Patio Umbrella Size Guide: What size patio umbrella should I choose?

We get this question a lot, as you can imagine.

Remember, how big your patio umbrella needs to be depends on what you want to put in its shade.

We’ll give you the information you need to pick the right size patio umbrella for you.To get our complete guide on which mistakes to avoid when getting a new parasol download the complete report here..

Patio Umbrella Size Guide

Whether you want to create a cool spot for your outdoor dining area, by your pool or over your lounge, we’ve got you covered with our easy patio umbrella size guide.

Pro tip:

Determining what size patio umbrella you need depends on what you want to shade. For a 6-person table, a 12-foot umbrella is great.

If you have a 4-person table to shade, you may want 3 - 3.3 metres. For a 2-person table, a 2-metre canopy could work well.

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Real life pictures: How big a patio umbrella do you need?

To give you a better understanding of how large a patio umbrella you may need, we collected a range of images from our happy customers

Umbrella size: 9 feet

This option can shade a small table and 2 lounge chairs but also let you shade one fully and keep the other in the sun.

Umbrella size: 8 feet

For a 2-person table, this choice provides plenty of cool shade and a tilt function for when the sun moves.

Umbrella size: 6x10 feet

If space is tight, a rectangular style can help shade a larger area, like this full table and half a sun lounge.

Umbrella size:10 feet

A 4-person round table is fully shaded with about 2 feet of extra shade around it.

Umbrella size: 9 feet

Two small umbrellas instead of one large can give you more options for shade.

Umbrella size: 11 feet

For a 6-person lounge, this choice provides a good combination of shade and sun.

Umbrella size: 12 feet

You’ll want one of the biggest options available for an extra-large table. Height adjustment and tilt would be ideal to handle morning or evening sun. 

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What size patio umbrella do I need for my table?

What if you want a table umbrella instead of a freestanding one? Then you need to consider the size of your table carefully.

Too large an umbrella may make your table take off, and too small may leave some friends out in the sun.

If you have a table that seats more than 6, we recommend a cantilever or more than one freestander to create better shade options.

You might also consider a large commercial umbrella or a gazebo, but those cost more.

Persons Round table (diameter) Rectangular table (length) Square table (side) umbrella size
2-4 24 - 48 in 36 - 48 in 24 - 36 in 6-8 ft
4-6 48 - 60 in 60 - 72 in 48 - 60 in 8-10 ft
6+ 72 - 120 in 72 - 120 in 72 - 120 in 10-13 ft

Pro tip:

You can find the right size umbrella for your table by counting the number of people it can seat. For 2 to 4, a 6- to 8 foot umbrella is great. An 8- to 10-footer is perfect for 4 to 6.

Tables that seat more than 6 may need two or more freestanding umbrellas.

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