How to Choose the Best Market Umbrella for Your Business
When choosing the best market umbrella there are a variety of important factors to consider. In this detailed guide, we’ll cover the top factors and why you should consider them in order to better help you decide which umbrella is best for your business.
Unlike home patio umbrellas, market umbrellas are typically large umbrellas with the sole purpose of providing shade for a business purpose. Common uses of market umbrellas include outdoor restaurants, outdoor/sidewalk cafe areas, pool decks, food vendors, farmers market stalls, and other business purposes where shade is needed to protect either patrons or the business owner from the harsh day to day sun exposure.
Market umbrellas are typically built for commercial purposes. This means they are designed and manufactured to withstand lots of wear and tear, while also meeting local city safety requirements. This is important.
Rather than you simply buying a typical household umbrellas at Home Depot, it’s important to consider your local guidelines and requirements in choosing the best market umbrella that will meet those needs. We’ll cover some of those below shortly.
Now that you know what a Market Umbrella is, let’s touch a little on why you may need one.
Cantilever umbrellas are a very popular type of market umbrella. They are adjustable and provide flexibility in placement. Cantilever umbrellas can extend outward or retract as needed. You can also operate these umbrellas with a handle crank that allows for multiple functions including 360° rotation, tilt and height adjustment of the canopy. This is usually important if you have non-removable furniture below the umbrella.
Center Post umbrellas are another option when choosing your market umbrella. Center post umbrellas are the traditional type of umbrella and have one centered pole holding up the canopy. Center Post umbrellas are a great choice for stationary setups, electric cables and for side walls. Typically, these also allow for non-removable furniture below them if you have furniture that can’t be moved around.
Choosing the right size for your umbrella is crucial to providing the right amount of shade. This will also help you determine whether you need one umbrella or multiple umbrellas.
To get started it’s best to get an accurate measurement of the area. This way you can bring this to your umbrella manufacturer and ask them to help you choose an umbrella that will cover that area with the right amount of shade.
It’s also important to pick the right size in order to make sure you meet any design, spec, or local guideline requirements that could cause issues with having the wrong size umbrella.
The last thing you want is to purchase a large market umbrella, not be able to use it, or get some type of fine for improper usage at your business.
Make sure to consult with an expert to ensure you are choosing the right size umbrella.
Rain is another important factor to consider. Will your umbrella withstand strong rains or will it leak water onto people? You want to make sure your umbrella canopy’s fabric can repel water. A common fabric in all commercial market umbrellas used is Sunbrella fabrics. They are high-quality, water-resistant fabrics that we use in all Poggesi umbrellas also.
The structure should also be considered when choosing the best umbrella. With an outdoor market umbrella, it will be exposed to all types of weather conditions and be susceptible to rust build up. You want to make sure to choose an umbrella that has a strong rust-resistant pole in order to keep its beauty and also prevent any issues in functionality. At Poggesi, we only use aluminum type 6060 or 6500, considered the
highest quality in the industry.
Choosing the right fabric and style should also be important in choosing your market umbrella. As mentioned in the previous section, your canopy’s fabric can mean the difference between repelling water and leaking water onto dinner guests.
A popular option for canopy fabrics and our preference here at Poggesi is Sunbrella. They offer a variety of marine-grade fabrics all bearing a 10-year warranty against color fading. Moreover, Sunbrella has earned the recommendation from the Skin Cancer Foundation to help prevent sun-induced damage to the skin.
When it comes to branding, canopies can be made in a variety of styles and colors that can be personalized for your brand.
So rather than settling for a color that doesn’t give your brand the recognition it deserves, you can always choose a custom market umbrella that will help your brand stand out.
Having accessories and options to choose from is also important in the selection of a market umbrella. If you need to make your umbrella mobile and would like to move it around you may want to consider wheel add-ons. If you have evening events and patrons, you may want to add a nice touch of LED lighting to your umbrella to create a unique ambiance.
You should also consider whether you would like customers to sit below the umbrella itself without any furniture or chairs. If so you can add large seat cushions and turn the umbrella into a small lounge area.
Price is also definitely a factor to consider here and the old saying “You get what you pay for” shouldn’t be ignored.
Depending on your budget, you’ll need to choose the best market umbrella for you of course. However, it’s very important to consider the long-term.
While it may seem smarter to go the low priced route and pick an umbrella that is only a few hundred dollars, you may regret it later when it starts to fall apart.
Always consider buying a market umbrella as an investment. By choosing a high-quality Poggesi umbrella you can keep it for many years to come and only require minimal amounts of maintenance to keep it alive and well for multiple years.
Safety is a must when it comes to picking the best umbrella. Never ignore safety standards, especially if you are using an umbrella for commercial purposes.
Choosing an unsafe umbrella can topple over on someone with strong winds and cause injury to a customer. Always make sure to check with the company you are considering to ensure they meet high-quality and commercial safety standards.
At Poggesi, we are TÜV certified which ensures international safety and quality standards. Whether you choose Poggesi or not, please make sure you choose a market umbrella that can be safe for you, your customers, and employees.
Choosing the Best Market Umbrella:
- What is a Market Umbrella?
- Purpose
- Types of Market Umbrellas
- Size
- Durability
- Fabric/Style
- Accessories/Options
- Price
- Functionality
- Care & Maintenance
- Safety
What is a Market Umbrella?
Unlike home patio umbrellas, market umbrellas are typically large umbrellas with the sole purpose of providing shade for a business purpose. Common uses of market umbrellas include outdoor restaurants, outdoor/sidewalk cafe areas, pool decks, food vendors, farmers market stalls, and other business purposes where shade is needed to protect either patrons or the business owner from the harsh day to day sun exposure.
Market umbrellas are typically built for commercial purposes. This means they are designed and manufactured to withstand lots of wear and tear, while also meeting local city safety requirements. This is important.
Rather than you simply buying a typical household umbrellas at Home Depot, it’s important to consider your local guidelines and requirements in choosing the best market umbrella that will meet those needs. We’ll cover some of those below shortly.
Now that you know what a Market Umbrella is, let’s touch a little on why you may need one.
Purpose
When choosing the best market umbrella for your business, it’s important to consider what purpose you’re going to use it for. Will you use it to provide shade outdoors to your customers in a patio area? Will you need to move it around often? Will it need to cover one table or multiple tables? You will need to know what purpose you need a market umbrella for in order to determine the best sizing, base options, and other requirements for the space you are placing it in. All of these factors matter. Don’t worry, these are all questions that people commonly forget to consider when choosing the best umbrella for them, but by the time you’re done reading this article you’ll practically be a market umbrella expert. At least that’s our goal here!Types of Market Umbrellas
There are a variety of market umbrellas to choose from on the market. This can make your head spin unless you’re armed with some knowledge about which is the best to choose from. Again, you will also need to take into consideration the purpose of buying an umbrella to help determine which type you need.Cantilever Market Umbrellas
Cantilever umbrellas are a very popular type of market umbrella. They are adjustable and provide flexibility in placement. Cantilever umbrellas can extend outward or retract as needed. You can also operate these umbrellas with a handle crank that allows for multiple functions including 360° rotation, tilt and height adjustment of the canopy. This is usually important if you have non-removable furniture below the umbrella.
Center Post Umbrellas
Center Post umbrellas are another option when choosing your market umbrella. Center post umbrellas are the traditional type of umbrella and have one centered pole holding up the canopy. Center Post umbrellas are a great choice for stationary setups, electric cables and for side walls. Typically, these also allow for non-removable furniture below them if you have furniture that can’t be moved around.
Cantilever vs. Center Post
Choosing between a cantilever or center post market umbrella will depend on your business needs in the end, but typically if you need to adjust or rotate your umbrella to cover different areas you may want to go with the cantilever as your choice, otherwise, a center post may suffice. Not sure which to choose? Schedule a call with a Poggesi Concierge to get assistance in picking the best model for your business.Size
Choosing the right size for your umbrella is crucial to providing the right amount of shade. This will also help you determine whether you need one umbrella or multiple umbrellas.
To get started it’s best to get an accurate measurement of the area. This way you can bring this to your umbrella manufacturer and ask them to help you choose an umbrella that will cover that area with the right amount of shade.
It’s also important to pick the right size in order to make sure you meet any design, spec, or local guideline requirements that could cause issues with having the wrong size umbrella.
The last thing you want is to purchase a large market umbrella, not be able to use it, or get some type of fine for improper usage at your business.
Make sure to consult with an expert to ensure you are choosing the right size umbrella.
Durability
Durability is another factor to consider when choosing the best market umbrella. While it may seem to make sense in the short term to choose a cheaper umbrella, this can cause issues when it’s time for the cheaper alternative to holding up against mother nature’s elements.
Rain is another important factor to consider. Will your umbrella withstand strong rains or will it leak water onto people? You want to make sure your umbrella canopy’s fabric can repel water. A common fabric in all commercial market umbrellas used is Sunbrella fabrics. They are high-quality, water-resistant fabrics that we use in all Poggesi umbrellas also.
The structure should also be considered when choosing the best umbrella. With an outdoor market umbrella, it will be exposed to all types of weather conditions and be susceptible to rust build up. You want to make sure to choose an umbrella that has a strong rust-resistant pole in order to keep its beauty and also prevent any issues in functionality. At Poggesi, we only use aluminum type 6060 or 6500, considered the
highest quality in the industry.
Fabric / Style
Choosing the right fabric and style should also be important in choosing your market umbrella. As mentioned in the previous section, your canopy’s fabric can mean the difference between repelling water and leaking water onto dinner guests.
A popular option for canopy fabrics and our preference here at Poggesi is Sunbrella. They offer a variety of marine-grade fabrics all bearing a 10-year warranty against color fading. Moreover, Sunbrella has earned the recommendation from the Skin Cancer Foundation to help prevent sun-induced damage to the skin.
When it comes to branding, canopies can be made in a variety of styles and colors that can be personalized for your brand.
So rather than settling for a color that doesn’t give your brand the recognition it deserves, you can always choose a custom market umbrella that will help your brand stand out.
Accessories / Options
Having accessories and options to choose from is also important in the selection of a market umbrella. If you need to make your umbrella mobile and would like to move it around you may want to consider wheel add-ons. If you have evening events and patrons, you may want to add a nice touch of LED lighting to your umbrella to create a unique ambiance.
You should also consider whether you would like customers to sit below the umbrella itself without any furniture or chairs. If so you can add large seat cushions and turn the umbrella into a small lounge area.
Price
Price is also definitely a factor to consider here and the old saying “You get what you pay for” shouldn’t be ignored.
Depending on your budget, you’ll need to choose the best market umbrella for you of course. However, it’s very important to consider the long-term.
While it may seem smarter to go the low priced route and pick an umbrella that is only a few hundred dollars, you may regret it later when it starts to fall apart.
Always consider buying a market umbrella as an investment. By choosing a high-quality Poggesi umbrella you can keep it for many years to come and only require minimal amounts of maintenance to keep it alive and well for multiple years.
Functionality
If you’re considering a few options, make sure that what you choose has the functionality you need. Whether it’s adjusting the structure of a cantilever umbrella, rotating it around seating areas or opening and closing the canopy you should consider all its functionalities. If you want to close the umbrella when your business day ends, you will want to pick an umbrella that can be easily closed and covered overnight. If you need to move the umbrella around from place to place you may want to also consider one with wheels as large market umbrellas can be very heavy. Look at your options and always consider what functions you need in your market umbrella before deciding which one to go with.Care and Maintenance
Caring and maintenance for your umbrella is usually something that is thought of last but can cause the most frustration later. Always make sure to check with the company you’re considering to see if they have simple care instructions and that it is fairly easy, and cost-effective to maintain. The last thing you want is to purchase an umbrella that is a headache to clean or maintain. Ideally, your umbrella company should also have some type of warranty to ensure that if anything does go wrong you’re not stuck with a large umbrella that doesn’t work.Safety
Safety is a must when it comes to picking the best umbrella. Never ignore safety standards, especially if you are using an umbrella for commercial purposes.
Choosing an unsafe umbrella can topple over on someone with strong winds and cause injury to a customer. Always make sure to check with the company you are considering to ensure they meet high-quality and commercial safety standards.
At Poggesi, we are TÜV certified which ensures international safety and quality standards. Whether you choose Poggesi or not, please make sure you choose a market umbrella that can be safe for you, your customers, and employees.