Benefits of a Cantilever Umbrella

Ask Eli

Which should I choose: a market or a cantilever umbrella?

Watch this short video to see our Exterior Furnishings Guru Eli Hymer discuss the advantages of cantilever umbrellas and demonstrate how easy they are to open and rotate.

Both have their pros and cons, but there are three main reasons I would recommend a cantilever umbrella over a market umbrella. The first would be if you had 2 or 3 defined areas that you wanted to be covered and were ok with them not being covered simultaneously. The cantilever umbrella works great in this situation since it rotates 360 degrees and can cover multiple adjacent areas.

The second reason would be if you were looking for more coverage. Market umbrellas have an 11’ spread at max, whereas with a cantilever umbrella, you can go up to a 13’ octagon or a 10’x13’ rectangular shade. Also, since the pole is not in the middle of the umbrella, it can give you full coverage when placed behind furniture such as large sectionals. Think about it: you only get half of the umbrella coverage when the pole is in the middle and behind a piece of furniture.

The third would be if you were looking for shade solutions in a very windy area. The cantilever has a much heavier base than market umbrellas, making it much sturdier in windier locations. Please Note: ALL umbrellas should be closed during extremely high wind events to prevent damage. Sometimes the placement of the large cantilever bases is a challenge. Still, options such as wheeled bases or anchoring directly into the ground can help alleviate that issue.

There are a few misconceptions that people have about cantilever umbrellas that I would love to dispel. The first is that you cannot tilt them. That is not true; they are quite easy to tilt. Some people also fear it will be hard to open or close. This is also untrue, as even some of my smaller clients can open, close, and adjust them easily. The last misconception is that you must take them in during the winter like other umbrellas. Luckily, cantilevers come with winter covers to stay protected in the landscape over the winter.

So, whether you choose a market or cantilever-styled umbrella, we have many distinctive styles, colors, and manufacturers available at the Furlong Exterior Furnishings Studio. Cannot wait to see you there.

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