11 Oct 09 Making Sure That You Buy the Right Outdoor Patio Umbrella

Many people wonder how to choose the perfect sized outdoor patio umbrella for their yard. They may feel they only need a 6 foot outdoor umbrella,outdoor patio umbrella, only to discover that it really doesn’t create the amount of shade that they truly need. The best way to select the perfect size outdoor umbrella is to measure the area to determine the quantity of shade you should have to keep things cool. You can commonly see that if the sun is directly above, outdoor umbrellas will shade about half of their total size to each side of the center pole. For example, a nine foot patio umbrella will shade a distance of about four and a half feet from the center.

To start measuring for the total of shade you would like your outdoor umbrellas to cover, go to the center of the area you want shaded. Begin with a tape measure at the middle of the space you would like to shade and extend it out to half the distance of the umbrella size you think you would like to select. If you think you require a 9 foot outdoor umbrella, you should measure out a gap of a little over 4 feet. Now you will stroll around the middle of the area 360 degrees to see what specific area will be shaded when the sun is at its highest point during the day. Also, think about the course of the sun. As the sun is lower in the horizon throughout the day, the size and shape of shade will change. Now, here is important information note: most manufactures determine their umbrella size by measuring the actual rib arm length and multiply it by two. However, most outdoor umbrellas are not true to their size in width, because the rib arms are not usually completely extended straight out to the side so you will typically lose a few inches in shade proportionally. Also, you’ll want to think about that if you are purchasing your outdoor umbrella for a bar table, you will need to make sure it has a bar height crank so you can operate the umbrella while located in your bar table. This is typically a feature that is offered with most patio umbrellas, but you can always ask about it if it is not featured with the product.

When you are considering shading an outdoor dining area you can use the next guidelines for your wood or aluminum outdoor umbrellas: a 6 foot canopy will shield a caf? table of about 30 inches and one to two chairs, a 7.5 foot shade will cover tables up to around 36 inches, and two to four chairs, a 9 foot shade typically covers tables up to 48 inches and four to six chairs and an 11 foot shade will cover larger tables, up to 60 inches round or square, or 72 inches oval or rectangular, and six to eight chairs.

We hope, these tips can help you in choosing the perfect wood or aluminum outdoor patio umbrellas to meet your needs, the first time, and save you from any frustration. Taking a few steps to begin with will help to guarantee that you choose the right outdoor umbrella for you and save you from getting a patio umbrella that isn’t precisely what you should have. Remember, it is always better to go a little bigger if you are not sure.

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