9 Tips For Choosing A Large Garden Parasol
With a whole host of domestic and commercial umbrella models out there, how do you pick the right one for you? Let’s have a look at some of the different aspects we need to consider when choosing a new commercial umbrella or garden parasol.
1. Where is the parasol standing? Deciding on where you would like your umbrella or garden parasol to actually stand is, in my opinion, the most crucial decision. Where it is affects everything from size and bases, to colour and power supply. Also, is it for a domestic or commercial site?
2. Wind exposure Large umbrella and parasol canopies are essentially wind sails. It’s because of this that we need to consider how much exposure to our fine British wind there will be, and choose an appropriate model for that site. As part of our free on-site consultation we always look at how appropriate the site is for each of our umbrellas.
3. Base options Whether you’re choosing an umbrella for your own garden, for a restaurant, or for any other commercial site we have multiple base options. The type of surface involved, the size of the canopy required, and whether you would like to move the umbrella or not, all affect which base option we use.
FIXED IN-GROUND BASE MOVABLE SURFACE BASE DECK PLATE BASE
4. Canopy Size Once we’ve established where your umbrella is standing, we can decide on the size of canopy. It’s important to remember that the canopy fills the space above head height and not floor level. With that in mind, check for anything that a canopy may catch on when opening, such as guttering, foliage, signs, walls, and fencing etc. With canopy sizes ranging from two metres square through to a huge 7m square, we have options for any space.
If you wish to have two or more umbrellas side-by-side then we need to look at the total space available, and also plan where each base will sit. With this information we can choose the right sizes for you.
5. Centre Pole Each of our centre pole umbrellas feature a telescopic mast. This means that the centre of the canopy rises as it closes - Increasing clearance, and therefore removing the need to move garden furniture when operating the umbrella.
Our Titan centre pole umbrellas are designed for more commercial settings such as restaurants, schools, and beer gardens, and may not be suitable for homes. The Magnum, with its luxurious Italian design, would look stunning in a domestic or commercial setting where an even larger canopy may be required.
6. Side Arm (Cantilever) With two models and a range of canopy sizes to choose from, our luxury side arm garden parasols are ideal for domestic dining and entertaining. The main difference between them and the centre pole models is exactly that - with the side arm there is no central pole sitting in-between you and the person opposite.
For more information on each of our side arm garden parasols, please visit our ‘Piazza’ and ‘Toscana’ pages.
7. Canopy Colour Another important detail to be considered is the colour of your canopy (membrane). Does the colour need to match your branding? Would you like your garden parasol to blend nicely with the front of the building? With 25 standard colours to choose from, and a further option of bespoke colours upon factory request, we will be able to find the ideal colour for your site.
8. Heat and Light With integrated heating and lighting your garden umbrella can create a more comfortable environment in the cooler months. If you would like to include heating and/or lighting, the next step would be to look at power supply to your site.
9. Power Supply When introducing a power supply to the umbrella we need to decide where it’s coming from, and how to conceal the cables so that they do not spoil the overall aesthetics. Typically cables are run underground and up through the mast, keeping them hidden from view. Please note that fully certified electricians should always be used when dealing with electricity.
I hope this rough guide has helped you to answer a few questions. Of course each site is different, and comes with its own options and decisions. If you do have any further questions about our garden parasols please contact me now at alex@wellsumbrellas.co.uk, or use our contact form.