Whether you spend all your time on the beach because you live on the coast or have come to the beach for a family vacation, odds are that you have used both beach umbrellas and patio umbrellas at some point. Though it might seem as though beach umbrellas and patio umbrellas are the same things, they actually have many different features that identify them as unique from one another.
The difference between a beach umbrella and a patio umbrella is their weight, the materials they are made of, where they are used, when they are used, and how they are set up.
All of these specifications can help you differentiate a beach umbrella from a patio umbrella and help you to decide which will be more useful for your household. To learn more about the difference between beach and patio umbrellas, continue reading below.
All About Beach Umbrellas
Beach umbrellas are an iconic image seen across coastline throughout the world. With large, circular features and fun, bright colors, beach umbrellas are an unmistakably joyous part of relaxing by the ocean.
The History of Beach Umbrellas
Umbrellas were first created in Ancient Egypt where they were built to be used as sun protection. Unlike a regular waterproof umbrella used to keep yourself dry in wet and rainy weather, these umbrellas were tasked with the purpose of keeping the hot Middle Eastern sun away from royalty and noble Egyptian citizens when spending time outside or traveling.
At that time in ancient history, pale skin was a sign of wealth and leisure because it meant that time spent outside farming and toiling the soil was limited. Therefore, umbrellas, otherwise known as sun-shades, were carried along the shoreline for the Pharoh and other wealthy people.
Later, sun-shading umbrellas became a sign of the commoner and the peasant rather than a symbol of wealth. In Greece and Europe during the Rennaisance, travelers used umbrellas to shade their faces. It wasn’t until the 1920s that sun-shading umbrellas became a universal symbol of the beach when fashion designer Coco Chanel began bringing umbrellas with her to the ocean after an unfortunate sunburn incident. People have been enjoying the shade of beach umbrellas on the shore ever since.
What Beach Umbrellas Are Made Of
Beach umbrellas are usually an unmistakable aesthetic trademark of any beach town’s shoreline. With features like large canopies, white bases, colorful patterns, and spike-shaped bases, they are made specifically to create shade when burrowed into the beach sand.
The tops, or canopies, and carrier bags of beach umbrellas are usually made from waterproof fabrics like:
- Acrylic
- Canvas
- Marine-Grade Vinyl
- Polyester
- Polyester-Nylon Blend
- PVC
- Reflective silver coating
The bases, poles, sand spikes, and canopy supports of beach umbrellas are all typically made from materials like:
- Brass
- Copper
- Metal
- Plastic
- Tin
- Polyurethane
- PVC
Patio Umbrellas and Their Varieties
Unlike beach umbrellas that were made specifically to shade the sun away from beach-goers on blazing afternoons, patio umbrellas are usually used for keeping sun, rain, wind, and other inclement weather away from patio diners.
The History of Patio Umbrellas
Although beach umbrellas originated in Ancient Egypt as sun-shading umbrellas for the wealthy and royal, the history of patio umbrellas is somewhat different. Patio umbrellas, while also originating in Ancient Egypt, were also found in China during the same time. Between 1100 and 1200 BC, Egyptians and Chinese courts were said to utilize patio umbrellas in their courtyards to shade the patrons during dinner parties tea in the garden.
While the first patio umbrellas were said to be large banana leaves sewn together with natural fabrics to make large overhanging tapestries, their uses were essentially the same as that of patio umbrellas today.
Patio Umbrella Materials
Patio umbrellas, unlike beach umbrellas, are typically made of canvas or polyester. If their canopy fabric is to be used in a humid, wet, or rainy environment, they can also sometimes be made of waterproof nylon or sprayed with water-resistant rain-protective shellac.
The materials used for the base of a patio umbrella will depend on the company that manufactures it and its quality. Low-quality umbrellas manufactured in the thousands for commercial use in large chain restaurants and cafes are typically made of a thin layer of inexpensive plastic. High-quality umbrellas developed for individual use in backyards or luxury cafes and spas can be made of any of the following:
- Brass
- Copper
- Solid wood
- Hollow wood
- Plastic and metal
- Solid metal
Similarities Between Beach and Patio Umbrellas
Beach and patio umbrellas are often easily confused due to their inherent similarities. They are both round-shaped objects with canopies and straight stick bases whose designs and origins come from the relative same locations and moments in history.
Both designed to shade individuals from the sun and other weather events, both beach umbrellas and patio umbrellas cover people to provide safety. Their bright and funky colors as well as the shared types of materials used to manufacture them, award both beach and patio umbrellas with some of the same unmistakable similarities.
Differences Between Beach and Patio Umbrellas
While beach umbrellas and patio umbrellas were both essentially designed to protect their users from the sun and some other weather, they originate from the same place and time in history, and they are made of some of the same types of materials, they also have many differences that separate them from each other. These main differences include:
The base: Patio umbrellas require a strong and stable base such as an umbrella stand or a table with an umbrella base carved through the center. Beach umbrellas do not need a base as they can easily be rested on the sand to create low shade or screwed into the ground using their sand spike. They can sometimes also be buried into the sand, something that is not necessary for patio umbrellas.
The canopy: Patio umbrellas are often made from canvas while beach umbrellas can be made of a myriad of materials like PVC, polyester, or nylon.
The size: Patio umbrellas tend to be very large both in the base and in the canopy. This is because they are designed to shade large tablespaces and multiple patio chairs. Beach umbrellas, on the other hand, come in a variety of sizing ranging from small to extra large, intended to shade only a small area of sand. They must also be small enough to fit into a carrying bag for ease of travel.
The weight: Beach umbrellas tend to pay anywhere from 10 to 20 pounds less than a patio umbrella. This is because beach umbrellas must be carried by their users to the beach where they will be used. Patio umbrellas, on the other hand, are stationery items. Their canopies can be heavy as not to be blown away by strong winds and their bases must be sturdy so that they don’t suddenly fall on restaurant and cafe patrons.
An Umbrella for Every Occasion
While the similarities between beach umbrellas and patio umbrellas include their bright colors, their shape, the materials used to make them, and their origin, they also have some major differences. These differences include their weight, their size, the style of their canopies, and their bases.
Whether you need to shade your family from the damaging rays of the sun during a beach day outing or are keeping dry from a slight drizzle while eating brunch on the patio, beach umbrellas and patio umbrellas each have their specific purpose for you and your family to enjoy.
Images
https://unsplash.com/photos/I79W5pBJtVQ
https://unsplash.com/photos/Y75TqtLrPho
Sources
http://www.backyardcity.com/Outdoor-Patio-Blog/history-of-the-umbrella/
