Shade7, New Zealand’s leading home of premium outdoor umbrellas, offers stunning outdoor umbrellas known for strength, style and durability, providing many years of beautiful shade. Shade7 Cantilever umbrellas transform the way New Zealanders enjoy outdoor living and are increasingly sought-after in landscaping design.
You can read about the advantages of a cantilever umbrella in our blog post Should I get a cantilever Umbrella.
If you have already decided that a cantilever umbrella is the best umbrella choice for you, this article will help you to understand what to look for in a cantilever umbrella, and which cantilever umbrella design will suit your outdoor space, giving you the best shade coverage.
What shape cantilever umbrella do I need?
The most versatile umbrella shape is the octagonal, or round canopy.
- This traditional shape works well over furniture. The arms are usually short enough to close over outdoor furniture, including tables – an important consideration.
- If you plan to have it in a corner, the round canopy is a great option as it has no corner arms that might awkwardly jut out either side of the patio corner.
- The octagonal umbrella is stronger in the wind than a square – the octagonal has shorter arms, all the same size, all sharing the load with less fabric than a square.
- When rotated, a circle (or octagon) looks symmetrical regardless of position.
The square canopy is a contemporary take on outdoor umbrellas, but the setting does not need to be modern for a square canopy to be effective.
- The square canopy looks stunning aligned with the straight edges of a deck or pool.
- When comparing square and octagonal in equivalent sizes, the square canopy gives a little more shade.
- The ability to rotate a square or rectangular umbrella away from high furniture to be closed can be an important factor when considering this shape. The corner arms are usually below the level of a table when closed and can be lower than lounge suites.
- When a square umbrella is rotated, it may no longer be symmetrically aligned with the straight edges of the outdoor space.
What size cantilever umbrella do I need?
The hot summer sun can make unsheltered outside spaces unusable. Shade7’s recommendation is to get the largest canopy size possible. This needs to work around furniture and size of the space. The Shade7 team can help with mock-ups of umbrella sizes indicated to scale in your space to help with this decision. Riviera cantilever umbrella sizes range from 3.5-4.5m octagonal, and 3.0m square.
Choose the canopy size that covers your outdoor space best. You can always close an umbrella, or rotate it away from furniture, if you prefer to be in the sun at any stage. But you can’t make an umbrella bigger if you need more shade later on, so get as much shade as you might need, from the start. Eaves and narrow decks are not always a restriction to canopy size, as the ability to partially close or tilt the canopy allows the umbrella to rotate through narrow areas or above surfeits and open out over the bigger living space areas. In most instances it does not matter if the canopy extends beyond the edge of the deck or patio – the more shade the better. Aesthetically, this solution works best with the octagonal shape, as circles and straight line work well together, and the round canopy overhanging the deck edge looks ‘right’.
Areas enclosed on three sides are more restricted in terms of size options. The open canopy will need at least 2-300mm gap distance to walls allowing for movement in the wind. Allowing 300mm from the centre of the mast/spigot to any balustrade or wall behind the umbrella will allow room to operate the winder handle and where possible, the rotation lever.
Multiple living areas
Shade7 cantilever umbrellas rotate 360° and tilt to screen low sun. While a full 360° rotation is not required by every umbrella owner, a rotation of 90-180° is extremely useful. This enables coverage of multiple living areas as the sun moves across the deck. Shade7 Riviera cantilever umbrellas offer a tilt where the canopy slides steeply down the mast to screen any sun behind the umbrella. In the right position this is extremely useful, especially for westerly sun.
Exposed Areas
New Zealand is a land of many seasons, often in one day as the song goes. A strong and resilient umbrella is essential for many New Zealand outdoor spaces. The Shade7 team help numerous customers who share tales of expensive yet ultimately flimsy umbrellas that have left them out of pocket and out of shade. Shade7 outdoor umbrellas consistently surpass customer expectations for strength and durability.
- The Riviera is an exceptional umbrella, designed for NZ conditions, ideal for coastal, rural, or other exposed locations and is suitable for residential and commercial environments, such as the Sheraton Samoa. Wind-ratings when open and level range from 30-60kph, depending on shape and size.
Shade7 cantilever umbrellas are all about quality of outdoor living, making the most of your outdoor spaces without undue discomfort or risking UV damage to your skin. The benefits of cantilever umbrellas are also explored in the article ‘What is a cantilever umbrella?’. Where best to install a cantilever umbrella is discussed in the article Where should I install my Cantilever umbrella.
If you are considering installing a Shade7 cantilever umbrella in your outdoor area, and have questions about where best to place it, contact the friendly team at Shade7 and they will be happy to discuss the options best suited to your unique outdoor areas with you. You can also view colour options and test in your own space on the Shade7 website.
