Cantilevered umbrella in the wind.

[pb4uswim]

I bought a 10ft square cantilevered umbrella from Costco. I’ve never had an umbrella this large and am worried about the wind. Wonder if anyone here can help me how to handle the wind. I put water in the base per the instructions, but I thought I read that putting sand and water in the base makes for a better base. Wondering if anyone tried that. Also, at what point do you lower the umbrella if it gets windy. We’ve had a couple days of use and the wind was light but the umbrella definitely moves around. How do you judge when enough is enough. Is there a wind speed where you don’t even try? Not being used to this, I’m nervous about even a light wind. But, I know if I’m going to get any use out of it, I need to find a happy medium to balance reality versus my nervousness.

FWIW, I already learn on lesson with my small table umbrella. I didn’t realize how critical it was to actually fasten it to the base, instead of just sticking it in there. I didn’t tighten down the screw and a gust came up and pulled the umbrella out of the base. If that wasn’t sca enough, of all the places it could have landed, it landed right on my granddaughter. Whacked her right near the eye. Talk about an OMG moment. We’re so thankful that was only a minor bruise. I’m thinking about drilling through the base and the umbrella and running a bolt through so as not to have that happen ever again.

Anyway, looking for insight on how to handle umbrellas and wind.

 

[cowboycasey]

I took the base off the umbrella and drilled into my concrete and secured it with concrete screws.. Held just fine in 80 mph winds for 5 years till the umbrella reel broke and had to cut it out

 

[Newdude]

Is the pole round or square ? I had the same problem with round poles and I took both inside and outside measurements to Home Depot. Schedule 40 (? A while ago I forget) steel pipe was the perfect size to slip the poles into. So I bought an 8 ft piece, cut it in half and cemented those in the ground at the edge of the patio with 3 bags each. The overhang easily stretched back over the patio. On real windy days the umbrellas swooshed around too much that I lowered them, but they never blew over again.

I used an angle grinder to cut notches for the pole pegs

 

[ajw22]

Umbrellas and wind don’t mix well. Especially when the umbrella is not solidly secured to the ground.

Don’t leave the umbrella up when unattended.

When the umbrella begins moving around it is time to lower it.

Use your judgment and when in doubt lower the umbrella.

 

[pb4uswim]

So basically, find a way to permanently mount it. Unfortunately it’s kind of oblong so I think I’d basically have to bury the stand that it came with in concrete. Either that or drill into existing concrete and fasten it with concrete fasteners. Not too bad of a job, but then it obviously won’t be movable ever again. I’ll keep it portable for a bit and see if we can find the perfect location before we commit to mounting it in concrete.

 

[Newdude]

I had one and dealt with it blowing around even though I filled the base with concrete and not sand. 2 years later I bought another one and once *two* were falling over....... I found another way. With both being round poles and a couple years apart I figured I could reuse the cemented pipes over and over. Shortly after it seemed like they all came with square/rectangle poles.

 

[Mdragger88]

Mine are not that big & i have them secured to the posts. Even so, I have ended up with one in the pool when a quick storm came up. I wasn’t home & forgot to lower them when i left. Now I check my weather app & have determined anything over 10mph to not be umbrella weather.
P.S. - even small umbrellas are extremely heavy when upside down in the pool

 

[sacredcow]

I have one that's about that size, but round. I got it crazy cheap on Hayneedle dot com, but it did not come with any weights. I ended up going to home depot and buying 4 15" square cement pavers and using those to weigh down the base and it works quite well. I painted the pavers to match the pool deck and it looks fairly seamless. The umbrella is on it's 3rd year and the canvas is just about done from the Texas summer sun. I'll probably be replacing it this year or next- Pretty good for a cheap purchase!

As for the wind whipping it around, I honestly have had more trouble with the non-cantilevered umbrellas. The cantilever ones being able to move with the wind seems to lessen the chance of them blowing away, getting bent, or otherwise damaged. Mine sits kind of between a corner of the house and a fence so it bumps against those when the wind kicks up, but nothing concerning. YMMV, however, if you live in an open area with nothing to break the wind.

In any case, leaving them up all the time is a bad idea since a freak storm can pop up. But I will leave mine up all day when I'm at home and have never had an issue.

 

[theanimala]

I have an 11’ Cantilever umbrella I purchased from Costco 3 years ago, it has never fallen over once. In each of the four compartments of the base I put in a 40lb bag of sand then filled it with water to the top. I never leave the umbrella open overnight or when we are not home. With it closed we have had hurricane winds and it just stays there without issue. Buying a second one to put next to the pool to keep swimmers in the shade...

 

[fairFrank]

Umbrellas and wind don’t mix well. Especially when the umbrella is not solidly secured to the ground.

Don’t leave the umbrella up when unattended.

When the umbrella begins moving around it is time to lower it.

Use your judgment and when in doubt lower the umbrella.

Golden words! It's sad but nowadays there is no warranty on how long the patio umbrellas last. I bought mine here and am still totally disappointed! No wind resistance, weak ribs,
polyester which doesn't look like polyester. For what? ... Chinese Crud and no way out. And it’s not about the umbrellas only..

 

[sacredcow]

Golden words! It's sad but nowadays there is no warranty on how long the patio umbrellas last. I bought mine here and am still totally disappointed! No wind resistance, weak ribs,
polyester which doesn't look like polyester. For what? ... Chinese Crud and no way out. And it’s not about the umbrellas only.

My sister spends small fortunes on her patio umbrellas, and they last maybe 5-6 seasons in the southern Louisiana heat and humidity before she replaces them.

I get mine from At Home for around $100, give or take, and get 2-3 seasons out of them in the H-Town sun and humidity. Leaving them up all the time is the fast track to destroying them, for sure.