Outdoor and Patio Umbrellas

You don’t need a perfectly landscaped lawn, extravagant stones that are strategically placed in a perfect path to an outside sauna or an Olympic size pool to enjoy your backyard.  In fact, you can make your outside living area an oasis with just a few well-chosen pieces of furniture and accessories.  Throw in a barbque grill, great music and a large patio umbrella over your eating area and you’re set.

Patio umbrellas come in many sizes to meet any outdoor needs you might have.  From covering the table you’re having dinner on or as shade over your deck, there are always plenty of great looking outdoor patio umbrellas to choose from.

Be sure to take in consideration the patio umbrella stand and pole.  You’ll want to select a pole that’s at least 8′ since it will give ample clearance when you or your guests stand from their seated positions.   One alternative you might wish to consider is an offset umbrella.  These incorporate curved bars and the bases to be placed to the side and out of the way and are designed for those tables that don’t have center holes.

Where will you place your patio umbrella?  Naturally, you don’t want to inhibit its use by placing it under a shade tree.  You’ll most likely want to place it near your pool or perhaps your outside grill.  You need to consider the size of your patio table as well.  For the largest coverage area, you can easily find canopies that are ten feet or more in size.  These are great for larger round tables as well as the large square or rectangular tables that are so popular this season.  For a smaller café table you might have on your lawn, usually a four or five foot canopy is sufficient. 

You can find cheap patio umbrellas to store on your campers.  Since they usually collapse quite compactly, they’re easy to travel with an can be often secured safely at the top of your camper. 

Finally, be sure to consider what your umbrella’s canopy is made of.  You want to ensure it’s easy to clean, won’t mildew and is sturdy enough to weather the elements.  Choose a UV resistant umbrella to further protect your family and guests.