Patio umbrella keeps blowing over

I have tried almost everything.. I have tied it to my railing in an X or upside down Y fashion but, when you close it you have to adjust the slack in the rope. I am going to try drilling through the bottom of the pole and long screw it into the stanchions on my balcony. Last year it was closed, we had some light winds and the dam thing was lifted straight up 20 ' and set on the roof of my building. I would have paid to see that..

if you have the plastic base then fill it with sand or cat litter or even small rocks

I am having the same problem with my umbrella. Maybe it's because it is freestanding without a table to secure it. I had a 28 lb base for it and it flew away. It even blew over when closed! Then I got a larger 55 lb base but it still lifted like a kite when a strong gust blew. I love the breezes on my deck but the umbrella thing is getting to be a problem.

I am considering (thought I don't want to) buying a table now to steady the umbrella. Hoping it doesn't lift the whole thing up again!

I'm also wondering if my vent doesn't have enough vents? It has one small vent to help with 'lift' but maybe I need a different umbrella, I saw some with multiple vents. Just a few of my ideas as I struggle with the same issues. Good luck!

I have the table, the table went over too. i am resolved to the fact I have to keep it closed and tied .... :-( Good luck with your tAble. Maybe yours will work.

Our umbrella base was made to put sand in or something heavy...never had a problem....in the table center or out of the table. I think the suggestion of a bucket of sand with the umbrella pole put down in it....you could even bolt the pole to the side of the bucket is a good idea.

You base is probably too light and requires something much heavier. I have one that is made of wrought iron and it stands up even on the windiest days.

Cement a pipe into the ground and insert the pole of the umbrella into that. Our pole was 8 ft. and 3 ft. was put into the ground the pole stuck up 5 ft. Took care of the problem and cost (including bag of kwik set) less then $25.

Need an idea. I used a 5 gallon bucket with 2 ft PVC centered for umbrella pole and filled with cement. Then I placed the bucket in a larger planter and filled in around and to the top with rock. It is so heavy I placed it on a plant caddy to move it. Yet - with umbrella closed - the wind will still knock it over.

Ii had a 100 pound base and the wind still blew the umbrella over. I think if you are in the direction of the heavy winds, it will blow over no matter what. I no longer use an umbrella - it have chairs in the shade as well.

I’m so glad to know i’m not the only one with this problem.... it’s so annoying !!! I literally chuckled quite a bit reading everyone’s umbrella mishaps ... thinking yup me too.. I will try some of the solutions presented !!!

Boy... I was so aggravated as my umbrella blew over while speaking with the Bookkeeper today.:(. I thinks it's my base. I will try some of these ideas. The one thing I noticed, there are no holes for the thumb screw near the bottom of the base? You just screw it in until it touches the pole.

We just put a pipe into the ground and inserted the umbrella pole into the pipe. This holds our umbrella in place securely even in an unexpected wind storm. The umbrella just slips inside the pipe. There is barely a play in the pipe as it fits snuggly.

We affixed our umbrellas to the slats of the fence near the table. It works great. They never budge and we can enjoy the full table without a pole in the center.

It sounds like your base may not be heavy enough. Try a 5 gallon pail filled with sand and/or stone. Cover or paint it to make it pretty!

Sink a piece of PVC pipe into the ground at least 3 feet down and leave at least 4 feet above ground for your umbrella to slide down inside it. If needed, put concrete around the pipe (not inside it) to keep it secure. Then put your umbrella down in the PVC pipe drill a hole through the PVC and your umbrella pole and put a long piece of metal through the hole to secure your umbrella in the PVC. You can even use a lock to secure it in the pvc.

Hi, I had a good laugh reading some of the umbrella mishaps. We had the same problem and couldn't make a hole in our patio to support the umbrella, so my hubby found a big bucket and placed a PVC pipe in the middle, and then filled the whole thing with concrete. It works like a charm for us.

We had the same problem and bought the cone wedges on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3wFSvSS and that fixed the problem.

If you really weigh the base down with heavy small gravel or even concrete inside that would help. But have you tried not opening the umbrella all the way. Just slightly less than fully open, that might help as well.

Or try shielding that spot more from the wind, maybe with a trellis or lattice?

You could try cutting small openings in the umbrella to act as vents which I realize somewhat defeats the purpose of an umbrella, but wind is wind and this will eternally be a struggle. You could try tying some weights to the umbrella end points but you'd have to watch your head. Or try a shade sail if you have points to attach it to.

Would pouring water in with your sand or cat liter make it heavy enough not to blow over?

Maybe change your umbrella for one of the ones that have a vent at the top so the wind does not get trapped. and concrete it in the ground.

Still waiting for perfect solution before I buy a permanent pergola. My 9ft. lighted umbrella literally flew off into the neighborhood. No one claims to have found it! I put up signs and posted on Nextdoor. So weird.

Cemented metal pole in ground slighty smaller then the umbrella pole. Instead the umbrealla pole in the one cemented in the ground. This way easy to take inside to storm during the winter or rainy spring days.

Looking to keep it from blowing off 2nd story deck when it's open. My base, umbrella holder is 65lbs, it holds about 8" of the pole in the stand & you tighten screws to "hold it". Had it starting to blow over once & caught it. My base is about 2' wide, & round, so I can't get it close enough to railing to tie for extra support. I just saw deck pegs & ordered from Amazon. Will try & see if this will help, will look ugly with ropes or bungee running to floor, but not having any parties - lol.

I have bought three umbrellas each one destroyed by the wind! The base is the heaviest I could buy. It never moves in the wind, so it’s not that the base isn’t heavy enough, it’s that it can’t hold on to the pole when the wind blows. They lift right out. I’ve tried tightening the bolt underneath, and tightening the screws that hold the pole into the base, but it still can’t seem to be tight enough to hold the pole in the base! Bases and umbrella poles need to come with holes in them and a steel bar that can run through and lock tight to the the base and umbrella pole to secure it. Is there anything like that out there?????

The issue is not the base, it’s (physics) the lack of wind vents on the umbrella. I only had a top vent. There are (on mine) 6 points which lead to the fabric umbrella connecting to the metal ‘arms’. The seem runs down that arm; so, I took out the seem, toward the end of the arm, approximately 4 inches and sewed down each side separately. This ads air ventilation and reduces lift overall. Some may require a longer seem opening than others. Adjust accordingly.

Hope this makes sense and helps.

Hi Barb, hope this helps. Sounds like the screw on the base is not tight enough. Check the picture in the link I have attached.

https://www.amazon.ca/DC-America-UBP18181-BR-Composite-Materials/dp/B0025VP5J8/ref=asc_df_B0025VP5J8/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292907674717&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=527620025249714226&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001388&hvtargid=pla-365326659579&mcid=0893d460ba2c39d98b9e47a9747224f8&th=1

Hi Barb, hope this helps.

https://www.hometalk.com/posts/staircases/transform-your-staircase-how-to-spruce-up-your-wood-stairs-with-paint-44667142

https://www.maisondepax.com/paint-stairs-easy-way/

Buy an umbrella that has vents at the top or insert large eyelets so the wind that gets under has a way to escape!