Well, summer is here and if your patio could use a bit of sprucing up you are not by yourself. The winter months can be hard on our patio furniture and if you don’t have money growing on trees in your yard there are some inexpensive ways to renew your patio. One of the most familiar outdoor accessories is the patio umbrella. Nowadays, a person is limited to a green or beige outdoor patio umbrella for your backyard. Outdoor umbrellas come in many shapes, sizes and colors which can make a bold statement. From modern to traditional you can find a perfect match to your existing outdoor décor. Here are some guidelines on how to find the correct patio umbrella for your needs.

First, you need to decided on the right size patio umbrella. This can be accomplished with the help of a tape measure. If you require your outdoor umbrella above a table what you should do is place your chairs out to about where they would be if people were sitting in them. Then get your measuring tape, have one person hold one end at the center of your table and then walk around your table and chairs noting the distance you are from the center of the table. For example, if you have a round table and you are measuring out at a distance of 4 ½ feet out from the center of your table, you should double that distance which would mean that you would need a 9 foot patio umbrella. If you have an oval table and you are 4 feet out on one side and 5 ½ feet out on the end you should buy at least an 8 by 11 oval patio umbrella.

After you have measured for the size and shape umbrella you should buy, you need to choose a style. The two most popular styles are wood or aluminum, and it is mostly personal preference as to which one you select for your patio. Aluminum patio umbrellas weigh less than wood umbrellas which make them a bit easier to handle. They also tend to have cranking mechanisms that make them easier to open and close. Wood patio umbrellas have a very traditional and elegant design and can be paired nicely with existing wood furniture. They mainly have manual lift systems or pulley systems to open and close them so there are fewer mechanical parts.

After you choose which type of umbrella to purchase you will start to look at fabrics and colors. The most familiar fabrics are Sunbrella, Olefin and Suncrylic. All of them have their own benefits whether it is price, warranty or that it is easy to clean. Sunbrella fabrics are the most expensive because they are marine-grade and come with a 3-year warranty against fading. Olefin is a more economical fabric that is easy to clean and comes with a 1-year warranty against fading. Suncrylic is a solution-dyed acrylic fabric that also easy to maintain and comes with a 1-year warranty against fading. When choosing which fabric is best for you, the most important thing to take into account is your weather conditions and how long during the year it will be outside. If you reside in a desert climate and tend to use your patio umbrella throughout the year, you may want to consider spending a bit more on Sunbrella fabric. If you are in a milder climate and only use your umbrella for a handful of months out of the year you can consider the Suncrylic or Olefin fabrics.

And don’t forget to pick a color that speaks to you. There are lots of color choices available today, so make sure and get a bit creative with your outdoor umbrella.