An outdoor umbrella has many uses from the beach to the park to the home. Outdoor umbrellas come in many shapes, sizes, and build quality. They also have prices that range from inexpensive too about as much as a good set of patio furniture. Your needs will dictate all of the above and with some information at hand your shopping trip will be a smooth one.
If you’re on a budget and need an umbrella that can have multiple uses a beach umbrella may be a good choice. They are also called life guard umbrellas and the only difference is the standard lifeguard umbrella tends to have very durable canopy material by default and don’t have the pointed end. A beach umbrella has the pointed end to help it stick into the same. However if you purchase a separate base a beach or lifeguard umbrella can easily be turned into an outdoor patio umbrella at home. With a stand you can use the umbrella on your patio, deck, or pool side for relaxing by the pool without worry of getting sunburned or overheated.
While typical outdoor umbrellas are made of wood, fiberglass, plastic, or aluminum most beach umbrellas are made from aluminum or wood. The advantages of a wood umbrella are its strength, weight if the beach is windy, and it is rust proof. The disadvantage of course is weight and that can make it a bit inconvenient to move around and take with you. If weight is a major concern stick with an aluminum umbrella. They will rust and sometimes bend in time but that is usually over a few seasons and if caught early enough it can be prevented and eliminated with rust converter and paint.
To make use of your beach umbrella you will need to purchase an outdoor umbrella stand. Stands run the gamut when it comes do design. They can be as simple as a plain concrete filled or metal base. Or they can be as decorative as you need them to be to match the style of your furniture. They come in many material types, weighted plastic, fiberglass, wrought iron, and copper are commonly seen. The one thing to keep in mind besides the style is the weight. They range from 50 to 100 or more pounds and the size and typical wind conditions in your area will help you determine how heavy you need your stand to be.
Prices vary widely when it comes to umbrella stands. They can be found for as low as $50 dollars upwards of $200 dollars depending on style and material type. With the exception of wrought iron that needs a bit of taking care of to remain rust. As well as copper that will need cleaning unless you like the green patina that develops with weathering. Most other material types take little to no work to keep clean in all weather conditions.
As you can see when it comes to shopping for an outdoor umbrella there are many things to take into account. Take this information with you along with the answers to the question of style and your intended use and you should come home with the right umbrella for you.