Umbrellas & Shade

Shade decides how many hours a day your pool deck is actually usable. Between roughly 11am and 3pm, an unshaded deck sits empty in most of the country. Adding shade is the single cheapest way to increase the time people spend outside.

Ways to get shade

• Cantilever umbrellas suspend the canopy from a side arm, so you can cover a dining table, a seating group or a tanning ledge with no pole in the middle of it, and rotate or tilt to follow the sun.
• Lifeguard umbrellas in a compact octagon shade a single station, chair or attendant post.
• Seat shades clip directly onto an in-pool chaise or chair, giving one person head and shoulder coverage with no base anywhere, which is often the only workable option on a tanning ledge.
• Bases, in ground mounts and umbrella lights to anchor the shade and extend it into the evening.

Anchoring is not optional

Undersized bases are the number one cause of umbrella failure and the reason canopies end up in the water. Freestanding umbrellas need considerably more weight than table mounted ones, and cantilevers need the most of all. When in doubt, go heavier. An in ground mount removes the question entirely and is the cleanest permanent solution on a new or resurfaced deck.

Always close and secure umbrellas when wind picks up or when you leave for the day.