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10 Tips for choosing YOUR perfect Umbrella |
| 1. |
Over the years our experience has been for customers to say, "We love our new umbrella but, I wish I had gone for the next size bigger." This isn't a sales pitch to get you to buy a bigger umbrella, it is our genuine experience with umbrellas. Usually, the cost of a slightly bigger umbrellas is only incrementally more. The main reason a bigger umbrella is often better is because the sun is moving across the sky and as it moves, so does the shade it casts. If you and your friends sit down for lunch at noon and everyone is in the shade, by 1.30pm you could end up with half the guests baking in the hot sun at one end of the table. |
| 2. |
If you intend to put the umbrella through a table, check the height of the table first and then check the closing height of the umbrella arms BEFORE taking it home. |
| 3. |
Ensure that your umbrella can be properly secured to the ground if you intend to use it in breezy conditions. If you are bolting it to the ground that's good, otherwise shop for a nice heavy baseplate. An umbrella blowing down the street can be a very dangerous object. |
| 4. |
Consider whether you are purchasing the umbrella primarily for shade or for rain protection. If it is a shade umbrella, the canopy should have a UPF 50 rating. If you require a waterproof umbrella then you need to go to different fabrics such as PVC. What we find is that mostly for domestic use, umbrellas which are shower-proof are adequate and it's not necessary to spend the extra money getting a fully waterproof umbrella. |
| 5. |
The type of canopy fabric you choose for your umbrella can make all the difference. Listed are some of the most popular fabrics types with a note about their various pros and cons:
PVC: Fully waterproof material but also can be hot to sit under on hot days as the fabric doesn't breath.
Acrylic Canvas: A heavy-duty, hardwearing canvas. Good quality acrylic holds it colour very well, lasts for years and gives good protection against all but the heaviest rain.
Polyester: A much lighter weight fabric than acrylic, polyester usually offers only low protection from rain and depending on the thickness of the weave (6oz, 8oz) offers medium to high UV protection. Usually used on market umbrellas at the lower end of the price bracket.
Shadecloth: Good quality shadecloth is a fantastic product on umbrellas that are required only for shade. A perfect example is an umbrella around a swimming pool. Good shadecloth should have a UV rating of at least 94% UV protection. Shadecloth also creates beautiful cool shade as it breathes allowing the hot air to rise. High quality shadecloths do offer some protection against rain but should not be considered as waterproof. |
| 6. |
If the umbrella needs to be moved on a regular basis, consider its design in terms of portability. How heavy is it? Can it be disconnected easily from its base? How tall is it when collapsed? Does the central pole come apart for easy storage. |
| 7. |
Consider the ease of opening and closing the umbrella. Some units have a winch, some have a rope and pulley system. Larger umbrellas can be quite heavy to open especially if you need to do-so on a regular basis. Check the quality of winch if it is an internal model. If it breaks it can be expensive and difficult to repair. |
| 8. |
Be wary about buying an umbrella if you want it to shade you in the early morning or late afternoon. Unless some form of curtains can be attached to it, or unless it has a rotation or tilt feature, it won't work. You will be sitting directly beneath the umbrella and the shade will be out to one side. |
| 9. |
Umbrellas on rooftops are much more susceptible to wind than umbrellas on flat level ground. This in part is because of the uplift of the wind which can get under the umbrella and acting like a parachute in reverse causing strong lifting forces. Be careful in selecting the correct base option for your umbrella if you intend to use in a high area. |
| 10. |
Understand how umbrellas are measured. Essentially umbrellas come in a few standards shapes, square, rectangular, hexagonal (6 sided) and octagonal (eight sided). Umbrellas are measured by their canopy size when fully opened. An octagonal umbrella is measured diagonally at its widest point. Octagonal umbrellas don't give as much coverage as square umbrellas. For example a 3 metre square umbrella gives 9 square metres of coverage whereas a 3 metre octagonal umbrella gives only 5.95 square metres of coverage. |
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We hope this answeres some of your questions. Please feel free to call or email us any time for further information.
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1800 155 233
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