Stay cool with outdoor umbrellas

It's official, we are in for a long hot Summer....   With this in mind, it's time to start preparing for those lazy hot Summer days . The best  way to maximise and enjoy your time time outside whilst still trying to escape the harsh effects of the sun is with shade.  So the decision really comes down to….

“Construct a patio/gazebo or roofed area which will provide you with year-round shade” or

“Purchase an umbrella or awning to determine when you want shade and when you don’t”

See our online store for more details and pricing for outdoor umbrellas

The temporary shade function of an Umbrella is much the same as an awning.  However, awnings can be expensive and often require custom ordering and fitting. They are usually fixed to a wall and can only be retracted and extended.   With umbrellas, they have far more flexibility. In particular the cantilever option.  Let us explain further….

There are two types of umbrellas…..Market/Café Umbrellas and Cantilever Umbrellas.

Market/Café Umbrellas

Market/café umbrellas come with a central mast made of wood or aluminium.  Traditionally, this type of umbrella is mounted and secured in the centre of table which had an umbrella hole.

You also have the option of securing the umbrella with a metal or concrete base.  Some varieties of market umbrellas will also allow you to tilt the canopy to allow for the changing angle of the sun.

Market umbrellas come in many sizes and with many different types of canopies.  The materials used for the canopies include Olefin, Acrylic or Polyester.

Shop market umbrellas in our online store here

Over the last couple of years, tables with umbrella holes are becoming less common.  Consequently, the demand for market umbrellas has been replaced by the more versatile Cantilever Umbrella

Cantilever Umbrellas

The Cantilever umbrella comes with a mast that cantilevers the canopy away from itself.  In order for this to happen, the base of the umbrella must be well secured.  Once the canopy has been wound out completely, the angle of the canopy can be adjusted up and down.  With some models, the canopy can be angled to the left or right. Using the foot peddle or lever at the base of the mast, the entire umbrella can be rotated 360 degrees to cater for the changing angles of the sun.

Cantilever umbrella therefore will give you more than 3 times the amount of shade space than a similar sized fixed umbrella would. The ability to move with the sun is the great attraction of this style of umbrella. It's also a very simple operation that even children and the elderly can perform quite easily.

Much like market/café umbrellas, cantilever umbrellas come in various sizes.  The fabrics used for canopies include Olefin, Acrylic and Polyester.

Check out the range of cantilever umbrellas here including models from Shelta

As discussed earlier, the mounting of the base for cantilever umbrellas is critical.  Most cantilever umbrellas come with a mounting plate which allows the umbrella to be secured to a concrete slab or reinforced deck.  The other option is to use the ballast block frame, which allows you to add heavy pavers to help secure the umbrella.

The other option is to use a resin base which is filled with either water or sand, depending on the type.  Some of these resin bases come with wheels, which allows you to move the umbrella around a flat surface.

Finally, the question I most  often get from customers in relation to their umbrella purchase is “How well will my umbrella withstand the wind”.  The simple answer to this question is, some are better than others. A good quality cantilever will have a more robust frame and some will even have stabilising bars.

Find our range of Instantshade  cantilever umbrellas here

All umbrellas have to be taken down at some point when the wind is picking up. The better quality umbrella, the longer you can leave it up. A common sense approach must be used when assessing whether the umbrella should come down.  If you find it is bouncing around quite a bit then it is time to take it down.

Cantilever style umbrellas only take around 30 seconds to wind up or down so they are easy to pack away when not in use.

The Eclipse from Instant shade is the best performing cantilever umbrella in the wind that we have seen as is evident from this video.

Wall Mounted Umbrellas

Perfect for a small area like a balcony, a wall mounted umbrella will provide adjustable shade options without the posts or need to secure to the ground.

For pricing and further details please call your local store 1300 660 330

The Nova from Instantshade

And then there is the Nova range from Instantshade umbrellas. These use a central mast in the style of a market umbrella but scaled up in size. By using commercial standard framing including a 94mm mast and 2.2mm gauge reinforced aluminium canopy arms, these umbrellas can support a huge canopy up to 5x5m.

Take a look at some more examples of Nova Heavy Duty umbrellas used throughout Australia.

Nova HD Sizes:

• 3m Square
• 4m Square
• 5m Octagonal
• 5m Square

For pricing and further details please call your local store 1300 660 330

Beach Umbrellas

The other type of umbrellas that fall under this category are beach umbrellas.  Beach umbrellas are usually very colourful and mainly used for the Beach…but can double as a small courtyard shade option.

Shop beach umbrellas in our online store

You can find an umbrella to suit any budget but look for advice from a specialist if you want to get a quality product for your area.

I hope this information helps and please enjoy the summer.

See our online store for more details and pricing for outdoor umbrellas