A Buyer’s Guide For Buying A Garden Parasol

No garden is complete without an attractive garden parasol to complete the look. But it isn’t the kind of buying decision you want to leap into without having a think about what you want and need first.

As such this buying guide should help you to make those decisions. Once you have thought about the various points you are about to read, you should be able to go out and buy a garden parasol with confidence.

The different types of parasols available

If you thought there was just the one type of parasol available, think again! There are three different ones and we’ll go into each of these in turn in a moment. When you read about them make sure you consider your needs and which type of parasol would suit you best.

The type to be used with a base, in the middle of a table

This is the most popular type. It is designed purely to be used with a table and is not strong enough to stand alone. As such it also needs a proper base to be used with it. These come in all shapes, designs and sizes, and they are normally sold separately from the actual parasol itself.

The garden parasols are normally very cheap to buy, although prices will vary depending on what it is made from and the quality of the item. Bear in mind that you will need to buy the base as well though. Cheap plastic bases can be filled with water or sand, but there are also bases made from other heavier materials that are more expensive.

The freestanding parasol

This is more versatile and comes with its own integral base. As such it can be stood alone and needs no other means of support. It can still be used with a table though, since the C shaped design means it can be pushed underneath it and positioned exactly where you need it to be.

Freestanding models are more user friendly but they are also more expensive.

The wall mounted parasol

This is attached directly to the wall of your home. As such you won’t be able to move it anywhere else, so consider this point before you buy it.

The wall mounted version of a garden parasol is usually adjustable to an extent though, as it can be moved out from the wall and tilted to a certain degree. Just bear in mind the limitations if you are going to opt for this particular design.

Selecting the right cover for your parasol

Contrary to what you might think, not all garden parasols are the same. The more money you pay for one, the better the quality is likely to be. What looks to be a normal style of material might actually be protected against fading colour, UV rays and wind damage as well.

Most parasols will come with instructions for making sure that you look after your parasol and keep it out of the elements as much as possible. For example you should take it indoors if you are expecting wet weather. While it will withstand the rain and even be waterproof to a certain extent, it will still be better off inside and out of the way.

This is quite often the difference between cheap and expensive parasol covers. The cheaper ones won’t be as well protected against the onslaught of the elements as the more expensive ones are. Therefore you can expect the cheaper ones to look old and worn out long before the more expensive ones will.

Consider the style and shape of your parasol

While most parasols have either six or eight sides, you will find that there are a few that are different shapes. You can find circular designs occasionally, along with other shapes that may suit the space you have available more readily. Always measure the space you have available and then look for a shape of parasol that will fit.

There are lots of different styles of parasol as well with regard to colour. For example, you might want to go for something natural that will blend with the colours in your garden. Alternatively you can try something completely different and go for something a lot more colourful!

You might also want to look for a parasol which has vents built into the design. You may think they are simply for design and nothing else but this isn’t true. If you have a parasol with built in vents outside on a windy day, you will find that it doesn’t move around anywhere near as much as a parasol without these vents. Ideally of course you won’t leave the parasol outside at all, but it’s good to know that it can withstand a hefty breeze if need be!

Think about your budget

Your budget is very important when it comes to buying a garden parasol. You might only have a very small budget for a parasol, which will probably mean the freestanding or wall mounted ones will be out of your reach.

In contrast if money is no object then you can buy whichever one suits you the most. The most important thing is to get the best quality parasol you can, because it will last longer. It will also tend to be made from better materials and look much better as a result.

In conclusion

The more you know about garden parasols before you go out and buy one yourself, the better armed you will be to spot the good quality ones. It is easy to spot a cheap one and think you have got a great bargain, but as we have seen a cheap price does not mean you have got a good item.

You need to think long term as well as figuring out what you can afford in your budget. If you do this you should be able to come up with the right parasol for the right price that you can enjoy using on almost a daily basis.