A Business Owner’s Guide to Commercial Cantilever Umbrellas
Are you on the hunt for commercial cantilever umbrellas for your business? If so, you will quickly realize there are dozens of factors at play to selecting the perfect umbrella. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as going to your local home store and picking an outdoor umbrella.
There are many factors to consider, especially in a commercial environment. Factors such as the size of your space, where you will place your umbrellas, local laws and regulations, costs, long-term value, and much more.
In this detailed guide, we are focusing on you, the business owner, to help you select the perfect commercial-grade cantilever umbrella for your hotel, restaurant, or local business.
Let’s get started.
First off, why should you choose a cantilever umbrella over the traditional center post umbrella?
Cantilever umbrellas have quickly become the defacto choice in the commercial arena for outdoor umbrellas, and for good reason. While the traditional center post style umbrella is still a great option, the cantilever umbrella provides more flexibility in placement and usage, while providing a unique graceful arching style to any space.
Cantilever umbrellas allow for easy placement of furniture underneath the canopy, which many businesses prefer to allow the flexibility of rearranging their space. So, instead of having a pole in the middle of your furniture dividing a beautiful view, you have the choice of nearly any type of tables, chairs, lounge chairs, and a variety of other furniture options for your customers.
With the base of the umbrella off to the side, it will stay out of the way for your customers. This allows your customers to interact and enjoy the space without having a bulky umbrella base in between them.
Also unlike its center post counterpart, cantilever umbrellas can be rotated 360 degrees while providing simple height and tilting adjustment of the canopy. This will make your life easier and your staff happier. With a simple adjustment, you or your staff can change the positioning of the canopy as the sun changes position throughout the day.
As mentioned, when selecting the perfect umbrella for your business, it’s not as simple as going to the local store and picking one out.
It’s important to consider an outdoor umbrella that is built for commercial purposes.
Durability – Perhaps the most important benefit of choosing a commercial-grade umbrella is its durability and longevity. Unlike your local hardware store umbrellas, commercial umbrellas like those at Poggesi, are built to last. Quite literally from the ground up. From the base to the canopy, every component is created to withstand weather elements and ongoing usage.
Lifespan – Commercial cantilever umbrellas are built to last longer than your traditional store umbrella. We understand and outdoor umbrella (or several) can be a significant investment, so every umbrella is crafted for a long lifespan to ensure you get the highest ROI. (We’ll touch more on this later in the article)
Flexibility – Cantilever umbrellas offer flexibility in usage. Whether you are looking to create a small candlelit dinner area at your restaurant or looking to provide a large shaded pool lounge area at your hotel, the possibilities are endless. With a commercial cantilever umbrella, you have the flexibility to create nearly any space you desire.
Storage – Cantilever umbrellas are easy to store away. When you no longer need to use them, you can quickly close the canopy and move your umbrella to a different area, freeing up your space. You can have a candlelit dining area one moment, and have an open dance area the next within minutes.
Affordability – Turning your space into a usable area for customers is more affordable with outdoor umbrellas than build-outs. When doing any sort of construction commercially, there may be permits and construction costs that can quickly add up. With a few cantilever umbrellas, you can rapidly turn your outdoor space into a ready to use area at a smaller cost.
Style – Cantilever umbrellas add a nice style to any outdoor space. With their arching look and colored canopies, you’ll add a touch of elegance to any open area. With custom umbrellas offered by Poggesi, you can also brand your umbrellas to give your area a unique look.
When considering cantilever umbrellas for your business, don’t forget to measure it. Many times, we see business owners try to “wing it” by purchasing umbrellas they think will fit their area, only to discover they were wrong.
We always suggest talking with an expert first to get help with the measuring of your space and determining the best options for your layout.
When measuring your space you’ll want to consider everything. This not only means the square footage of the area, but also the furniture placement.
Branding and customization are at the forefront of why many business owners choose commercial ready cantilever umbrellas.
Purchasing outdoor umbrellas at a local store or even online you typically are limited in your options. When purchasing a commercial outdoor umbrella you have a lot more options.
At Poggesi for instance, we offer a wide array of customization options for your umbrella. In fact, we are one of the only companies that offer customization for nearly every part of your umbrella even down to the stitching colors.
Aside from just appearance, there are business benefits to having a custom umbrella. The most important being brand awareness. As a business owner, you should always consider the brand of your enterprise and getting as many people to see your brand as possible.
As a restaurant owner, you could cover an entire sidewalk area with your branded umbrellas giving your restaurant brand additional exposure to people passing by.
Perhaps, the most iconic example of this would be Starbucks, as nearly everyone can recognize their green umbrellas at a distance.
Customizing your own cantilever umbrella is only a click away with our custom umbrella designer tool. Give it a try, and if you choose, get a quote on a custom umbrella design.
As you can see, you can start to see an ROI with outdoor umbrellas rapidly, with minimal setup, and without the headaches or costs of building out additional space.
- Why Cantilever Umbrellas?
- The Benefits of Commercial Cantilever Umbrellas
- Measuring & Preparing Your Space
- Customization
- Cost vs. ROI
- Local laws & regulations
- Usage Examples
Why Cantilever Umbrellas?
First off, why should you choose a cantilever umbrella over the traditional center post umbrella?
Cantilever umbrellas have quickly become the defacto choice in the commercial arena for outdoor umbrellas, and for good reason. While the traditional center post style umbrella is still a great option, the cantilever umbrella provides more flexibility in placement and usage, while providing a unique graceful arching style to any space.
Cantilever umbrellas allow for easy placement of furniture underneath the canopy, which many businesses prefer to allow the flexibility of rearranging their space. So, instead of having a pole in the middle of your furniture dividing a beautiful view, you have the choice of nearly any type of tables, chairs, lounge chairs, and a variety of other furniture options for your customers.
With the base of the umbrella off to the side, it will stay out of the way for your customers. This allows your customers to interact and enjoy the space without having a bulky umbrella base in between them.
Also unlike its center post counterpart, cantilever umbrellas can be rotated 360 degrees while providing simple height and tilting adjustment of the canopy. This will make your life easier and your staff happier. With a simple adjustment, you or your staff can change the positioning of the canopy as the sun changes position throughout the day.
The Benefits of Commercial Cantilever Umbrellas
As mentioned, when selecting the perfect umbrella for your business, it’s not as simple as going to the local store and picking one out.
It’s important to consider an outdoor umbrella that is built for commercial purposes.
Durability – Perhaps the most important benefit of choosing a commercial-grade umbrella is its durability and longevity. Unlike your local hardware store umbrellas, commercial umbrellas like those at Poggesi, are built to last. Quite literally from the ground up. From the base to the canopy, every component is created to withstand weather elements and ongoing usage.
Lifespan – Commercial cantilever umbrellas are built to last longer than your traditional store umbrella. We understand and outdoor umbrella (or several) can be a significant investment, so every umbrella is crafted for a long lifespan to ensure you get the highest ROI. (We’ll touch more on this later in the article)
Flexibility – Cantilever umbrellas offer flexibility in usage. Whether you are looking to create a small candlelit dinner area at your restaurant or looking to provide a large shaded pool lounge area at your hotel, the possibilities are endless. With a commercial cantilever umbrella, you have the flexibility to create nearly any space you desire.
Storage – Cantilever umbrellas are easy to store away. When you no longer need to use them, you can quickly close the canopy and move your umbrella to a different area, freeing up your space. You can have a candlelit dining area one moment, and have an open dance area the next within minutes.
Affordability – Turning your space into a usable area for customers is more affordable with outdoor umbrellas than build-outs. When doing any sort of construction commercially, there may be permits and construction costs that can quickly add up. With a few cantilever umbrellas, you can rapidly turn your outdoor space into a ready to use area at a smaller cost.
Style – Cantilever umbrellas add a nice style to any outdoor space. With their arching look and colored canopies, you’ll add a touch of elegance to any open area. With custom umbrellas offered by Poggesi, you can also brand your umbrellas to give your area a unique look.
Measuring & Preparing Your Space
When considering cantilever umbrellas for your business, don’t forget to measure it. Many times, we see business owners try to “wing it” by purchasing umbrellas they think will fit their area, only to discover they were wrong.
We always suggest talking with an expert first to get help with the measuring of your space and determining the best options for your layout.
When measuring your space you’ll want to consider everything. This not only means the square footage of the area, but also the furniture placement.
Plan the use of your space
Will you be setting up a pool lounge area at your hotel or creating an outdoor dining area for your restaurant? Perhaps you are just setting up an outdoor event area. Either way, know how you plan to use the space, as this will determine what size umbrella is required, and also how many you may need. Everyone’s space is unique. So it’s important to plan for yours. Sometimes, a simple sketch on paper can help you plan out the area. If you’ve hired a designer, they will often prepare a plan of the space for you.Take measurements
While it’s best to speak with an expert, it helps to have some initial measurements of your area. Take measurements of the area your considering for umbrellas and use this helpful square footage planner to calculate the square footage of your area. Make sure to also consider any furniture in the measurements. You’ll want to make sure that the umbrella is the best size to cover a large enough area and provide ample amounts of shade for your customers. Once you have the square footage of your area, it will be easy for a shade specialist at Poggesi to help you plan out your umbrella needs.Prepare your space
As you plan for your umbrella purchase, you should also begin to prepare your space. Again, this depends on how you plan to use the space. Make sure the outdoor space has a flat ground for the umbrella, as you don’t want to have uneven mounds that could potentially make your umbrella base unstable. Your umbrella will stand best on a flat concrete surface. Also, consider elements above the umbrella such as trees that could prevent the umbrella from having the space necessary to open. If you have an open area this won’t be an issue, but if your outdoor space is surrounding by trees you may need to do some landscaping or at least make sure there is enough height between the trees and the umbrella canopy. Space measurement and preparation is often the most challenging part of the umbrella process, so if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our umbrella experts who will provide you some guidance at no cost.Customization
Branding and customization are at the forefront of why many business owners choose commercial ready cantilever umbrellas.
Purchasing outdoor umbrellas at a local store or even online you typically are limited in your options. When purchasing a commercial outdoor umbrella you have a lot more options.
At Poggesi for instance, we offer a wide array of customization options for your umbrella. In fact, we are one of the only companies that offer customization for nearly every part of your umbrella even down to the stitching colors.
Aside from just appearance, there are business benefits to having a custom umbrella. The most important being brand awareness. As a business owner, you should always consider the brand of your enterprise and getting as many people to see your brand as possible.
As a restaurant owner, you could cover an entire sidewalk area with your branded umbrellas giving your restaurant brand additional exposure to people passing by.
Perhaps, the most iconic example of this would be Starbucks, as nearly everyone can recognize their green umbrellas at a distance.
Customizing your own cantilever umbrella is only a click away with our custom umbrella designer tool. Give it a try, and if you choose, get a quote on a custom umbrella design.
Cost vs. ROI
As a business owner, you’re always considering the ROI of an investment in your business. We understand this, which is why it’s important to also consider the cost and return on your umbrella investment. We use the word investment since buying an outdoor umbrella for your business should be considered an investment. While there is a hard cost to purchasing an umbrella (or several umbrellas), this cost can pay for itself quickly. If your umbrella investment is $5,000, but it adds an additional seating area that creates an additional $500 per day revenue. It will only take you 10 days to recover your investment and begin to see a compounding ROI. This is being fairly conservative. A single large umbrella can add as many as 4-6 new tables (see actual customer image below). If each table brings in $150 that is $600-$900 per day in additional revenue.
As you can see, you can start to see an ROI with outdoor umbrellas rapidly, with minimal setup, and without the headaches or costs of building out additional space.
