If you use umbrellas in your business, it’s clear that they don’t stay up by magic, but need their own feet to stay up. Although the bases are usually a bit annoying or uncomfortable, you can also take advantage of them by turning them into a seat or auxiliary table in a simple way.
Tip number 1: Choose the type of umbrella
The first thing you have to be clear about if you are going to buy umbrellas is whether you have to pick them up daily. If so, it is advisable to put a lighter and more mobile umbrella. If it is not necessary to collect the terrace at night, you can choose a larger umbrella, and it would be advisable to put it with a recessed anchor, because it is the strongest and most resistant solution.
Tip number 2: Anchor the umbrella on the ground
The most practical solution is to anchor the umbrella or parasol directly to the ground using a bolted plate or an anchor under the concrete. It is a very good solution to do without any type of foot and eliminate obstacles, but at the same time we must be very clear about the place that the umbrella has to occupy because later we will not be able to move it from the site. But depending on the weight of our model it is not always possible, and it requires a heavier base.
Tip number 3: Create as heavy a base as possible
If you cannot install the parasol with an anchor, then a counterweight base must be used. And it is very important to choose a base with the right weight for the parasol. You have to take into account the size and material of the umbrella. If it is bigger you need a heavier base, but if it is smaller you can have a lighter base. Depending on the grammage of the canvases, some weigh 150 gr/m2, others that weigh 300 gr/m2 and others 500 gr/m2. This factor greatly influences the weight of the umbrella and therefore the weight of the base must be adapted to the umbrella.
If you need a heavy base that is difficult to hide, another option is to make a cover for the base, turning it into a side table or an extra seat, so that the base becomes something practical and is hidden.
Tip number 4: Learn to move the umbrella
If you want to be able to move the umbrella, you have to choose a base with wheels or make sure that the umbrella is lighter and more manageable and can be easily removed from the base.
