Building & Home Articles Garden & Landscaping Articles Wooden Parasols 101
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Whenever you are relaxing in the garden, you want to enjoy the sun but at times you might want shade too. This article, from the experts at Garden Furniture Scotland, explains all about wooden parasols. In this series, there are also articles about Parasol Bases, Aluminium Parasols and Cantilever Parasols.
Whenever you are relaxing in the garden, you want to enjoy the sun but at times you might want shade too. This article, from the experts at Garden Furniture Scotland, explains all about wooden parasols. In this series, there are also articles about Parasol Bases, Aluminium Parasols and Cantilever Parasols. If the parasol you wish to use is to complement a Garden Furniture Suite, you need to firstly establish whether the table has a central hole to accomodate one. The diameter to the parasol pole must fit within the hole in the table. Generally, parasol holes in tables are about 51mm but this can vary. Most parasols stems are one of two sizes - 38mm or 48mm - though there are other sizes available too. The parasol which sits through the table, rather than being self supporting, is by far the most popular type. Most through the table parasols are wooden. Wood stemmed parasols are very common because often they are the cheapest and are available in a wide range of colours, shapes and sizes. The stems often come in two parts, the top part with canopy and lower pole bottom part. Most domestic parasols come this way as they can be packed in smaller boxes, halving the distribution costs and lowering the price you will pay. Usually there is a screw threaded middle section for connecting the two parts, and it is very rare that this part causes problems. At the cheaper end of the market, hardwoods from the Far East such as Nyatoh, Keruing and Eucalyptus are used. At the more expensive end of the market, parasol stems will be made from teak, which makes them far more durable. Cheaper wooden parasols have a pulley system on one side of the parasol stem for opening and closing the canopy. More expensive parasols will have a 4 way pully mechanism, one pully on each side of the stem, lessening the strain on the mechanism and balancing the load. It is possible to get a crank handle on a wooden parasol but this can weaken the wood as the central shaft of the stem is removed in order to insert the crank wire. So, though you might like the ease of a crank handle, it comes at a cost. A compromise is sometimes seen in which the crank wire is placed in a groove on the side of the stem, but this is unsightly. Sometimes wooden parasols have a tilt mechanism, using a brass or metal tile mechanism. This does cause a weakness in the stem as the wood is attached to this metal tilt fitting twice over a short distance in the main stem. Some parasols have six wooden ribs emanating from the central stem hub, while others will have eight or ten depending on size. The larger the parasol, the more expensive. The parasol canopy is supported by the ribs and can be zipped, placed in a pocket or stitched into place. As you will know, parasol canopies come in a range of different colours and materials. Water repellent polyester is the most common as this is showerproof. Your parasol canopy should also be UV stable, meaning that it will not fade in sunlight. Some colours fade more quickly than others so choose cream or natural, rather than black or red if you want to keep the colour for longer. Cheaper quality parasols may use cotton as a canopy material, but this will be a short lived affair. At the high price end of the market, heavier weight Polyester is used, measured as grams per square metre. There are branded fabrics such as "Sunbrella" which are used for its renowned quality. To summarise then, you need to consider whether to go for pulley or crank systems, you need to think carefully about the colour of your canopy, need to conside which material has been used and whether it is UV stable and showerproof. Garden Furniture Scotland experts have written articles about Parasol bases, aluminium parasols and cantilever parasols. Simply visit the website to learn more and by with confidence. As can be seen, there is a real variety in the types and quality of parasol available on the market. Think carefully about the parasol pulley system or crank system. Consider the material used for the canopy and ensure it is showerproof and UV stable. Our experts have also written articles on Aluminium Parasols, Cantilever Parasols and Parasol Bases. Look for more information from Garden Furniture Scotland. About the Author: |
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