Well, summer is upon us and if your backyard could use a freshening up you are not the only one. The winter months can be hard on our patio furniture and if you don’t have a lot of extra money lying around there are a few simple ways to renew your patio. One of the most familiar outdoor accessories is the patio umbrella. Nowadays, a person is limited to a green or beige outdoor umbrella for your backyard. Outdoor umbrellas come in many shapes, sizes and colors which can really make a statement. From modern to traditional you can find a great match to your existing outdoor d

Many people only think about purchasing their next outdoor patio umbrella or patio set when summer is underway. This can create a few concerns, because if you are searching for a specific style of furniture or color you may not be able to find what you need in stock. While you can find outdoor umbrellas that ship rather quickly online, you may be surprised to discover that the patio furniture set that you adore can take weeks to arrive. This can take weeks out of your precious summer fun and, if delays happen, you can miss out on most of your beautiful summer.

A smart idea is to commence shopping for your patio umbrellas and other patio furnishings during the off-season. The number one motivation to look for these products during the off-season is that you can discover some amazing deals. A lot of online stores offer large savings in the fall and winter months to help keep inventory moving. Also, a lot of online stores have a big inventory of items like outdoor umbrellas, all-year-long, unlike your local retailers that only carry the products when they are in season. Not only will you discover merchandise online during the wintertime, you will even see that the options are much better than what is available in the retail stores.

Another good thing about shopping for your outdoor umbrella in the off-season is that you are not forced to just order “something”. You can take your time and even order items that are custom made. This gives you greater flexibility to match d

There are a lot of ways to protect your tilt market umbrella which can prolong its life by years. If an outdoor patio umbrella is left outside, exposed to the elements such as sun, wind, rain and dust they can really damage your outdoor shade. If you follow these easy tips you will be able to use your patio umbrella for a number of seasons longer than if you do not. Most of these tips are completely free and once you start doing them they will just be second nature.

The number one thing you can do to safeguard your outdoor patio umbrellas is to merely close up them when you are not using them. By closing your small or large patio umbrella when it isn’t being used will keep it from being caught a breeze which can cause a lot of damage. Market Umbrella ribs can be bent or broken, and umbrella poles can be snapped just by one sudden gust of wind that is caught by an open umbrella. Therefore, it is never a good decision to keep a patio umbrella open unless it is being used and you can see if it is being strained by the wind. If you do observe your patio table umbrella being stressed by the wind, your best option is to close it to stop damage. Many people stay under their umbrella while it is being stressed to its limits and then see that a rib arm has been damaged by the stress. So, it is important to close up your umbrella when it isn’t being used and to close it if you notice it is being stressed by the wind.

Not only is it very important to close up your umbrella when it isn’t being used, it is also important to use a feature that is included with just about every patio umbrella. This very important feature is the tie. This part is there for a purpose, and not just because the manufacturer had some spare cloth to use up. The reason we should not only close up our Sunbrella market umbrellas, but also tie them is because a gust of wind can catch even a closed umbrella and cause damage. By fastening your umbrella closed you can ensure that a sneaky gust of wind does not catch your umbrella and break it.

The third most important thing to remember, that will help you extend the life of your umbrella, is to buy a protective umbrella cover. An umbrella cover can cost a few dollars, but they will be among the most intelligent dollars you will spend. Many people spend a good amount of money on their patio umbrellas, so spending a little more on an umbrella cover is a really smart move. Patio umbrella covers keep your umbrella safe from sun, rain, wind and dust. They keep your umbrella secure and dry, which keep them spotless and free from mold and mildew. An important tip: If your market umbrella does get wet, check that it is completely dry before you put a cover on it to avoid mold and mildew.

The last tip for extending the life of your umbrella is to bring it into your garage or shed if you are in a place that gets very cold in the wintertime. This will allow you to extend the life of the cover, which can be hurt by ice and snow. Even if you have a cover, it is still a good practice to put your aluminum market umbrellas inside when the cold days approaches. These ideas should help you enjoy your patio umbrella for years to come and allow you to use it time after time.

If you are hoping to find a painless way to update the look of your patio it can be easily achieved with the purchase of a beautiful patio umbrella. You will be very surprised at the difference a vibrant colored patio umbrella can make to a dull yard, or how finding just the right match for your existing d

Well, summer has arrived and if your backyard could use a freshening up you are not by yourself. The winter months can be harsh to our patio furniture and if you don’t have money growing on trees in your yard there are several simple ways to update your yard. One of the most familiar outdoor accessories is the patio umbrella. Nowadays, you are not limited to a green or beige outdoor patio umbrella for your backyard. Outdoor umbrellas come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors which can make a bold statement. From modern to traditional you can find a perfect match to your existing outdoor d

Many people question how to select the correct sized patio umbrella for their backyard. They may think they only need a 6 foot patio umbrella, just to discover that it really doesn’t offer the total amount of shade that they truly require. The right way to select the correct size patio umbrella is to measure the space to decide on the size of shade you will need to keep things comfortable. You can generally assume that if the sun is directly above, patio umbrellas will shade about half of their overall size to each side of the center pole. For example, a nine foot outdoor umbrella will shade an area of about four and a half feet from the center.

To start measuring for the total of shade you would want your outdoor umbrellas to cover, start the center of the place you want shaded. Start with a measuring tape at the center of the place you want to shade and expand it out to half the distance of the umbrella size you think you would like to buy. If you think you want a 9 foot outdoor umbrella, you must measure out a space of a little over 4 feet. Now you will walk around the center of the area 360 degrees to determine what particular space will be shaded when the sun is at its highest point during the day. Also, think about the route of the sun. As the sun goes lower in the horizon throughout the day, the size and shape of shade will change. Now, here is something important to note: most manufactures determine their umbrella size by measuring the actual rib arm length and double it. However, the majority of outdoor umbrellas are not true to their size in width, because the rib arms are not usually completely extended straight out to the side so you will typically lose a few inches in shade proportionally. Also, you’ll want to think about that if you are buying your outdoor umbrella for a bar table, you will need to make sure it has a bar height crank so you can maneuver the umbrella while placed in your bar table. This is typically a feature that is offered with most patio umbrellas, but you can always ask about it if it is not featured with the product.

When you are thinking about shading an outdoor dining area you can use the following guidelines for your wood or aluminum outdoor patio umbrellas: a 6 foot canopy will shade a caf

So what is an offset patio umbrella? Also named cantilever umbrellas; the main characteristic of these patio umbrellas is that they do not have a center pole. As an alternative, they have either a side post or side hanging mechanism. With the evolution of the patio umbrella industry it seemed that there was a need for a larger umbrella that offered an alternative to the traditional umbrella. A Patio is more than just a place to put a picnic table. They are now designed with conversation areas, fire pits and dining spaces. An offset outdoor umbrella can give you a way to produce shade on your patio without a center pole that can get in the way.

These umbrellas offer more flexibility than the center-poled umbrellas. They can protect larger areas and give shade in places that a traditional umbrella cannot be used for instance, over large outdoor seating areas, spas, hot tubs, pools, children’s pools and sandboxes. While a conventional outdoor umbrella can provide some shade to these areas, their shading ability cannot be maximized, because they have to be positioned off to the side. With an offset umbrella you still get the full potential of shade, because the umbrella shade is extended over the center of whatever you are trying to shield.

Offset umbrellas come in many sizes and shapes. You can find round, oval, square and rectangular offset umbrellas that each have their benefits. If you need an umbrella for to cover your spa or hot tub a round umbrellas is a good choice. A square umbrella is a nice choice to shade a seating area. Rectangular styles are good to shade larger patio tables and can also be used as awnings close to a home to help keep the indoor temperatures down during the hot summer days.

These umbrellas also come in a number of various colors so finding the perfect match for your existing furniture or d

Picking the right umbrella base for your aluminum umbrella is very important. The right umbrella base will keep your patio umbrella from falling over, which will keep it from breaking. If you purchase an umbrella base that is not the correct size it can cause damage to your patio umbrella.

You will need to consider the following to limit the possibilities of your umbrella not fitting the stand, tipping or taking flight in a strong breeze; the size of the umbrella shade, if the umbrella will be standing in the center of a table or freestanding and the width of the umbrella pole. Each of these are important when buying an umbrella stand, because if you purchase a stand that is too light for your umbrella it can be disastrous. Umbrellas can easily take flight in windy conditions, and cause damage to windows, tables and other outdoor furniture. I have even seen an umbrella fly over a fence and crack the windshield on a car.

If you are purchasing a freestanding umbrella or an umbrella that will go through a table, it is most important to purchase the right kind of umbrella for your weather conditions. If you live in a high wind area it is a must to purchase a wind resistant umbrella that is made of bendable fiberglass ribs. Fiberglass ribs will flex in windy conditions instead of bending or even breaking. Once you have purchased your umbrella you need to make the following measurements:

Measure the shade size of your umbrella.

You need to know the shade size of the umbrella if you want to buy the right umbrella base. The larger the patio umbrella the heavier the base needs to be to support that umbrella.

Calculate the diameter of your umbrella pole. Different outdoor umbrellas do have different pole diameters. The most popular patio umbrella pole size is 1.5” in diameter, but pole sizes can range anywhere from 1 1/8” to 3” depending on the type and size you order. It is important to know the pole diameter when you purchase your stand.

Tip:Patio tables also have different sized holes. Make sure that you measure this space before you buy your umbrella.

You also need to know if your Sunbrella outdoor umbrella will be freestanding or placed through a table. Freestanding umbrellas require heavier stands. If your outdoor patio umbrellas will be placed through tables you can follow the minimum patio umbrella base size suggestions.

The following list shows the minimum base size suggestions for different sized aluminum outdoor umbrellas:

A 30 pound umbrella base is a minimum requirement for umbrella shades from six feet to 7.5 ft if they are going to be placed through a table. You should use, at minimum, a 40 pound base for a 4.5 foot freestanding umbrella shade. A 50 pound base can be used for a 6 ft to 7.5 ft umbrella shade that will be freestanding. If you have an umbrella shade that measures 8 ft to 11 ft and it is going through a table you can purchase a 50 lb. base. If your 8 foot, 9 foot or 11 foot umbrella will be freestanding you will need a 75 lb base, at minimum. Please remember, these are minimum requirements. If you live in windy areas it is best to purchase a heavier umbrella stand.

Buying the right patio umbrella stand is very important towards increasing the life of your aluminum umbrella.