Welcome to Lakeland Furniture’s parasol buying guide!

This guide will help you choose the right outdoor umbrella for your garden, ensuring you can enjoy the shade all summer long.

Garden parasols let you enjoy the sun from the safety of a shady spot, preventing sunburns and keeping you cool. Depending on the size of your garden and your budget, there are a lot of different types and models to choose from. This buyer's guide will help you to make the right choice, as well as help you find the right base to go with it.

Once you’re ready, feel free to check out our range of garden parasols!

Now, without further ado, let’s dive in.

 

How To Choose the perfect parasol for your garden

In this guide, we’ll cover the following topics to ensure you make the best choice possible.

• Choosing the right type of parasol
• Picking the right colour for your garden
• What parasol size is right for you
• Selecting the right base

 Choosing the right type of parasol

There is a range of different types of parasols on the market, most of which we stock. A buying guide for garden parasols wouldn’t be complete without covering the most common types and models on the market today.

We stock all models listed in this section, so if you see a model you like, feel free to take a look at one of our category pages or get in touch for more information.

 

Common Parasols.

Traditional parasols have straight poles that often run through the centre of your garden table and are weighed down by a heavy base. Many have a handy tilt function to better control your shade, and some are height-adjustable, too.

Although they don’t offer as many features as some of the other models, common parasols are still a great option, especially if you’re looking for something simple but effective.

 

Cantilever Parasol.

Cantilever umbrellas are freestanding and feature a curved arm that hangs over your garden furniture, keeping the main structure out of the way. They can be tilted and swivelled and come with their own base.

Cantilever parasols are great if you’re looking for something versatile, that can provide shade throughout the day.

 

Wall Mounted Parasol.

If you lack garden space but still need a shady spot to relax, the wall-mounted parasol is a perfect choice. With no base or pole to get in the way, this parasol neatly mounts to any wall in your garden, providing shade while not taking up any floor space. 

 Wall-mounted parasols are a great way of saving space, especially if most of the sun exposure comes from above. In the early mornings or late evenings, wall-mounted parasols are generally less effective as you generally don’t have the same tilt function as you enjoy with cantilever models.

 

Picking the right colour for your garden

Whilst the colour of your new patio umbrella is not going to necessarily be chosen for practical reasons in mind, it is still important that the colour suits your garden. Have you already got garden furniture? What will your new umbrella need to match? What colours do you like and dislike? Do you want to take your current interior design to the outdoors?

We’ll only cover the colour of your new parasol briefly, as it’s not as important as some of the other topics we’ve added to this buyer's guide. Most of it has to do with a preference which isn’t something we can help you with.

That being said, the first thing to consider is whether you’re looking for a bright or neutral colour. Green is a popular parasol colour, but we stock a very broad range of different colours to choose from.

Next, it’s important to consider the garden furniture you already have since matching your new parasol to it can help create a more coherent look and feel.

Once you know whether you want a bright colour and know roughly what colour you need to match your furniture, it’s time to look at some different models and make up your mind.

Check out our range of different parasol categories, many of which are ordered by colour! 

 

Which parasol size is right for me? 

Your parasol’s size somewhat depends on whether you want to use it with or without a table. Different size parasols are needed for 4 or 6 seater tables.  We have put together a small parasol size guide below to help you find the right size.

                                                                                               

                 

Table Size	Parasol Size
2 Seater	2m
4 Seater	2m & 2.3m
6 Seater	2.7m & 3m
8 Seater	3m
10 Seater	4m+

 

 

How to choose the correct weight and size parasol base? 

 

The following table offers a guide to recommended parasol base weights:

Parasol Size	Base Weight
2m	9-12kgs
2m, 2.1m and 2.3m	12-15kgs
2.5m and 2.7m	15-20kgs
3m and 3m x 2m	20-30kgs
3m x 4m	30-50kgs
4m+	50kgs+

 

 

How to choose the correct parasol base is one of the most frequently asked questions. 

The correct base weight is essential to keep the parasol stable, especially when you have one of the large cantilevered type parasols. 

Smaller parasols with a pole of less than 42mm that will be positioned through the centre of the table usually work well with the smaller 15kg base. This should be enough to keep the parasol stable.

For parasols that stand separate from your garden furniture with a diameter of more than 42mm, you need a base of at least 25kg.

Always remember to tighten the screw at the base of the parasol to ensure that the parasol remains stable if there is a sudden gust of wind; if the wind picks up it is safer to take down the parasol altogether.

 

Conclusion

Hopefully, this garden parasol buying guide was helpful to you. Now that you know which models are available, what colour you want and have taken a look at the size guide and base weight guide, you’re one step closer to finding the perfect parasol for you.

Still not sure which one to go for? Check out the models we have in stock and compare them for a better overview, or get in touch with us for more information!