Whether it is to protect your garden furniture or your beach towel, installing a parasol is an essential spring/summer gesture. This allows you to enjoy long periods of time outdoors without suffering from sunstroke. However, there is nothing more unpleasant than a canvas that flies away at the slightest gust of wind. To stay in the shade and not turn a pleasant outdoor meal into exhausting races to constantly catch up with a parasol at the other end of the terrace or garden, here are some tips to prevent it from blowing away and ensure good stability.
1) Choosing the right location and other basic tips
First, make sure to choose a suitable location to install your umbrella. Preferably choose a place that is not too exposed to the wind and rather sheltered. In this way, you will avoid the strong gusts which would inevitably risk sending the parasol flying to the neighbour’s house. Moreover, adjust the inclination and height of the canvas to reduce windage. To do this, always check the direction of the wind for a more sensible installation.
2) Choose the right parasol to limit the risks
Opting for the purchase of a solid garden parasol made from quality and practical materials is essential for it to hold up and resist the elements effectively. In a very windy region, it is generally advisable to tilting or rotating models to easily change the orientation of the sail. It is also advisable to take a qualitative and rather heavy model, preferably with a quick closing system (so avoid the crank to fold the canvas). Furthermore, a model with canopy (or anti-wind cap) can be advantageous, because the latter can be lifted by the wind to let it circulate freely while avoiding any risk of overturning.
3) The support: THE essential point to prevent the parasol from flying away
Good fixing to the ground thanks to a effective, firm and solid support goes prevent your parasol from flying away and ensure a safe hold. Whether you have a straight parasol or an offset parasol, several possibilities are available to you. Very often, parasols have a plastic base to be ballasted with sand, water or even gravel. Although unattractive, this system makes it easy to move the entire installation after emptying it. There is also a system with a cross foot on which very heavy concrete, wood or steel slabs are placed, but also installations with very heavy steel or concrete feet. This then makes the movement more tedious, unless you opt for a concrete or cast iron foot with wheels which will ensure good stability.
Secure the parasol to prevent it from flying away: another possibility
If you are the owner (or you have his agreement to carry out work as a tenant), it is also possible to concrete the base of the parasol orbury the fixings in the ground, depending on the type of terrain. This more permanent solution will however require the intervention of a professional.
4) And for a beach umbrella: how to do it?
To hold the parasol in the sand or the ground of the beach, there are several easy tips to put in place. The best known is plant the foot at an angle, as deeply as possible (thanks to a rotary movement). Do not hesitate here to take into account the direction of the wind. Then, it is possible to make a mound of sand around the foot to solidify the grip a little. Last trick, this time less known, you can also fill a plastic bag with sand, pebbles or heavy objects that you will hang on one of the stems of the parasol to keep it firmly in place despite the blowing of the wind. With all this, you will limit the risk of accidents in the event of a heavy gust.
