Once upon a time, they were meant only for commercial uses. Big parasols were found to be shading customers in the open-air cafes and restaurants. There were also seen at the poolside in the hotels and clubs. On the beaches, they protected those who were not much keen about sunbathing from harsh light of the sun. We do not know how or when they crept inside patios of private homes, but patio umbrellas have become a very common fixture in the urban homes today.
Earlier the outdoor umbrellas mostly had wooden poles that extended from the centre of the umbrella down to the base where they were secured at a stand. The ribs too were mostly made from wood. However, although wooden umbrellas are still very much in use, aluminium and fiberglass umbrellas are very much in demand. For making wooden umbrellas, teak and other Asian hardwood is mostly used. Patio umbrella frames made from teak is quite hardy, but they are quite expensive.

The fiberglass umbrellas today are quite popular because they are light but sturdy. If you live in high wind area, umbrellas with fiberglass ribs may be the only option. Such ribs can withstand strong gust of wind because they tend to absorb it rather than fight it. Consequently, they last four to five times more than a wood or aluminium umbrella does. However, fiberglass frames have limited finish.

If you talk about finish, nothing can beat an aluminium umbrella in that. The poles are generally powder coated, anodized or laminated to make them weather resistant as well as to make them visually attractive. Then again, opening and closing such an umbrella can be easy too. They are generally incorporated with different kind of mechanism for doing what was once a labor-intensive job. Choose the one, which seems most appropriate for you:

Manual lift
Crank
Pulley mechanism
Quick lift
Remote control

That is not all. The aluminium umbrellas may have tilting features incorporated too. Often it happens that the position of the sun is such that the shade does not fall where it is needed. Such features allow the umbrella to tilt in such a way that the shadow actually falls where it is required. There can be push button tilting as well as auto tilting. Some like the offset umbrellas can not only tilt, but also can rotate three hundred and sixty degree to provide the shade in the desired position.

An offset umbrella is actually an aluminium umbrella with a difference. In the offset umbrellas, the poles are located at one side, rather than in the middle. The canopy is held from above with suitable mechanism. This allows for uninterrupted shade and intimate conversation with friends and family. Moreover, if you want to shade a hot tub or the kids’ play area such umbrellas are quite suitable for the occasion. However, if you want you can use shade sails as an effective alternative on such an occasion.

A shade sail is an easy, affordable and stylish way of adding shade to your patio. It not only provides shade, a good one also keeps the area under it cool and comfortable by allowing the hot air to escape from below. It is least cumbersome and therefore easily portable. Offset umbrellas on the other hand are quite heavy and therefore least portable. However, these sidepost umbrellas have changed patio living into an art and opened newer vistas for us to enjoy. The kids can now play out in the open without being subjected to the cancer causing ultra violet rays of the sun. Earlier only the adults were entitled to such privileges only.

Earlier the patio umbrellas were only a sort if style statement only. Yes, the sun is sometimes harsh and one needs some sort of shade to enjoy the outdoors at such time. However, thanks to the rampant carbon emission, some sort of protection from the harmful ultraviolet rays has become essential. Earlier the job was done by the ozone layer created by the Mother Nature herself. Now that there are holes in it, we will have to think of an alternative to it and patio umbrellas though are poor alternative can really provide some sort of protection as long as you remain under its shade. Therefore, buy a suitable umbrella, not only to make a style statement, but also to remain healthy.

Author Bio: Article by Kenny Leichester of PatioShoppers.com, a website with the best aluminum umbrella and artificial Christmas tree information on the web.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: patio umbrella, outdoor umbrella, offset umbrella