Patio Umbrella Buying Guide:

It can be very confusing when you are selecting an outdoor umbrella. There are many characteristics to patio umbrella that can make a difference where you place and position them. Here are a few suggestions to help make the best patio umbrella choice possible

1.Types of Umbrella

1)Market Umbrella are more expensive than Standard Crank & Tilt Patio Umbrella.They are used in public areas such as restaurant or cafe as well as in home. They may have either a single or double vent on the top. Frames may be alum with crank and auto-tilt, or wood with pulley and rope. Like other Patio Umbrella, Market Umbrella require a base

2)Commercial Umbrella are ideal for your business, restaurant or other commercial application. They are constructed with heavy-duty alum center poles and fiberglass ribs for durability.

3)Patio Umbrella are generally for residential use on a patio or deck. They usually are placed in an outdoor table with a hole to accommodate the umbrella pole. Most often they require a base for support. Patio Umbrella may be pop-ups manual tilt, or auto-tilt. The frames for Patio Umbrella usually are made of alum. They have metal bell caps as finials

4)Beach Umbrella are made with alum, wood or fiberglass umbrella frames that are crafted to withstand strong winds and humidity. They are distinguished by their poles, which are pointed for use in the sand. Frames may be alum or wood, but Beach Umbrella never feature a tilt so they can withstand windy conditions. They have plastic bell caps as finials

5)Logo Umbrella Once you know what kind of umbrella you want, you may consider adding a logo. We have printing available to put your logo on your canvas, such as silk screening. If you are looking to promote a product or have logos printed on your umbrellas, the Logo Umbrella is the right choice

Umbrella Size In choosing an umbrella size for home use, it is important to measure how much room is available on your patio or deck. They can range from **5m depending on what type of umbrella you select. The standard size umbrella is 3m, obviously, the larger the umbrella, the more shade it provides

2.Umbrella Frame

Alum Frame

1)Alum Frame with Steel Ribs
These are the most economical frame sold. They are light weight umbrella poles that have steel ribs, great for outdoor eateries as well as residential

2)Alum Frame with Fiberglass Ribs
These are light weight poles with more flexible ribs, great for breezy environments, like pool areas

3)Heavy Duty Alum Frame with Alum Ribs
These umbrellas are your highest quality frame and are ideal for commercial outdoor applications. Most alum is naturally non corrosive the heavy duty frames are made to last longer

Wood Frame

1)Wood Frame with Steel Ribs
These umbrella poles are made out of hardwood and great for the beach or pool areas. These are the most economical of all the wood frames

2)Wood Frame with Fiberglass Ribs
These are hardwood umbrella poles made with fiberglass ribs, so they have more flexibility in high wind situations. These are slightly more in cost

3)Wood Market Frame
These are umbrellas that have hardwood poles and thick wooden ribs. These are great in commercial outdoor environments, such as resorts and hotels

Fiberglass Frame Fiberglass is a very flexible and versatile non-corrosive material commonly used in fishing poles and boats. The fiberglass spokes in the umbrella frame makes the umbrella incredibly wind resistant. With fiberglass umbrellas, the spines actually bend in the wind and are less likely to damage. These are great frames for beach applications because they are so bendable in the wind

Tilts and Crank Some of the features you have to choose from when purchasing your umbrella are whether you want to be able to tilt the umbrella, open with a pulley, pop up or auto-crank. You have many choices. You can have a manual umbrella that open and close by using an EZ latch spring or pop up. Some umbrellas come with a pulley that open and close the umbrella. Other umbrellas have cranks that you turn to open and close your umbrella

Automatic Tilt When you purchase an automatic tilt umbrella, you can use a crank to open and tilt your umbrella just by cranking the handle. When you crank to open the umbrella you can stop at your desired shading or you can keep cranking until the umbrella bends or tilts. This will help block the sun at every angle

Manual Tilt When you purchase a manual tilt umbrella, you will have a crank to open your umbrella but in order to tilt it, you will have to press in a located on the umbrella pole and bend or tilt the umbrella yourself at the same time

Cantilever Umbrellas/Offset Umbrella

Cantilever umbrella also known as Offset umbrellas have a base and pole at the side of the umbrella. This base anchors the umbrella and allows it to move and shade larger areas. These are a great substitute for awnings because they are more portable and can be moved to different locations

3.Umbrella Valance

Patio Umbrella have valances, which add a decorative touch and can be for residential us or to display logos or company slogans for special promotions. They are a more economical option for when shade is more important than a high-grade frame

Beach Umbrella are closely related to patio umbrellas, as they also have valances. The difference is that some offer the feature of a spiked pole base for easy mounting into sand

Market Umbrella do not have valances, but they do feature a more straight sleek edge. Most market umbrellas come with a choice one or two wind vents. This allows the wind to flow through the umbrella and keep it stabilizedpatio umbrella