Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Types of Patio Umbrella Bases and Stands Information

A patio umbrella base or stand is just one part of an outdoor umbrella. Yet, it is an important component that makes an umbrella usable. It holds the umbrella on the ground and keeps it standing still. That is why choosing the right weight and pole fitting is very important when buying.

Moreover, there is more to patio umbrella bases than just keeping an umbrella standing on the ground. Most of them have aesthetical qualities that are helpful in patio decoration. Choosing the right style, color, and finish that would match with the existing patio furniture makes a patio umbrella even more attractive.

There are several types of patio umbrella bases. Though they serve the same purpose, they are just made different for different types of applications and for convenience sake.

We already know a typical patio umbrella base which has a heavy weight. Some of these, especially the heavier ones have built-in wheels for easy mobility.

Here are the other types:

Table Clamp
Table clamp type umbrella base can be clamped on a table or any other hard surface. This can firmly secure and stabilize an umbrella using the weight of a bar table or a round table. This umbrella stand is very suitable to use in windy areas because it gains more strength by using the weight and stability of a table.

Sand Auger
Sand auger outdoor umbrella stand enables to use any outdoor umbrellas as a beach umbrella. Just screw it in the sand, voilĂ , a stable and secure umbrella base. Very practical, you do not have to buy a new beach umbrella, just use this with any of your existing umbrella and you are good to go beaching.

Fillable
The fillable umbrella bases are designed for convenience. It takes away the burden of carrying a heavy base starting from buying to transporting. Traveling an umbrella with base together to outdoors will be much easier by just emptying the weight of the base.

Also, there are umbrella bases made for special types of patio umbrellas.

Off-the-wall umbrella base is specially designed for off-the-wall outdoor umbrellas.

Offset umbrella base is specifically designed to meet the need of counter-balancing the weight of an offset umbrella.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

The Best of Wicker Patio Furniture

Wicker patio furniture items are made of woven flexible plant twigs or branches. They are usually made from willow, reed, or rattan. However, synthetic wicker is now also widely used to manufacture furniture sets.
Built on frames, they are usually patterned to form different styles of furniture, from a simple chair to a luxurious furniture set. Design possibilities are numerous in which more design principles can be applied such as classic, contemporary, and minimalism.

The two material types of wicker outdoor furniture, natural and synthetic, have certain distinct qualities.

Natural wickers have been part of the furniture luxury for its beauty and comfort. They are also known for durability and strength. Though they can work well in an outdoor setup, they can be affected by the outdoor elements. That is why synthetic types are now in demand for outdoor applications. Synthetic wicker is usually made from resin material which is weather resistant that can be placed in most outdoor conditions.

Resin material is very flexible which is why resin wicker furniture comes in many designs including those that are hard to achieve with plant wicker. This material has a lot of characteristics applicable even for harsh outdoor situations. These include resistance to fade, ultra violet rays, heat, and frost.

Synthetic wickers are easy to clean and require less maintenance. To clean the dirt caused naturally, you can just wipe it out and hose it down even without the use of special cleaning agents.

The beauty of wicker patio furniture sets can add an attractive view in the patio. There are lots of designs, styles and colors to mix and match with any patio design theme. Wicker sets usually come with comfortable padding, but you can also add a matching outdoor cushion for additional comfort and style that help make a relaxing setup.

Adding a shade such as an outdoor umbrella or an outdoor awning is very helpful for your patio setup. Patio relaxing can be more safe and fun when you know you are protected. Also, a large patio umbrella will give an additional protection to the wicker set from the sun and rain.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Buy Customized Outdoor Umbrella

Another great way to choose the best outdoor umbrella that answers a need for a shade is to buy customized. Many online stores now offer the flexibility in choosing the most suitable umbrella parts, colors, and styles you need or want. You can visit Patioshoppers.com to try how it works and get to know more about other types of patio umbrellas. But if you prefer to buy from a real, brick-and-mortar store, this is very doable but you have to keep a list of important specifications to avoid mismatching of the different umbrella parts and components.

This style of patio umbrella buying has few advantages compared to buying a packaged one. With this buying style, you are free to choose which patio umbrella parts are best suited for your type of environment and setup.

Umbrella Canopy
The umbrella canopy or the covering fabric is the most important part of an umbrella. It gives protection against the harmful sunlight and the rain. There is now an umbrella fabric that can block the harmful UV rays of the sun. This UV protective canopy must be the choice for maximum sun protection.

However, the use of an outdoor umbrella is more than just for a shade but for patio decoration also. And the beauty of an umbrella is recognized mostly by its canopy or the covering part. So choosing a suitable canopy color, design, and style is also essential in achieving the desired patio design. Some patio umbrella canopies are uniquely made for a special type of patio setup. One example is a tiki thatch canopy which is best if you want a tropical outdoor setup.

Patio Umbrella Base or Stand Option
Choosing the most appropriate patio umbrella base or stand is crucial to the safety of the umbrella, the properties around, and the people as well. The base will hold the umbrella to keep it standing in place. Make it sure that base is heavy enough to hold the umbrella against wind blows.

Some umbrellas come pre-packaged with the base, but when it is custom ordered, you can select which is best for your patio umbrella. There are a few types of base or stand, the freestanding, sand auger, and the mountable. Choose free standing if moving the umbrella is frequent and choose mountable if you need greater strength. The sand auger is specially made for beach umbrellas.

Some outdoor umbrella bases, especially the heavier ones, have built-in wheels making it easy to move from one place to another. So you do not have to worry much about the hassle.

Additionally, the best way to choose the right umbrella is to start from the pole and frame type. Decide whether you need an offset umbrella, wall mount, or just a conventional umbrella. From there you can custom select the canopy and base.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Patio Furniture Cover Saves

There are many harsh outdoor elements that can cause damage to a patio furniture. These elements may create a small but noticeable blemishes or worse an irreversible damage. The threat of these outdoor elements can get more terrible especially when weather gets harsher during rainy and cold seasons. Almost all furniture types are vulnerable with the damaging effects of these elements which include wind, rain, and snow. Even sunlight can inflict some damage to the furniture.

There are several damages that start little and slowly but will surely ruin every part of the furniture if not taken cared of early. Iron patio furniture can get rust which acts just like a fungus that will consume the affected item little by little and without stopping until the whole item has decayed. Wooden furniture items can get mildew, molds, or fungus which will decay the affected part.

Patio furniture sets can get covered usually as we use them. Just like when we use a patio umbrella on hot summer days, the furniture set can get the sun protection too. But even outdoor umbrellas should also be protected which can be done by simply closing and storing them to safety. As a result the furniture sets will need another protective cover.

Providing a secure cover is the best solution to protect any patio furniture. Yes, we have to spend some money for this but will save you more by protecting your valuable investments. And as patio furniture sets are protected, you will also be able to maintain the safety and patio design. By the way, about protecting outdoor umbrellas, there are patio umbrella covers too.

Choosing a right cover is very important as they are made of different materials. It does not matter what materials and how these covers are made as long as they can provide the best protection to the furniture. The qualities we should look for in selecting the best cover includes the following;

  • Waterproof – to avoid water from entering the inside and into the furniture.
  • Well ventilated - to prevent moist buildup.
  • UV resistant – to ensure a lasting protection.
  • Wear and tear resistant – so that no chance for any drop of moisture to penetrate.

Definitely, every furniture type, design, and size have a corresponding cover to fit. Even the covers produced by manufacturers other than the furniture maker will fit because of somewhat standardization of patio furniture sizes.