

Umbrella Canopy

Look at all that stuff up in there.

THE FABRIC

Once upon a time, patio canopies, or patio covers, used to be made with cotton and some kind of sealant, such as wax or oil. Today, patio umbrella fabrics come in a whole slew of different materials and construction. Most notably are solution dyed acrylics, such as Sunbrella Fabrics. Sunbrella fabrics are probably the best known outdoor fabrics, and have even been recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation for it’s UV protection. They are noted for their colors, the soft hand, and their durability, which have been know to last for years. Some people even think of patio umbrellas with Sunbrella fabrics as Sunbrella Umbrellas. However, there is also Olefin Fabric, which are a value added outdoor fabric that is sometimes called polyethylene or polypropylene. It’s weather resistant, strong, and carries colors well. There is also polyester outdoor fabrics, which are colorful and effective, but which are traditional made for limited use. And their is vinyl fabric. Vinyl fabric was probably the first commercial grade fabric that has been used for patio umbrellas, and car seats, and upholstery. You name it, somebody put vinyl on it, or the other way around. It’s known for it’s durability and longevity, but not for color choices.

THE VENTS

On an earlier post, Wind Vents What? I described the basic uses of a wind vent, but to recap… A wind vent passes air, wind and heat in, up and around an umbrella canopy. Wind vents prevent your patio umbrella from becoming, in essence, a very expensive kite. Wind Vents let heat rise up out of the canopy as well, so you don’t trap the heat in, which defeats the purpose of going under a patio umbrella for shade…from the heat. Wind Vents can be configured in a bunch of different ways including:

• Single Wind Vents – One Vent at the Top
• Dual Wind Vents – Two wind vents for double the efficiency
• Middle Accent – Two wind vents with an alternating fabric, for design.

THE POCKETS

Also known as Rib Pockets, these are the folds of fabric that are stitched together to create a pocket, that will then hold the ribs. What are ribs? Aha, we’re getting to that.

THE RIBS

The ribs are the long wood or metallic rods that hold the umbrella shape, hold up the cover to the canopy, and in most patio umbrellas, can be moved up and down to close the umbrella. Most patio umbrellas are made in aluminum, thus the ribs are aluminum (great logic there huh?) Wood Market Umbrellas feature wood ribs, typically jointed with metal. There are also Fiberglass Rib Umbrellas, which are wind and shock resistant. Traditional Garden Umbrellas usually use a steel wire rib, which is much simpler in design.

In a market umbrella, there are two sets of ribs that make up the canopy. The outside ribs, which give the umbrella it’s shape and size, and the center ribs, which attach the pole to the ribs from the Hub via a rib joint.

THE HUB AND RUNNER

The hub is where the center ribs attach to the pole of the patio umbrella. The hub is a movable piece set at the center pole to ensure that the ribs stay attached as the umbrella opens and closes.The runner is located under the hub when the patio umbrella is completely open. The runner is what pushes the hub up and down to open and close the umbrella.

THE POLE

Now it gets interesting. The pole is the center shaft that the holds the umbrella canopy up. Basically, the stick the umbrella sits on. Poles come in a variety of size, and are usually round, but there are some square poles in the market as well. The pole and the ribs are what make up the basic category of patio umbrella, such as wood market umbrella or aluminum patio umbrella styles. Aluminum poles can come in a variety of finishes, and even some textures, sand being a very popular texture. Most patio umbrellas feature a straight center pole, but there are different kinds of patio umbrellas, such as offset patio umbrellas, which hang over the side, so the pole is not in the center.

THE CRANK

Aluminum patio umbrellas often feature a crank for opening the umbrella. Wood market umbrellas are usually of a rope and pulley variety, and don’t need a crank. The crank usually sits at about mid level in a standard patio umbrella.

THE TILT

When an umbrella tilts, the tilt function usually takes place at the top of the umbrella, just below the hub and runner. There are three basic kinds of tilts, such as push-button tilt, auto tilt, and collar tilt.

THE BASE

An umbrella base is not really a part of the umbrella, but an addition most people will need. The base is what holds an umbrella up and in position. It can be made of steel, aluminum, or even concrete. Umbrella bases come in a variety of weights, to use with different size umbrellas.

And there you have it, the different parts of a patio umbrella, from finial to base. Now you can go car shopping, electronics shopping, and patio umbrella shopping.