Shade Specialists - Quality Parasols for Commercial and Home Garden Uses

Making the most of any outdoor area is essential to both commercial businesses and homeowners. A beautiful parasol can instantly transform any open-air space. With alfresco dining becoming more and more popular, a stunning garden umbrella can protect you from the hot rays of the summer sun or shelter you from the inevitable British summer shower! Shade Specialists luxury parasols will make a fantastic addition to any set of garden furniture and allow you to enjoy your outdoor space all year round! If you’re looking for commercial parasols or garden parasols - Shade Specialists will have you covered!

Shade Specialists supply high quality parasols from industry leading brands including, Bambrella, Elbrau, Heritage, Quattro, Shelter, Stellar and Savannah. We can provide parasols in a variety of materials such as wooden, aluminium and stainless steel.

Shade Specialists offer an extensive selection of industry leading garden parasols, all of which offer our customers both unparalleled strength and durability. All components used in the construction of our premium parasols are of commercial strength and quality. Shade Specialists industry leading parasols have been wind tunnel tested and are engineered to offer supreme quality, heavy duty strength and durability. Our extensive range of premium parasol umbrellas can be customised if required, with parasol heaters and lights.

Not sure about what size does your parasol has to be? See our parasol size guide for more details.

Garden parasols - how many types are there?

Our Parasol Buyer's Guide has detailed answers to many of your questions. Have a look.

There are two main types of garden parasols, firstly we have the classic freestanding parasol or as it is often referred to - centre pole parasol. This is one of the most popular purchases and are particularly beneficial should you wish to use the garden umbrella in multiple places such as - on the patio, in the centre of your lawn or by the edge of the swimming pool! These smaller and more mobile garden umbrellas offer you great flexibility.

The second type of umbrella available is the side arm parasol or as they are more often referred to a cantilever parasol. A cantilever parasol is the perfect shade option for people who require a totally clear and unhindered space under their canopy. The cantilever parasol canopy maximises both usable space and comfort. A cantilever parasol eliminates the drawback of a centre pole umbrella. For example, you can position chairs, hammocks, tables, etc. directly below the canopy. A major advantage of cantilever parasols is that unlike a traditional centre pole umbrella - a cantilever parasol won’t get in your way!

Top range materials used for the canopy

Our commercial parasols and garden umbrellas are offered in a choice of three canopy materials. Spuncrylic, Polyester and Recasens.

Spuncrylic® - is polyester which has gone through a process called solution dying. This is a material very popular with most parasol umbrellas manufacturers. Solution dying gives polyester an extremely high resistance to fading from sunlight. Spuncrylic® also has good stain resistance as well as being water repellent. In addition, Spuncrylic® has a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) of at least 50. This indicates what fraction of the sun’s ultraviolet rays can penetrate the fabric. For example, Material with a UPF of 50, allows just 1/50th of the sun’s UV radiation to reach your skin. The higher the UPF (ultraviolet protection factor), the greater the protection.

Polyester - is a strong fibre that is resistant to creasing and keeps its shape well. The price of polyester covers is lower in comparison to Spuncrylic® covers due to the colour fastness of the darker materials, which is why Shade Specialists only offer two natural colours in the polyester material.

Recasens RECacril® - is an acrylic fabric of the highest quality which guarantee the best water resistance and sun protection. Recasens is used extensively in both the boating and marine industries because of its strength and durability.

For more details about canopies and tips about choosing the colour, check our parasol colour guide.

Heavy Duty Bases for parasols

When choosing an appropriate base for your centre pole outdoor parasol, there are a few key factors to consider before making your decision, like how will the parasol be used. If your garden umbrella is going through the middle of a sturdy table, you can afford to go with a lighter base. The table will act as a ballast to your parasol umbrella and provide a lot of stability too. Despite going through a sturdy table, you will however still require a base for your parasol to provide stability and maintain the position of the pole.

For medium and large centre pole garden parasols we always recommend using the heavier 70kg granite bases, which are slightly larger in dimension. When purchasing our large commercial parasols (4m or bigger) we recommend using a cross base. The cross base is supplied with 4 x 30kg bases (either granite or concrete) and can be loaded with additional tiles for windier locations and added security.

For the ultimate outdoor parasol security and recommended for most large commercial parasols you can choose to install an in-ground base. This requires a hole to be dug of approximately 80 cm, which will be filled with concrete, and the steel ground base sunk level with the ground. This is the cheapest method in terms of parts, but costlier in terms of labour. A concrete ground base is a popular method for large commercial parasols found in pubs, restaurants, hotels, cafes and many other commercial properties. A major benefit to a ground base parasol is the reduced footprint and it also removes the tripping hazard, making it perhaps the most popular option in eating and drinking establishments.

If you want to know more about parasol bases and which one is the best for your umbrella, read more in our parasol base guide.

Can I hire a set of parasols for my event?

Shade Specialists offer a parasol hire service with wide range of quality parasols and tents for hire on both long or short-term contracts. Both centre pole parasols and cantilever umbrella options are available. Our shade solutions are of the highest quality and are used at some of the most prestigious social occasions in the United Kingdom, including Ascot, Goodward and The British Grand Prix at Silverstone. When hiring a parasol or tent with Shade Specialists, installation comes as standard and all parasols are supplied with suitably weighted bases. If you would like a quote, have a query, or require any further information about the parasols we offer, please contact us, we will be more than happy to offer our help and advice!

Commercial parasols as advertising material

Branded commercial parasols offer the ideal advertising tool for the hospitality industry. Shade Specialists have over a decade of experience supplying multinational and global brands with professionally designed and printed premium parasols. Our personalised service is tailored to meet the requirements of all sizes of business, whether an international company or and independent enterprise, all our covers can be printed with simple text as well as full colour pantone printing.

Custom printed outdoor parasols offer businesses a functional and cost-effective marketing option which provides a high impact branding opportunity. Garden parasols with printed logos or full colour branding are the perfect promotional tool for any company wishing to advertise their brand or service.

Shade Specialists offer a full print service on all parasols, should you require an individual logo or high volume multi order, we can provide an expert service for all your needs and requirements.

Shade Specialists, the UK’s leading supplier of quality commercial parasols and garden umbrellas.