A garden set would not be complete without a parasol. The experts from Garden Furniture Scotland have written a series of articles covering all aspects of Parasols from Parasol bases, Side Arm Parasols, and Aluminium Parasols. In this article, we will examine wooden parasols.

If you want the parasol to shade a table, you need to decide if it will go through the centre of the table, in which case you will need a table with a central hole. This hole should accommodate most parasol stems – the hole in most tables is about 51mm but can vary either way.

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 people will have had a wooden parasol at some time. They are inexpensive and come in a range of colours , shapes and sizes. The parasol stem is in two parts, screw-threaded in the middle. The top half supports the canopy while the lower half goes through the table. The screw-threaded middle section rarely causes any difficulties.

The cheaper wood parasols generally use common Far East hardwoods such as Nyatoh, Keruing or Eucalyptus. More expensive wooden parasols are much more durable and made from teak.

The canopy of a wooden parasol is most usually opened and closed via a pulley system. In cheaper parasols, there is only one pulley on one side of the stem. This can be unbalanced and can stress the mechanism. It is far better to have a double or 4 way pulley system which is located on both sides of the stem. This will ensure that the mechanism doesn’t break as readily.

Some wood stem parasols have a crank handle mechanism. Though many people prefer a wooden stem but like the ease of the crank handle, they might be tempted to by this combination. However, this is not a good idea. To put a crank mechanism in, means the central core of the wood is removed to insert the crank wire. This reduces the strength of the stem.

Avoiding this by placing the crank wire in a groove on the side of the stem is a possibility but it is rather unsightly. Another popular innovation is the tilt mechanism which means that the top of the parasol (the canopy) can be tilted to the side to shade your table from evening sunlight. This can also result in a weakening of the parasol.

Smaller and cheaper parasols will have 6 ribs emanating from the central hub. Larger parasols will 8 or 10 ribs. The canopy is placed on top of the ribs and attached at the end of each rib by stitching or a pocket. Some pockets are leather, for extra durability. Other pockets are zipped to allow the canopy to be removed.

A canopy for a parasol can be any colour and texture imaginable. The most common material used is Polyester, which is usually treated with a water repellence agent, so water runs off, not through the parasol.

Parasol canopies are also treated to reduce fading in sunlight (ultraviolet light). Look for UV resistent fabric when you are purchasing a parasol and think about the colour you would prefer. Remember that some colours fade more readily – red or black, for instance, as compared to cream or natural.

Ensure the parasol you choose has a wind vent. Without it, the parasol will be lifted into the air or the canopy will stress agains the ribs until it breaks them.

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.

Before you buy a parasol consider the size and style you want, look at the pully or crank system, the material used for the canopy and whether it is showerproof and UV Stable. If you are interested in more information about parasols, please also look at our articles about Cantilever Parasols, Parasol Bases and Aluminium Parasols. Simply log on to Garden Furniture Scotland to learn more about this subject.