Use Patio Umbrellas to Shade Your Tables, Chaise Lounges and Other Outdoor Furniture

Patio umbrellas are perfect for decks and outdoor living areas that aren’t shaded by trees. They can stand-alone and shade other outdoor furniture, like chaise lounge chairs, or they can be mounted through the center of a patio table to provide cover for meals or drinks. Patio umbrellas can also be purchased with lights and even electric fans. With these accessories, they become extremely useful outdoor furniture.

Typically, most people purchase patio umbrellas with straight poles. These are perfect for most shading applications. In addition to the straight pole designs, you can also find models with a cantilever pole. This type of pole has a rotation joint near the top of the pole that lets you pivot the angle of the canopy to adjust for the moving sun. The extra flexibility is useful when trying to shade other door furniture like Adirondack chairs or chaise lounge chairs.

Good patio umbrellas are typically made with a strong wood pole and spokes with a fabric canopy. You can also find models with aluminum poles and low-quality fabric, or even plastic canopies. These lower-quality versions have a greater tendency to fade in color after repeated exposure to the outside elements. Like any other outdoor furniture, higher quality pieces last longer, look better longer, and are very durable.

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Care and cleaning of patio umbrellas is very easy. Most fabrics used in canopies are waterproofed and specially treated for outdoor durability. However, it’s a good idea to wash off the canopy with a light soap at least once a month. This will remove bird droppings and other dirt that tends to fall on all outdoor furniture.

Key tips for choosing patio umbrellas

The first decision you face is what kind of patio umbrella do you want – wood pole or aluminum? You might choose wood if you’re mounting the pole through the center of a wood table. If you want to be able to adjust for movement of the sun, choose a cantilever model. These pivoting heads are good when shading outdoor furniture like chaise lounge chairs, or even hammocks.

You might also consider adding canopy lights for nighttime use, or even an umbrella fan if you’re located in warmer climates. These accessories take your patio umbrella to a new level of usefulness beyond just shading you from the sun.

NEW! Browse our Patio Umbrella Shopping Guide (Takes a moment to load)
Browse our online catalog featuring outdoor products from a wide variety of top manufacturers! Patio umbrellas, furniture, hammocks, grilles, benches, adirondack chairs, and much more.

Also see: [ Patio Tables & Chairs ] [ Outdoor Fireplaces ] [ Wicker Furniture ]