Umbrella Buying Guide: Tips for Buying a Perfect Patio Umbrella

• Also known as a center pole umbrella.
• The most common style of an umbrella.
• Defined by a round or octagonal canopy shape.
• Commonly paired with a wooden or aluminum center pole.

Shop market umbrellas

• Also known as offset umbrellas, these feature an arched or jointed pole positioned off to the side, allowing the canopy to hang freely.
• Many can rotate 360 degrees and tilt side-to-side and/or front-to-back.
• Made from aluminum, bamboo, eucalyptus/teak, or a mix of metal and wood.
• Don’t obstruct views the way market umbrellas might and are ideal for larger dining tables or deep-seating lounge areas.

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• Can be adjusted by pushing a button, turning a crank, or adjusting a collar.
• Ideal for areas where the shade needs to be moved often.

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• Great for covering a round dining table or matching chaise loungers.
• These canopies typically have 8 ribs but are also available in 6-rib versions.

Shop round umbrellas

• Pair a square dining table with a square umbrella for patio perfection.
• These canopies provide plenty of shade and are ideal for entertaining.

Shop square umbrellas

• Ideally paired with a rectangular or oval dining table, or spaces with rectangular seating arrangements.

Shop rectangular umbrellas

• Highest quality canopy material.
• High-performance and resistant to water, mildew, mold, stains, and fading.
• Provides up to 98 percent UV protection.

Tip: Look for 100-percent solution-dyed acrylic, which means that the color is saturated throughout the fabric rather than printed on top.

• 100-percent, solution-dyed polyester is the best value fabric for an umbrella canopy.
• Resistant to mildew, mold, stains, and fading, and performs very similar to acrylic.
• Blocks most UV rays.
• Mimics the characteristics of acrylic at a lower price point.

• Durable and best paired with wooden furniture.
• Includes teak, eucalyptus, generic hardwood, and bamboo.
• Available in both one-piece and two-piece solid pole constructions.
• Most often features brass, stainless steel, or aluminum accent pieces.
• Typically uses a pulley-lift system to raise and lower the canopy.
• Keep in mind: All wooden umbrellas from AuthenTEAK resist insects and weather damage, but wooden poles will fade after prolonged direct exposure to the sun and moisture.

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• Durable, low-maintenance, and ideal for both commercial and residential spaces.
• Great for all weather conditions and climates.
• In addition to a polished finish, aluminum poles are available in a variety of powder coat finishes such as bronze, silver, black, white, champagne, anthracite/graphite, or driftwood.
• A few specialty frames by Tucci are finished with a wood grain called Aluma-TeakTM, which mimics the look of wood.
• Typically use a pulley-lift, manual push-up lift, or crank-lift (the only version with the ability to tilt) system to raise and lower the canopy.

Shop aluminum umbrellas

Tilting umbrella

• How it works: Push a button to manually tilt the canopy.
• Typically have two positions: fully upright, and fully tilted (often in two different directions).
• Commonly found in aluminum umbrellas.

Shop push-button tilt umbrellas

Tilting umbrella

• How it works: Spin one of the umbrella’s ribs clockwise to tilt the canopy as much or as little as you’d like.
• Usually found on high-end teak umbrellas.

Shop rotational tilt umbrellas

Tilting umbrella

• How it works: Twist your fully opened umbrella’s collar (located above the crank) to tilt.
• Easy to operate, and allows the umbrella to tilt in small increments to achieve the perfect shade.

Shop collar tilt umbrellas

Tilting umbrella

• How it works: Turn the crank handle, and after the umbrella is fully open it will begin to tilt.
• Canopy only tilts in one direction.

Shop auto tilt umbrellas

• The support structure is manually pushed up by the hub of the umbrella, where the canopy and ribs come together around the center pole.
• The canopy pops or locks into place with a pin or lever, securing the umbrella in an open position.
• The most similar mechanism to a standard rain umbrella.

Shop push-up umbrellas

• The umbrella is raised and lowered using a rope attached to a pulley.
• A pin or a cleat helps secure the umbrella in the open position.
• Most umbrellas have four pulleys, which allow for easy opening and closing.
• A great choice for both residential and commercial spaces.

Shop pulley umbrellas

• A rotating handle—located near the center of the pole—is turned until the canopy is fully opened.
• The handle is then turned in reverse to close the umbrella.
• If choosing a crank-operated umbrella, make sure the crank doesn’t interfere with a tabletop, especially if the umbrella is placed in the center of a bar table.

Shop crank umbrellas

• For freestanding market umbrellas, we recommend a base weighing a minimum of 80 pounds. A good rule of thumb when choosing a base for freestanding market umbrellas is to add 10 pounds per canopy foot.
• For umbrellas at the center of dining tables go for a lighter base, no more than 70 pounds, since the table itself provides additional support.
• Most bases for market umbrellas are made from aluminum, steel, granite, or concrete.

• Cantilever umbrellas require a specific base for each unique make and model.
• Make sure your base and umbrella are from the same brand and that the models are compatible.
• Most umbrella brands make minor model changes from time to time, so the year the umbrella was made could also be a factor in base compatibility.
• Most cantilever bases are made of hard plastic shells filled with heavy sand. Other bases are made from galvanized steel plates that can be stacked on top of one another to achieve the desired weight, or heavy wood or steel blocks that fit into a steel base frame.

• A base with wheels typically starts at 100 pounds.
• These usually have two small rear wheels, but heavier bases have four wheels and locking casters, making them ideal for commercial locations that move furniture often.

• There are three main types of mounts: concrete, deck/wood, and in-ground.
• Generally used with large cantilever umbrellas and require professional installation.
• Mounts are brand and model-specific and are not universal.

• Typically made with long-lasting and rechargeable LED lights that emit little heat.
• Can be secured to the ribs inside the canopy.
• Some large cantilever umbrellas, like the Treasure Garden Starlux have lights built directly into the ribs.

Shop umbrella lights

• Weather-resistant covers help keep the frame and canopy clean, dry, and mildew-free.
• Most often made from durable, all-weather, and breathable fabrics.
• Make sure to store your umbrella in an upright position in an enclosed, dry area like a basement, garage, or pool house.

Shop protective covers