The Two Main Types of Outdoor Umbrella

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The hazardous effects of ultraviolet rays have now become more heightened than ever before
due to global warming. People of today have become more and more health-conscious and
have become fully aware of the harmful effects of being exposed too long to the sun’s rays.
Because of their fear of contracting dermatological diseases such as skin cancer, most people
are now installing market umbrellas in their backyard or in their patio.

Aside from being health conscious about the hazardous effects of the sun, a lot of people still
want to spend a lot of their time outdoors especially during the summer months. However, they
still want to be protected from too much exposure from the sun and that is why they opt to install
outdoor umbrellas to protect them. There are a lot of outdoor umbrellas to choose from because
they come in different shapes and sizes and therefore they vary in their prices.

Although there are a lot of outdoor umbrella styles to choose from, they can be classified into
two main types - the central pole patio umbrella and the side-post patio umbrella. A market
umbrella for example is a central pole type of patio umbrella in which it can either by installed
by inserting its pole through the center of a patio table or it can be free-standing by installing it
through an umbrella stand and base. The stand and base of a market umbrella must be heavy
enough to support the weight of the umbrella’s pole and canopy. This type is known as a central
pole umbrella because its pole is fixed at the center of the canopy. The disadvantage of having
this type of umbrella is that you will have the pole at the center of your shaded area. This may
become an obstruction if you are doing various activities under the shade.

Central pole umbrellas come in different sizes. If you are looking to protect a large area from
the direct heat of the sun, you will need to have a large outdoor umbrella. Commercial patio
umbrellas such as those that are used for outdoor restaurant dining can also be installed in your
home’s patio.

The next type of outdoor umbrella is the side-post patio umbrella. In this type of outdoor
umbrella, the pole is not fixed at the center of the canopy but is instead fixed at one side. This
allows more flexibility in terms of activities that can be done under the shade because there is
no longer a pole obstruction at the center of the area. An example of this type of umbrella is the
commercial offset umbrella which can be used for a lot of functions. It can shade a small pool
or a large picnic table. Unlike the regular market umbrella, these offset umbrellas have a much
heavier base and have a cantilever so that it can offset the canopy’s weight since the pole is not

centered.

Side-post outdoor umbrellas such as the cantilever umbrella and the offset umbrella may
have tilting functions so that the canopies can be adjusted against the sun’s rays. This is
advantageous since you no longer have to move your patio furniture around to be under the
shade as the sun changes position during the day. You just have to tilt the umbrella to have the
shade you want all throughout the day.

No matter what type of umbrella you choose for your patio, you will notice that they range in
sizes depending on their canopy measurements. Most canopy measurements ranges from six
feet to 11 feet. You can however have a larger canopy custom built for you if you want to cover
a much larger sized area. The bigger sized umbrellas are usually of the side-post type such as
the offset and the cantilever ones. This is because it is easier to balance the canopy’s weight by
having a counter-balance on the opposite side of where the canopy is attached.

Outdoor umbrellas no matter what type or style is important to protect you and your family
from being affected by the harmful effects of the sun. Today’s people are becoming more and
more conscious about their health and know that too much exposure to the sun can cause skin
diseases and dermatological problems. This is why outdoor umbrellas are now becoming more
and more in demand.

Article by Kevin Corten of EPatioUmbrellas, who is also a specialist in gardening. For more information on outdoor umbrellas and offset patio umbrella, visit his site today.