Friday, July 31, 2009

Buying the Right Patio Umbrella

With so many choices on offer, you might be overwhelmed by the simple task of buying a patio umbrella.

There are two questions you need to ask yourself before going out and buying your new outdoor patio umbrella.

What do I want to use the umbrella for? And where will I be using the umbrella?

These two questions are key factors for choosing the right umbrella to meet your needs.

If you want an umbrella to shade you on the deck while cooking the barbeque or shading you and your guests while you sit at the patio table sipping cocktails and nibbling on a cheese board, then a market umbrella or regular patio umbrella will be just your thing.

If you're planning on taking the umbrella to the beach to sit under while you're relaxing on the sand reading a book, then you're going to need a beach umbrella - these have pointed umbrella poles which make sticking them in the sand easy. They look very similar to patio umbrellas, but can often be a lot brighter and more colourful.

If you want the umbrella to shade you while you're floating in the pool or Jacuzzi then an offset or cantilever umbrella is what you're looking for. These have a side post instead of a center pole which means they can shade an area off to the side.

All these different types of umbrellas vary in price. You can get cheap versions of beach umbrellas right through to designer ones. The same goes for the regular patio umbrella and the cantilever umbrella. The market and offset umbrellas are generally the more expensive kinds. So if you're looking for something cheap, opt for a plain beach or patio umbrella.

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