Have you ever wondered, can a beach umbrella be used as a patio umbrella instead? Both have similar purposes, and if you’ve got a large beach umbrella, you might want to use it on your patio to provide shade and shelter. Does it work?
Beach umbrellas do serve the same purpose as patio umbrellas, but they tend to be designed in quite different ways. This can mean that you will have to make a special holder to use one on your patio, as they are not as durable as patio umbrellas, and they don’t have flat bases.
What’s The Difference Between A Beach Umbrella And A Patio Umbrella?
At a glance, beach umbrellas and patio umbrellas are pretty similar. They are both large umbrellas that are designed to protect you from the heat of the sun. They both tend to be designed to stay in one spot without much movement, although beach umbrellas are intended to be transported to the beach.
However, there are quite a lot of differences between these umbrellas, including:
- A beach umbrella has a spike on the bottom so it can be driven into the ground. On the other hand a patio umbrella has a flat base designed to stand in a holder
- A beach umbrella is light so you can carry it down to the beach. A patio umbrella is heavy and designed to withstand worse weather
- A beach umbrella has a thin pole to make it easy to carry and drive into the ground, while a patio umbrella has a heavy pole to make it more durable
- A beach umbrella does not require a base as it is designed to push into the sand or soil, while a patio umbrella must have a base to stay upright
Those are fairly significant differences between the two kinds of umbrellas, and it’s important to be aware of them if you plan to put a beach umbrella on your patio. It isn’t as simple as sticking it in the patio umbrella holder and hoping for the best – so let’s explore this in more detail!
Can You Use A Beach Umbrella As A Patio Umbrella?
You may sometimes be able to use a beach umbrella as a patio umbrella, yes. However, you need to be aware of a few things. Firstly, the beach umbrella will not just stand in the patio umbrella holder. Its pole will generally be too thin, and the spike will prevent it from fitting comfortably.
Saw The Spike
If you want to use the beach umbrella on the patio permanently, consider sawing the spike off the bottom so you have a flat base. You can also pack material into the patio umbrella holder to make it narrower, so the beach umbrella’s stem fits snugly.
If you don’t want to use the beach umbrella on the patio permanently, you might not want to do this, but in this case, you’ll have to find other ways to make it stable.
Pot Of Soil
You may be able to drive the beach umbrella into a pot of soil, but it will need to be a very heavy pot to make the umbrella stable. Pack it down with rocks and other heavy items, and then test it by pushing to see how easy it is to tip.
Remember that a strong gust of wind can very easily lift an umbrella, so you need to be careful if you are going to use a beach umbrella in this way. Be sure that it is stable and not going to fall before you leave it on the patio.
This should only be used as a temporary solution. If you want to use a beach umbrella permanently, check out the next section on how to build a holder for a beach umbrella.
You should also bear in mind that beach umbrellas are often less durable than patio umbrellas. They may not stand up to the elements as well. If you are expecting strong winds, you may wish to bring the beach umbrella indoors to reduce the risk of tearing. This is often a good precaution to take with patio umbrellas too, but they are less likely to be damaged by the weather.
How Do You Make A Stand For A Beach Umbrella?
To make a stand, you will need:
- Dry concrete
- Water
- A piece of PVC pipe
- Rocks
- A concrete planter
- A beach umbrella
Method:
- Start by cutting the PVC pipe to the depth of a fairly deep planter. The longer it is, the most stable your umbrella will be.
- Position the pipe in the center of your planter, checking that it is straight. You don’t want your umbrella to lean to one side, or it is at risk of tipping over.
- Pour the dry concrete around the PVC pipe and fill it to about halfway up the planter. Add water and allow it to seep in, holding the pipe steady so that it stays upright in the planter.
- Make sure the pipe is stable and then leave the planter alone to dry overnight. You need to make sure it is completely dry before you move on to the next stage.
- Slip the beach umbrella into the PVC pipe and check that it is stable. You can then fill the rest of the planter up with rocks or soil if you prefer. This will hide the concrete and the PVC pipe to make the planter look more natural and pleasing.
- Check that the whole thing is stable.
The great thing about this method is that you can lift the beach umbrella out whenever you want to. This will allow you to use it for trips to the beach and on your patio. Just make sure that you take it down if the weather is going to be bad, however, or the fabric on the umbrella may tear.
FAQs
Q: Can beach umbrellas be used on a lawn?
A: Yes, they can be driven into soil as well as sand, so you can use one on your lawn.
Q: Are beach umbrellas sunproof?
A: No, and you should not use a beach umbrella as a replacement for sunscreen. They provide some shade, but they are not sunproof.
Conclusion
A beach umbrella can be used as a patio umbrella, but you will need to build a different holder for it, or it will not be stable. Be aware that beach umbrellas are not as durable as patio umbrellas, so they may not last particularly long by comparison.
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