Picking An Umbrella Stand
A good umbrella stand is an essential piece of outdoor living and summertime fun.
An umbrella is a necessity for those of us who love to spend as much time as we can outdoors in the warm weather. If you don’t have an awning or some other kind of cover, the umbrella can serve to protect you from the blazing sun as well as anything that might flutter down from the trees and the occasional rain shower.
Having a good right umbrella stand is important for keeping your umbrella put. Sometimes, if the stand is not sturdy enough, the umbrella can start to slide away underneath the table, making it awkward and a pain to fix.
If the umbrella is not secured tightly inside, it can fly up and away in an updraft damaging the umbrella itself, or other outdoor furniture or decorations. In the worst case it can slam down on someone else causing an injury.
Umbrella stands come in a variety of flavors. There’s the generic plastic stand, the cheapest kind and should be filled with sand to give it some weight otherwise, the umbrella slips around and ends up at a funny angle. Wrought iron stands can be decorative but aren’t as heavy as cast iron stands which can have a nostalgic Victorian appeal. You can buy a plain steel stand that is quite heavy but can also be bolted into your deck to make sure it doesn’t go anywhere. Metal umbrella stands are better than the plastic as they provide tension screws that can hold the umbrella in and keep it from flying around the yard in a wind.
You should care for your umbrella stands the same as your other outdoor furniture. Since it sits under the table, you probably don’t care too much if it gets scratched or stained but you should store it away each winter. Before putting it in storage, clean it with a mild soap and water and let it dry. Inspect it for any rust or damage and repair or replace if necessary.
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