Patio Umbrella Stand — A Unique Solution

At the end of last season we bought two patio umbrellas to help shade some areas of the patio on either side of our pergola. These areas, in particular, get a lot of hot summer sun in the late afternoon just about the time we want to wander out to enjoy a cocktail on the patio. All we were missing is a patio umbrella stand.

And here are our patio umbrella stand challenges: 

• Beefy enough to hold up in the constant breeze on our patio.
• Meld with our somewhat eclectic decor.
• Able to weather the spring/summer/autumn weather.
• Easy to move around the patio
• Fit our budget.

Research!

By now you must know that we research everything to death! And so the research began, leaving no stone unturned.

Ready-made Patio Umbrella Stand

In the retail world there are many options for patio umbrella stands either from a local retailer or online vendor. Regardless of the material or style — plastic filled with water or sand, steel, formed concrete, or even stands that can be mounted directly into your patio or deck surface, none appeared to be able to fit our first criteria: Beefy enough to hold up in the constant breeze on our patio. We needed something big and heavy. 

Now, to be fair, I did find some retail stands that had the weight required but they were hundreds of dollars to buy, so they didn’t meet our last criteria: Fit our budget.

Here’s some research that I found interesting. Apparently, the rule of thumb is that a patio umbrella stand, in terms of weight, should be ten pounds for every foot the umbrella is wide. So I did the math: our umbrellas are seven and a half wide when fully open. Seven point five times ten equals 75. I needed an umbrella stand that weighed at least 75 pounds. To be safe, a hundred pounds would be better. To buy that off the shelf could have cost as much as $250. And I need two. A retail purchase wasn’t gonna happen.

DIY Patio Umbrella Stand

Now in all of my research I viewed tons of homemade stands that ranged from the highly creative to the overly simple. But none satisfied our criteria to meld with our somewhat eclectic decor. I spent many afternoons laying in our hammock with an adult beverage thinking about what I could design/build/modify to meet all of the needs we had for patio umbrella stands. My mind kept revolving: reasonable cost, look good on the patio, be functional, hold up in the weather — over and over and over. This kind of mental process is good because you start eliminating the obvious and start thinking creatively, outside the box. And that is where you sometimes find your best solutions.

During my trips back and forth into the house from the patio hammock to refresh my adult beverage (I don’t have an outside bar yet — stay tuned!), I watched an internet provider installing new fiber optic cable in my neighborhood. All of that cable wrapped around those wooden cable spools got my “out of the box” mind cranking. Watch out!

Cable spools about 24 inches in diameter seemed to have enough weight and base to prevent the wind from tipping our umbrellas over. I did an extensive search online for new cable spools but they were not to be found. There was plenty of finished furniture from old cable spools but that wasn’t going to fit our need. Then I remembered that we have some friends in the cable business. I asked them if they had any old spools that I might have for free. Yes, they did. Here they are in their rough condition:

I wasn’t deterred because I knew I would polish them up to make them look better and be durable for any weather.

Refurbishing the Cable Spools

Paint

First I wire-brushed all surfaces to get dust, dirt, and grime off the wood. Then I applied the first coat of paint. I did not use a primer as the paint I bought was designed for exactly the kind of outdoor application I was seeking. Plus, the cable spools are made from pine so I knew the wood would really soak up the paint. 

Casters

Next, I installed four casters on each spool. To hold the umbrellas in place the stand had to weigh about 75 pounds — more than I want to heft around the patio. So the wheels make it easy to move that kind of weight. I also wanted brakes on the wheels so that a strong wind would not blow the umbrella and stand across the patio. After doing my research I found Jack Boss 3 Inch Caster Wheels (pack of 4) on Amazon. These are fabulous casters at a very reasonable price. Each wheel has a brake so I can firmly place each umbrella stand and know it is not going to move.

Umbrella Pole Sheath

The pole on the umbrellas we bought came in two pieces that thread together. So I took the bottom piece to my local big box hardware store to search for a tube in which the umbrella pole would snuggly fit. I found a PVC pipe whose inside diameter was 1.5 inches — a perfect size for the umbrella pole. After cutting the sheath to the desired length, I drilled a hole through the pipe about an inch from the bottom and inserted a bolt with nut so the umbrella pole could rest on the bolt. This allows any water that gets into the pipe to drain out through the bottom and prevent the umbrella pole from rotting.

Now, the PVC pipe was a bit smaller in diameter than the hole in the center of the cable spool. I needed a way to secure it centered without using any fasteners that would obstruct the umbrella pole from fitting into the PVC sheath. So I bought some cedar door shims and used them to wedge in between the PVC pipe and the outside edge of the center hole in the spool. It worked great. I pounded them in for a snug fit and cut off the excess. I then ran some caulk around the pipe on top of the shims for a good tight and smooth seal. Just be careful to make sure the PVC pipe is level and square so your umbrella will stand up straight and not be crooked. 

Lastly, I put several coats of gloss black spray paint made for plastic application on the PVC pipes and then brushed on a last coat of black paint on the top of each cable spool to give them a clean, finished look.

I also drilled a hole on the upper part of the PVC pipe clear through the umbrella pole to insert another bolt with wing nut to secure the umbrella to the umbrella stand. This will prevent a gust of wind from grabbing the umbrella and pulling it out of the umbrella stand sheath.

Corrugated Steel

We had just finished our grill deck and had some corrugated steel left over from the roof we put on that deck. So I thought it would be a nice detail to wrap the center part of the cable spools with some of the corrugated steel. I think it really dresses up the umbrella stands in an “industrial look” kind of way.

Patio Umbrella Stand FAQs

What’s the price range for Patio Umbrella Stands?

The average price for Patio Umbrella Stands ranges from $10 to $700.

How heavy should an umbrella stand be?

A good way to determine the minimum weight for your umbrella stand is to multiply the width of your umbrella canopy by 10. For example, for a 7.5′ umbrella we recommend using a 75 lb. umbrella stand; a 9′ umbrella will require at least an 90 lb. umbrella stand.

How much wind can a patio umbrella with stand?

You should close your patio umbrella if the wind velocity exceeds the range of 15-20 mph, although high-quality wind-resistant umbrellas may withstand it.

What is the proper height for a patio umbrella?

In general, you want your umbrella to be at least 7 feet tall. You can also look for patio umbrellas with tilting and cantilever functions to adjust where the shade lands.

Should I close my patio umbrella every night?

The short answer is yes, it is a good practice to close your umbrella at night or any time that you are not using it. Like most outdoor furniture, your patio umbrella is likely weather-resistant and made with durable materials, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is indestructible.

What color of umbrella repels the sun?

The color option black is very popular because of its ability to block UV rays. Out of all the colors in the spectrum, black absorbs the most light and heat. If you have a black patio umbrella canopy, you can rest under it on hot sunny days without letting the heat bother you.

Patio Umbrella Stands to Beat the Heat, Wind, and Rain

The stands are now in service on the patio. One shields the hammock from the afternoon sun and the other shields the wrought iron furniture where we often sit to have snacks and refreshing drinks.

Are we happy? Absolutely! Are these umbrella stands as aesthetically beautiful as if they had been professionally manufactured and were brand new, just out of the box? No. But this is patio furniture. It needs to be rough and tumble. It needs to hold up in the weather. It needs to handle spilled food and drink. It needs be refurbishable again in several years. 

And did they meet our criteria? Yes. They certainly are beefy enough to hold up in the constant breeze on our patio. They meld nicely with our somewhat eclectic decor. They will definitely be able to weather the spring/summer/autumn weather. The casters make them easy to move around the patio but, with their brakes, make it easy to firmly ground the stands if necessary. And they really fit our budget — all in all, the cost of the materials to transform these cable spools into usable, effective patio umbrella stands was less than $100. 

So now it’s time to relax. And remember, every day is Friday on the patio!

Please Leave a Comment

Leave a comment below and tell us if this information was of value to you or tell us what we missed and can add to this post. Do you have umbrellas on your patio or deck to shade the sun? How do you keep them secure? If you are using patio umbrella stands were they purchased or did you make them? Please attach a photo to your comment so we can see how your stands work and how creative you may have gotten.

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