How Do You Keep Your Patio Umbrella From Blowing Away?

Your gorgeous patio umbrella keeps falling over and over when a strong wind hits? Well, we all have been there, and it’s something no one asks for.

There are several techniques that we can adopt to solve this issue. The very core idea is to add more weight to the base in different ways. There are other tricks too that helps. Let’s see what we’ve got to keep the patio umbrella from blowing away.

Keep the Unused Umbrella Closedkeep patio umbrella from blowing away

It’s a wise idea to keep your patio umbrella closed when you’re not using them. Doing such, you can reduce the risks of damage caused by a falling umbrella. You should firmly tie the cord around the umbrella fabric so that it won’t open when the wind blows.

Many patio umbrellas come with a velcro strap, and some come with a separate cover. If your patio umbrella comes with a cover, use that often and keep the umbrella-covered while not in use.

 

Use a Heavy Basekeep patio umbrella from blowing away by using heavy base

It is quite obvious. The heavier the base is, the firm your umbrella’s hold will be. So use a base that’s heavy enough to keep your umbrella upstood.

Granite and cement bases are a good option as they tend to be more substantial in the same volume compared to other material-built bases. Some umbrellas do come with a heavy base within the package.

Others come with lightweight or no bases. So buy a heavy one separately. If you live in a windy area, a couple of sandbags as an add-on is a great option.

Know What Base is Required for Your Umbrella

I just told you to use a “heavy” base for your umbrella, but this term “heavy” is relative. One weight that is heavy for an umbrella might be nothing for another.

So the first step is to know the required base weight for your umbrella. If you’ve bought your one from any online marketplace like Amazon or eBay, the ideal weight is supposed to be mentioned there.

But if you’re not sure what weight is ideal for your umbrella, let me help you with that.

For umbrellas that measure somewhere between 1.82 to 2.3 meters, a 40 lbs+ base is recommended. Umbrellas measuring 2.8 to 3.35 meters need a base weighing a minimum of 65 to 75 lbs.

Buy One with Air Vent, or Make One

Most of the umbrellas have an air vent on the canopy. The purpose of this vent is to let air and heat through so that your umbrella holds well and keeps cool underneath. If your umbrella doesn’t have one, you can go to the nearest tailor shop to create one.

And next time, purchase an umbrella that already has one by default.

Get a Durable Tablekeep your patio umbrella from blowing away using durable table

Tables could also be a support to your umbrella. So if you have a sturdy and rigid table, that could be a plus. However, it may sound weird to get a new table to provide “support” to the umbrella, but it’s beneficial if you can do that.

Don’t Be Reactive

Yeah, you should instead be proactive against the wind. The wind is certainly the worst enemy of your umbrella and it can cause quite some damage and create repair issues. So if you live in an area that often receives a lot of wind, you need to be proactive about it.

Whenever the hint of wind appears, take no chance and close and secure your umbrella in the first place. Don’t let your umbrella and wind fight and be the witness of who wins – you might need to get a new umbrella if that happens.

Strengthen the Ribs

I know the wooden ribs give a classy look to the umbrella, but it’s not really a great thing when it comes to ensuring sturdiness. They could easily break apart in case of strong wind or storm.

I recommend getting umbrellas that have ribs made of fiberglass. This material has elasticity, which helps to cope up with the tension caused by the wind. Aluminum is also an excellent material for the ribs of a patio umbrella.

However, if you must keep the woody touch, eucalyptus wood is a good option as the skeleton of your umbrella. This wood is known for its durability.

Beef-Up the Base

It means making the base even stronger so that it holds the umbrella firmly. The base is the main thing responsible for holding an umbrella, so emphasizing the base is a good idea.

Here are a Few Techniques That You Can Obtain to Strengthen the Base –

DIY Sandbags: This is an easy and inexpensive solution to add weight to your umbrella base. They’re easy to make and easy to install, and doesn’t cost much either, but highly functional to beef up the base. Add a few to your default base to give it additional strength.

Supplemental Weight Bags: If your umbrella is more than 9 inches in diameter, you may try using a supplemental weight bag. It’s a better way of adding add-on weight to your base, and they can add up to a hundred pounds of weight.

Use Gravel to Add Weight: An easy yet effective way to add weight to your base is to fill a bucket with colorful gravels and insert the pole into that. It will not only add weight to the base but also create an excellent look.

The Cinder Block Method: This is another inexpensive yet effective way to add extra weight to the base. Paint a cinder block, then slide it under the base and afterward insert the pole into the hole of the block.

Lead Bags: Tube-shaped lead boxes are small yet heavy, and they are useful in adding extra weight to the base. Use a few of them to beef-up your base.

Go For a Cantilever Umbrella Base: Cantilever umbrellas need much more weight due to their design, thus their bases are made to compliment that. You can go for a cantilever umbrella base even if you don’t have one of those umbrellas. This base gives much better stability. However, they’re a little expensive as well.

These are a few techniques that you can apply to prevent your umbrella from falling over or blowing away due to heavy wind. You can always use your creativity to find new ways. If you’ve found one, don’t forget to share it with us in the comment below.