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Showing all 9 results

Why choose a rectangular parasol?

Here is the problem with putting a round canopy over a long table. To shade a standard eight-seat table measuring about 2 metres by 1 metre, with the half-metre overhang each side that keeps shoulders out of the sun, you need to cover a footprint of roughly 3 x 2 metres. A round parasol can only do that if its diameter matches the diagonal of that footprint, which works out at 3.6 metres. So you end up buying 10.2 square metres of round canopy to do a job a 6 square metre rectangular canopy does better.

That extra canopy is not free shade. It is extra cost, extra wind load and extra base weight, spent covering ground nobody is sitting on. A 3 x 2 metre rectangular parasol puts its shade exactly where the chairs are, with about 40 percent less fabric in the wind.

If your table is square, the same logic points you to a square canopy instead, and if it is round, round wins. Our parasol size and shape guide compares every shape honestly, including the cases where rectangular is the wrong answer.

Our price match guarantee and fast delivery

Find the same rectangular parasol cheaper from another UK retailer and we will match the price. Send us a link or a written quote and we will come back to you quickly. Every parasol we sell comes from a manufacturer with a genuine track record in outdoor shade, backed by our product warranty.

Most rectangular parasols in the range are held at our UK warehouse and dispatched within 2 to 3 working days, with full details on our delivery and shipping page. Made-to-order sizes and custom canopy colours take longer, and we will confirm a clear lead time before you commit.

What size rectangular parasol do you need?

Canopy size Suitable table Coverage
3 x 2 metre rectangular parasol Six to eight seat table around 2 metres long The size we sell most for home gardens
3.5 x 2.5 metre model Longer eight to ten seat sets Suits longer eight to ten seat sets
4 x 3 metre rectangular parasol Ten to twelve seat table or a pair of smaller tables Shades 12 square metres

Centre pole, cantilever or large commercial?

All three designs carry a rectangular canopy. The right one depends on what sits underneath and how hard your site works.

Rectangular centre pole parasol

A rectangular centre pole parasol stands through the middle of the table or in a base beside it. It is the lightest and most affordable way to carry a given canopy size, and the pole position suits a fixed dining table with a parasol hole.

A fixed outdoor dining table with a parasol hole

Rectangular cantilever parasol

A rectangular cantilever parasol hangs from a side arm, leaving the whole footprint clear beneath the canopy. Over a long table, there is no pole interrupting the place settings, while loungers or poolside seating remain unobstructed.

A long table, loungers or poolside seating

Jumbrella parasols

Jumbrella parasols carry canopies beyond 4 metres on frames with bolt-down ground sockets, opening mechanisms and commercial warranties. These units stay open through a working season rather than a weekend.

Rectangular canopies well beyond 4 metres

Rectangular parasols for pubs, restaurants and hotels

Terraces are usually long and narrow, and so are the tables that are placed along. A row of rectangular canopies covers that geometry with one straight line of shade and no scalloped gaps, which is why hospitality buyers who start with round parasols tend not to stay with them.

A 4 x 3 metre rectangular parasol covers two standard tables in one unit, which halves the number of bases, poles and closing routines your staff deal with.

We supply rectangular commercial parasols to pubs and beer gardens, restaurant terraces, cafés, hotels, golf clubs and schools. The full trade range is on our commercial parasol page, and if your terrace is exposed, start with our windproof parasols, which are selected for structural strength rather than looks alone.

Rectangular parasols for home gardens

At home, the requirement for a rectangular-shaped canopy is simple: it is the shape of your dining set. A 3 x 2 metre rectangular garden parasol positioned over a six or eight seat table shades every place setting at once, including the two end seats a round canopy leaves squinting. By a pool, a rectangular cantilever covers a pair of loungers side by side without a pole between them.

Patios help the look too. Paving, fencing and house walls all run in straight lines, and an oblong canopy sits inside those lines neatly. Our garden parasols page covers the full residential range, and our guide to choosing the best position for a garden parasol is worth ten minutes before you decide where yours will live.

Aluminium, wood or stainless steel frames?

Powder-coated aluminium is the right call for most buyers. It is light enough to move, it ignores wet winters, and a wipe-down each season is all the maintenance it asks for. Check out our aluminium parasols for the full rectangular size range.

Powder-coated aluminium

The right call for most buyers. It is light enough to move, ignores wet winters, and a wipe-down each season is all the maintenance it asks for.

Wood

Suits gardens beside teak and rattan furniture. FSC-certified timber and light oiling once or twice a season keep the bamboo frame sound for years.

Stainless steel

The premium option: heavier, close to maintenance-free and suited to modern architectural spaces.

Canopy colours, fabrics and replacement covers

Grey is the colour we are asked for most, and a grey rectangular parasol earns that position by working with almost any furniture and holding its look season after season. Ecru and ice white suits warmer schemes, and green, navy and terracotta carry a terrace with a clear palette. Our parasol canopy colour guide walks through the options.

The fabric matters more than the shade card. Our canopies are solution-dyed, meaning the colour runs through the fibre rather than sitting on top of it, and most carry a UPF 50+ rating, so the parasol is blocking ultraviolet rather than just casting shadow. The simple differences between fabrics are in our canopy material guide.

If your frame is sound but the cover has faded or torn, we stock replacement parasol canopies in rectangular formats. A new rectangular parasol cover costs a fraction of a new parasol, and fitting one is a fifteen-minute job.

Bases, fixings and wind safety

This is where rectangular buyers most often get caught out, because an oblong canopy behaves differently in wind depending on which way it faces. Side-on, a 4 x 3 metre canopy presents a third more edge to a gust than it does end-on. If your site has a prevailing wind, set the short end towards it.

On base weights, the numbers we give customers are these:

  1. Through a table with a parasol hole in a sheltered garden, 25 to 45 kilograms is adequate for rectangular canopies up to 3 x 2 metres, because the table carries most of the load.
  2. Freestanding, that same 3 x 2 metre parasol needs at least 50 kilograms under it, and a 4 x 3 metre model wants 70 to 90 kilograms or, better, a fixed ground socket.
  3. Rectangular cantilevers need heavy cross bases loaded with slabs, or a bolted anchor, to counter the offset arm.
  4. Commercial sites should bolt down as a rule, not an exception.

Whatever the base, close the canopy when the wind gets up and overnight. No parasol is a sail-tested structure, and the vented canopies on our larger models buy you margin, not immunity. We stock parasol bases rated for every size we sell, our guide to choosing a parasol base explains the calculation, and our guide to selecting a garden parasol with base covers the whole decision in one read.

Heaters and lights for longer evenings

A long table is made for sociable dining, and the right accessories help keep it in use after dark and into autumn. Parasol-mounted infrared heaters provide warmth within seconds, while LED strips fitted along rectangular canopy ribs deliver even lighting with no dark end seats. Our heater and lighting guides help you choose the right setup, while Gard and Rock accessories provide secure fixing solutions for more demanding installations.

A long table is a sociable table, and the right accessories keep it occupied after dark and into autumn. Parasol-mounted infrared parasol heaters warm the seating below within seconds, which for a venue means a terrace that takes another sitting in October. Our heater guide matches heater output to canopy size.

LED strips fitted along the ribs light the full length of a rectangular canopy evenly, with no dark end seats. Our parasol lighting guide covers the options, and our Gard and Rock parasol accessories range adds fixing systems for more demanding installations.

Custom branding, installation and hire

The long sides of a rectangular canopy are the biggest flat printable panels in the parasol world, which makes the format a favourite for venue branding. Our custom printed and branded parasols carry logos and artwork printed into the canopy fabric itself, so the graphics survive full outdoor seasons instead of peeling off them.

Our installation team fits parasols across the UK, from a single ground socket to a multi-unit terrace, and we know rooftop parasols well enough to treat wind loading with the respect it deserves up there. Need rectangular parasols for one event or a trial season? Our parasol hire service covers short-term use.

Talk to us before you buy

Tell us your table size, your layout and how exposed the spot is, and we will spec the whole thing: canopy size, frame, base weight and any accessories. Call 01293 226 477 or use our contact page.

Prefer to research first? Our customer help section and questions and answers page answer the questions we hear most, and our photo gallery shows recent installations in real gardens and venues.

Frequently asked questions

What is a rectangular parasol?

A rectangular parasol is a garden or commercial parasol with an oblong canopy, typically between 3 x 2 metres and 4 x 3 metres. The shape matches long dining tables and narrow terraces more closely than a round or square canopy, so the seats at each end of the table receive the same shade as those in the middle. Rectangular parasols are available in centre pole and cantilever designs, with frames in aluminium, wood and stainless steel.

Standard sizes run from 3 x 2 metres to 4 x 3 metres, with custom sizes available for commercial sites. A 3 x 2 metre rectangular parasol covers a six to eight seat dining table around 2 metres long. A 3.5 x 2.5 metre model suits eight to ten seats, and a 4 x 3 metre parasol shades 12 square metres, enough for a twelve-seat table or two smaller commercial tables under one canopy.

An eight-seat rectangular table typically measures around 2 metres by 1 metre. Add at least 100 centimetres of canopy overhang on every side and the minimum canopy size is 3 x 2 metres. If the table is longer than 2.2 metres, step up to a 3.5 x 2.5 metre canopy so the end seats stay shaded through the afternoon.

For a long table, yes. Covering a 2 x 1 metre table with proper overhang requires a round canopy of about 3.6 metres in diameter, which is 10.2 square metres of fabric. A 3 x 2 metre rectangular canopy covers the same table with 6 square metres. The rectangular parasol costs less, carries roughly 40 percent less fabric in the wind, and needs less ballast to stay put.

Used through a table hole in a sheltered garden, a base of 15 to 20 kilograms suits rectangular canopies up to 3 x 2 metres. Freestanding, a 3 x 2 metre parasol needs at least 50 kilograms and a 4 x 3 metre model needs 70 to 90 kilograms or a fixed ground socket. Rectangular cantilever parasols need heavy cross bases loaded with slabs or a bolted anchor to balance the side arm. Commercial sites should use bolt-down sockets as standard.

Yes. We stock rectangular cantilever parasols for gardens, poolside areas and commercial terraces. The cantilever design hangs the oblong canopy from a side arm, so there is no pole at the table and nothing to walk around by the pool, and most models rotate and tilt to follow the sun. Call 01293 226 477 for advice on the right model and base for your site.

Rain is not the problem, wind is. Solution-dyed canopies shrug off showers, though they should be left open to dry before being closed for storage. Wind is a different matter. Close the canopy whenever gusts pick up and overnight, and set the short end of the canopy towards the prevailing wind, because a rectangular canopy side-on presents far more area to a gust than end-on. Over winter, store the canopy indoors and cover or store the frame.

Yes, and the format is the best one for it. The long sides of a rectangular canopy give the largest flat printable panels of any parasol shape. We print logos, brand colours and artwork directly into the canopy fabric, so graphics stay sharp through full outdoor seasons. Printed rectangular parasols are popular with pubs, restaurant groups and event sponsors.