Cantilever umbrellas are a fantastic addition to any outdoor space. If you choose a strong, durable design such as Shade7’s Riviera cantilever umbrellas which are engineered for New Zealand’s tough coastal conditions, its stunning appearance will enhance your enjoyment as well as giving many years of premium shade in your outdoor living space.
So, how do you install a cantilever umbrella? Is it simply a matter of getting any wheeled base and pushing it into place? For some lightweight models, that could be a great solution. But for Shade7 cantilever umbrellas, the best experience of your outdoor sun umbrella will be if you bolt it down.
Here are four reasons why.
– Durability. Shade7 umbrellas are engineered for strength and performance and are wind-rated for resistance and durability when bolted down. This relates to the umbrella itself in relation to how well it can survive windy conditions. If the umbrella isn’t bolted down, the relevance of the umbrella’s durability changes from relationship of the bolted down umbrella to the wind, to how much wind can push an umbrella over if it is on a freestanding or moveable base. Despite its size and weight, because a freestanding or moveable base isn’t anchored to the ground, an umbrella on a base will always be more vulnerable to strong wind than one bolted directly to the ground. A bolted-down umbrella offers maximum durability in the wind.
– Cost Effective. As mentioned above, because Shade7 cantilever umbrellas are engineered and built for strength, freestanding bases are likewise engineered and constructed to be strong and heavy enough to properly support the weight and strength of a Shade7 cantilever umbrella. This makes their cost considerably more than small fittings like bolts, base plates, or in-ground fitting, even when calculating the help of a professional installer.
– Space. Outdoor space is precious, and sacrificing any of it is a weighty decision. The scale of freestanding bases often takes up too much room. Base plates, spigots or in-ground fitting have a small, discreet footprint, allowing maximum space for outdoor living and foot-traffic.
– Appearance. A lot of time, effort and even expense goes into getting the perfect balance of form and function for the most stunning appearance, to ensure the best possible enjoyment of an outdoor area. If there is no pressing reason for the scale of a freestanding base to be present in an outdoor living area, small base plates or even bolting the umbrella spigot directly to the substrate will allow the Shade7 cantilever umbrella to enhance the outdoor living space with the cleanest lines and best use of the available space.
Shade7 provide full instructions on the different ‘bolt down’ installation methods, and if you are in Auckland, also offer a professional installation service.
There is significant value in using a freestanding or moveable base in some instances. Some examples of these are:
– Locations with numerous places the umbrella could work, where owners wish to test the umbrella in each place before making a final installation decision.
– Locations where the substrate can’t be pierced, such as a deck or patio laid over waterproofing membrane.
– Locations where owners really prefer not to drill into their tiles, concrete, or timber surfaces.
– Temporary locations, for example, rented properties, or where a substrate such as a concrete patio will be replaced with a timber deck in the foreseeable future.
– Vast locations such as poolside areas where owners prefer to have one large umbrella that they move from one end of the pool to the other, rather than installing multiple umbrellas.
If you are unsure whether a freestanding/movable base is the only option for your outdoor space or not, this article may help you decide.
In most instances, if you have a moveable/freestanding base and change location or installation preference, you can move your Shade7 cantilever umbrella from the freestanding/moveable base to a bolted down solution. The installation method will depend on the substrate you wish to bolt your umbrella to. Instances where this wouldn’t be possible may include where the deck or patio is lined with waterproofing membrane.
To learn more about the installation options, visit the Shade7 website or visit the Shade7 showroom at 1096 Great South Road, Mt Wellington.
