How to Choose the Right Umbrella

Pool Furniture Supply has the best selection of umbrellas, including Patio Umbrellas, Market Umbrellas, and Specialty Umbrellas! With so many options to choose from, we have created a guide to making the right decision on which umbrella is right for your project. A patio or market umbrella is a great way to provide shade to a pool deck, patio, yard, or restaurant dining patio. This guide is aimed to help our customers choose the right umbrella for their business or home, based on the type of umbrella, frame, size, and fabric. No matter what type of umbrella you are looking for, there are plenty to choose from on Pool Furniture Supply.

Types of Umbrellas
Budget	Umbrella Type	Description
	Market	Higher quality umbrella than residential umbrellas; has a vented top; used for commercial purposes; typically has a powder coated aluminum pole and Marine Grade Canopy.
	Fiberglass Rib	Market umbrellas with fiberglass ribs are the most durable types of umbrellas. Lightweight, flexible, and resistant to wind and weather; will last for a long time; better investment in the long run.
	Aluminum Rib	Lightweight and durable. Aluminum is resistant to corrosion and rust; typically has square ribs for resistance to wind.
	Patio / Garden	Designed for use on home pool decks and patios; used for residential and light commercial purposes. Typically has a vent and valence.
	Cantilever	The pole is set at the side of the umbrella and secured to its own base; this umbrella hangs over the table or area without a pole in the middle to get in the way.
	Beach	Patio umbrellas with a pointed pole to use in sand. Features a vent and valence in a variety of fun beach colors.
	Lifeguard	Patio umbrellas with a lifeguard logo design.
Any Umbrella	Logo	Umbrellas that are designed to promote a product or company; commonly seen in restaurants and outdoor events; can also be custom made for personal use.

Frames for Umbrellas
Aluminum	Aluminum frame umbrellas are the most popular materials used for poles. They are lightweight and durable and aluminum is resistant to corrosion. We offer aluminum rib market umbrellas with aluminum poles or fiberglass rib market umbrellas with aluminum poles.
Wood	Most wooden umbrellas have been treated to handle the weather outdoors, but they are not as durable as aluminum frames. Wooden frame won’t be able to handle extended exposure to rain, sunlight, and cold temperatures.
Fiberglass	Umbrellas with fiberglass frames and poles are the most durable types of umbrellas. Fiberglass is lightweight, flexible, and resistant to wind and weather. Fiberglass umbrellas will last for a long time, making it a better investment in the long run. Many of our fiberglass rib market umbrellas have a powder coated aluminum pole.

Choose the Right Umbrella Size 

Choosing the right size umbrella is important when it comes to providing sufficient shade for your patio or cafe. To use an umbrella with a table, it is important that the umbrella is not too small and an umbrella that is too large for a table may fall over. The chart below shows the umbrella size that should correspond to the correct table size.

Anchor Weight / Umbrella Bases

An umbrella base is an important key to protecting your property as well as your guests. The purpose of an umbrella base is to hold the umbrella in position so that it does not fall over or blow away. Umbrellas that have a diameter that is less than nine feet will need about 50 pounds of weight while umbrellas that are larger than nine feet will need 75 pounds of weight. In addition, a Ubrace can anchor the umbrella to a table to use the weight of the table as a base. With the combination of a Ubrace and an umbrella base, your umbrella is at top security. Pool Furniture Supply has the largest selections of Umbrellas and Umbrella Bases. See our selection of umbrella bases and braces from Pool Furniture Supply!

Tilt Methods

Pool Furniture Supply offers a variety of umbrella options to accommodate a variety of needs. We offer a variety of umbrellas with different tilt and non-tilt options. For many years, we have always recommended to not use crank or tilt umbrellas in a commercial environment, but today we have a commercial grade tilt umbrella that has a manufacturer’s warranty! Crank tilt umbrellas are incredibly easy to use. With these types of umbrellas, a crank is used to open the umbrella and tilt it. A person can simply stop cranking once they have opened the umbrella to the desired amount of shade. The umbrella will lock into place automatically. This makes it easier to block the sun at all angles without having to move the umbrella or try to balance it. Pool Furniture Supply offers the largest selection of tilt umbrellas such as lifeguard umbrellas, beach umbrellas, patio umbrellas, and market umbrellas.

Canopy Fabrics

Many of our market umbrellas and patio umbrellas are made with 9 oz. Marine Grade Sunbrella Fabric. The 100% solution-dyed acrylic locks in color, so the color will not wash out or fade. The heavy duty canopies on our umbrellas are resistant to sun, wind, and rain. While most of our market and patio umbrellas feature marine grade fabric, we do offer acrylic canopies and olefin canopies for budget-friendly umbrellas. 

Conclusion

A market or patio umbrella provides shade so that people can enjoy their time outside during the sunny summer months. While choosing an appealing color and pattern is part of the process, it isn’t the only thing that should be taken into consideration. People should look for umbrellas that provide an ample amount of shade, are easy to use, and will last through all types of weather.