Custom Printed Parasols

Work backwards from what has to sit underneath it. A Square Patio Umbrella at 2m x 2m covers a single café table or a compact sampling point; Tilting Patio Umbrellas at 2.7m x 2.7m suit a seating area where the sun moves round through the day; Round and Square Market Umbrellas at 3m x 3m give both the most shade and the most branded surface. Remember the shaded footprint is smaller than the canopy for most of the day, because the sun is rarely directly overhead in the UK.

A valance is the short fabric skirt hanging from the canopy edge, and it does two useful jobs. It brings branding down to standing eye level, which matters because the top of a canopy is only really seen from an upper floor or a hillside, and it creates a defined drip line so rain runs off at the perimeter rather than tracking back along the underside. It also makes a row of parasols look like a deliberate scheme rather than borrowed garden furniture. The trade-off is a little more surface for the wind to push against.

It matters mainly for how the parasols relate to each other and to your tables. Square Market Umbrellas at 3m x 3m butt up neatly in a row and cover rectangular tables efficiently, which suits a terrace or a run of market stalls. Round Market Umbrellas leave gaps when lined up but look softer standing alone and shed water evenly at every point of the rim. For branding, square panels are easier to design for because the printable areas are regular.

A Round Metal Base gives a low, stable footprint and is the better choice where the parasol stays in one position all season on a terrace or on hard standing. A Round Water Bag is the practical option for touring, because it travels empty and is filled on site — provided the site actually has a water supply, which is worth checking in advance. Never rely on the parasol's own weight, and never treat a table hole as ballast, because the table is not holding anything down. Size the base to the canopy: a 3m market umbrella needs considerably more holding down than a 2m patio one.

Tilting Patio Umbrellas at 2.7m x 2.7m let you angle the canopy into a low sun, which is the only way to keep shade over a table late in the afternoon without moving all the furniture. That is genuinely useful for hospitality and outdoor dining, and less relevant where the parasol is mainly a branding object. The iron frame versions use a heavier frame, which suits a parasol that lives in one position and takes daily handling by staff. If it is being put up and taken down at events every weekend, the lighter frame is easier to live with.

A canopy is built from separate panels rather than one flat circle, so design to the template for the exact model instead of to the overall dimensions. The usual approach is a logo repeated on alternating panels so it reads from every direction as people walk around; a single logo on one panel is invisible from three quarters of the site. Keep artwork clear of the seams and the outer tips, where the fabric curves away and the rib fixings sit. Send your files over for free artwork assistance and a free 2D mockup before printing.

Close them. A parasol is the least wind-tolerant item on a pitch because the entire load passes through one pole into one base, and most damaged parasols were simply left open when everyone went home. Furl and tie the canopy whenever it is unattended, at the first sign of gusts, and overnight without exception. Rain itself does no harm, but a canopy left open in heavy rain can pool water in the panels, and it is that weight which bends ribs.

Bases and ballast are separate items, so a parasol ordered on its own arrives with nothing to stand it in — add the Round Metal Base or Round Water Bag to the same order. Free UK delivery applies and every parasol carries a 1-year product warranty. Metal bases are heavy, so think about how they will get from the delivery point to the pitch before the day itself. For help matching a base to a canopy size, contact support@backdropsource.co.uk or +44 1628 904 188.