The garden outdoor patio umbrella will not only screen you from the UV rays of the sun but will give some protection from the rain. It will also enhance the look of your outdoor furniture. An outdoor patio umbrella in any part of your garden will provide you some shade and is a wise investment due to the economy today.

Most patio tables and picnic tables are already equiped with support holes in the center in order to place a patio umbrella. This way you will not be sitting in the blazing sun during a meal. Some patio umbrellas will shade the entire picnic table, some are adjustable to position in different angles and some are models that can stand alone.  

When you get around to choosing an outdoor patio umbrella you need to figure out its use; is it for use while dining, will it be a stand-alone, or are we just going to shade a seating area. We also need to have one that is made of sturdy materials because it will be outdoors and will have some unpredictable weather to withstand. We need to have one that will be able handle beating rain, hail, and wind. I do not think you will want to take it down and store it before each threat of a storm.

If a stand-alone is what you want, the cantilever outdoor patio umbrella is an excellent choice. It will reach out away from the base and cover whatever area you want. You will not have to worry about the pole or the stand getting in your way and it gives you more room to move around. You can decorate the canopy of your umbrella with patio umbrella lights or just a string of Christmas lights going around the pole. These lights are inexpensive and easy to install.

Metal stands for an outdoor patio umbrella are probably better that wood because wood sometimes will warp. When purchasing a stand just remember that it will probably weigh about 30 pounds. Metal is not the only material for a stand; it can also be made of plastic or cement. The plastic is fairly lightweight and will need to be filled with sand in order to support an umbrella.  

Make sure your umbrella is made from top quality materials. It needs to be strong enough to endure the blazing sun and fierceness of the weather. Your outdoor patio umbrella will probably be outdoors for the entire summer months. Poles that are made of teak are a very sturdy support and will withstand a lot of harsh weather conditions better than aluminum. Aluminum will sometimes bend and snap in a gusty wind. Teak also will not warp or rot as some other woods. Fiberglass is an alternative to wood or aluminum. It is very flexible and non-corrosive. The fabric on the canopy of your outdoor patio umbrella should be a weather treated synthetic.

The garden outdoor patio umbrella will add value to your gardens, patios, and decks. We always want to spend more time outdoors during the warm spring and summer months and having a patio umbrella gives us an area of shade to relax. Adding a little sun screen to our skin and the umbrella gives us a way we will not have to worry about UV rays of the sun.