Outdoor Umbrella Stands, Bases & Mounts

Portable patio umbrella stand or permanent mount? What's the right choice?

Choosing the right umbrella base or mount is vital to the safe and efficient operation of your shade. You need to make sure it's stable and won't easily tip over in the wind or when bumped into. There are many options and styles to accommodate your specific umbrella and outside environment, as well as complement your decor.

Freestanding patio umbrella stands

Standalone umbrella bases can be used with both market and cantilever umbrellas. A center pole patio umbrella with a base holder is often used through an umbrella table for al fresco dining or with poolside sunloungers. The weight needed for market bases is lighter than those of cantilevers but heavier parasol bases are needed the larger the canopy. Side pole umbrellas require a lot of weight to counterbalance their offset canopies. In fact, some large side post umbrellas need bases that are in excess of 500 pounds! A patio umbrella base with wheels, regardless of the weight, is handy if you plan to rearrange your setting or move your shade for off-season storage.

Manufacturers of weighted bases usually provide a chart showing which umbrella sizes are compatible with each base weight. In normal wind conditions, a good rule of thumb is 10 pounds per canopy foot for freestanding market umbrellas or 5 pounds if they're going through a table. So a 10-foot market umbrella would need a 100 pound base if freestanding and a 50 pound one if run through an umbrella table. Bases for cantilever umbrellas should be around 30-40 pounds per canopy foot or more in higher wind areas. Patio umbrella stand prices range based on weight, material and design. Plain 100-pound concrete bases may only be $100-200, while chic 500-pound aluminum and steel models with wheels could reach $3,000-5,000 or more.

Check out the bases and mounts section of our comprehensive Patio Umbrella Buying Guide for more details.

Fixed weight umbrella bases

Most bases come in specific weights or sizes that cannot be changed. They may be solid or have a protective decorative cover to hide the weights and complement surrounding decor. Steel, iron, aluminum, granite and concrete are the most commonly used materials for the weight. Covers are often constructed of aluminum with a protective powder-coated finish or toughened plastic. They're available in a wide variety of style and color to coordinate with your garden furniture or architectural palette.

Adjustable weight parasol bases

Other base types may allow additional weight to be added to accommodate larger umbrella canopies or to hold your umbrella steady in stronger winds. Their price range can vary greatly depending on the weight and material.

• Metal Plates - These wide stackable plates are usually made of steel and are often more than a hundred pounds each and can be very expensive
• Pavers - Inexpensive stone or concrete pavers typically stack in sections of a steel framework that may or may not be covered
• Sand or Water - Some budget-friendly lower grade bases are hollow and may be filled with water, sand or gravel to supply the weight needed

Permanent patio umbrella mounts

A fixed outdoor umbrella stand provides more stability than a freestanding base, eliminates the need for additional floorspace and is usually less expensive. Its main drawback is that it cannot be moved, so shades are limited in where they can be used unless you install multiple mounting areas. While sun umbrella stands or mounts are fixed in place, the umbrellas themselves can be removed and stored during inclement weather or the off season.

In-ground mounts

A common permanent outdoor umbrella stand is an in-ground mount. These popular steel supports are usually used in backyards o the side of a patio or deck. A hole is dug in the dirt and the mount is set in poured concrete. Once the concrete hardens, an umbrella can be bolted to an adapter or deck plate that secures to the mount. The in-ground mount itself is not very expensive but you may need to hire a contractor to dig a large enough hole, pour concrete and properly install the mount.

Surface umbrella mounts

Alternatively, cantilever and market umbrellas can be mounted directed to flooring surfaces, using long bolts and adapter plates. Surface mounts are relatively easy to install if you have the proper drilling tools.

• Concrete Mounting - These simple inexpensive steel mounts are directly attached to the surface of concrete but may require specialized drill bits and mandatory patio thickness to ensure safe installation
• Deck Mounting - Some umbrella manufacturers have mounts for use with hardwood decking that require connections above and below the surface, may have size limitations based on the deck strength and are more costly than concrete mounts