How can I secure the deck umbrella so it doesn't keep blowing over?

Fold it down so it doesn’t catch the wind.

@cazzie: That’s a great idea for when I’m not using it, but defeats the purpose for when I am using it.

I guess I’m having a hard time sympathizing with the problem. Why be on the deck AND sit in shade? (says the girl who lives on a north facing hillside at 63 degrees north latitude.)

@cazzie: Because in the sun, here in southern NY, it can be quite hot. I enjoy being on the deck, looking at the lake, smelling fresh air, seeing neighbors, but am not looking for full exposure to the sun’s rays or heat. Without the umbrella, it can be hard to see because it’s so bright. There are plenty of trees but for a good part of the day, the sun is not behind the trees.

So, mainly for the heat and rays.

Can you put ties around the middle of it and secure them in four places to the deck? Or get a heavier, stronger base, maybe like a ceramic planter that you fill with stones.

Can you somehow work up a guy-wire support system to the table itself? Would it be feasible to move table and umbrella closer to the deck rail (assuming you have a deck rail) and tether it to that?

That style umbrella is designed to go through the hole in the table, that holds it from moving.

You could buy a cantilevered umbrella.

If it is free standing you can lash it to the deck rail with picture hanging wire.
it is strong and easy to work with and can be re-adjusted easily opposed to twine or rope/cord. You can get it much more taut.
I did this for the umbrellas in stands that shaded my geeses swimming pools. Propped them on the outside of the fence in their stands and then used the wire to secure them to the strong wire fencing.

@Tropical_Willie I love that! I’ve never seen that type of umbrella and I think it would definitely work for what I need also.
edited to say: Oops, just saw the price. Probably will not be something I buy.

@chyna, there might be options, check “cantilevered patio umbrella” on Amazon.
(Couldn’t get a decent link, sorry)

Holy crap, a $1,300 umbrella…I don’t think so. haha
On the subject though, I saw an article on how you can spray paint, believe it or not, old umbrellas and they look great! Almost like new again!

Yeah, I saw the price, too, @chyna and @Tropical_Willie. I am definitely not looking to spend over 1k on a new umbrella that I don’t think I need.

The ones I saw on Amazon were much more reasonably priced.

I saw that you were trying to link Amazon, so I went there and they are very reasonably priced. Also, on that same page are a few holders that I think might help @jca. I’ll see if I can link it.Here”
Yay, it worked. There is an umbrella mount that is on a post on your deck that might work if you have posts. It’s about halfway down the page.

Yay! Two problems solved in one! :-)

Why not get a table with a hole? Wouldn’t that leave you enough room under the umbrella, or can’t they be bought separately?

Is the deck wood? Drill a small hole in it, run a cable to the pole and down through the deck, hang a couple of cinder blocks on the cable.

You might want to get a better base.

Even with a strong base we take the umbrella down straight against the pole if it’s windy. Unless your umbrella has two pieces of fabric that let’s air blow through the top. That style really helps tremendously, but is still limited to how secure it is. We have canopies with double fabric to let air escape on windy days and still gives full rain and shine protection.

DIY idea: at the track people take gallon jugs, or special larger containers made for this very sort of thing (to weigh things down) fill them with water, and tie down their canopies. Maybe something like that would work? You could rig it for no great expense if it’s plausible. We have multiple 5 pound weights, some people have sand bags, but the water jug idea makes it easier to move, because you can fill the jugs once they are in place and tip the water out when you want to. Tying it down so the tie lines go out from the middle creating a wider base will make it more stable.

Get a coffee can and fill it with quick crete. Or something a little bigger.

Does it have a base you can put weights on? You can buy specific weights to keep umbrellas in place but if that won’t work, what about a couple of heavy sandbags. Umbrellas can be very dangerous if the wind is able to lift them. I’ve been able to find weights online. Perhaps Google too. They’re not horrendously expensive.

I’m just thinking maybe you can create some slits at the top so the air can blow through? You would have to finish them with tape or a stitch so the fabric doesn’t unravel or split further than you want.

Why don’t you have the supporting table?

@cazzie if it’s like 100+ degrees you really want to be in the shade.

@ibstubro: Because I have the umbrella near where the chaise lounge is, not for eating at a table. I lay on the lounge with a glass of water and read a magazine or play on the internet. Basically it’s to be horizontal, not in a chair at a table LOL.

Sounds great. Just last Friday I was wondering why anyone sits at a table at the pool. If I’m outside lounging I want a lounge chair.

I found a stand on Amazon which looks similar to what I have. The one I have has four wheels on the bottom (wheels inset into the base) so that I can roll it around to move the umbrella for optimal coverage:

http://www.amazon.com/Outsunny-Round-Marble-Patio-Umbrella/dp/B00UM9JZDM/ref=sr_1_23?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1432640474&sr=1-23&keywords=umbrella+stand

This.SX355.jpg is an attractive option that basically adds an end table.
Beautiful if it can stay in the same place.
DIY since you like wooden boxes.

I Like the wooden box idea, @ibstubro.

I thought you might, and it’s crafty, @jca.
I would weight it down with something like pint bags bags of sand, or fist sized rocks…something that takes a little more time to remove, but virtually no brawn. Rocks would be good, as you could just make a little cairn of rocks for the winter if you want to store the box out of the weather.

Someone said get a better base and now I have that song in my head.

Cut holes or slits in the damn thing so the wind goes through it instead of picking it up, but also secure the bottom of it better as well.

and @Dutchess_III…. shut up. I can’t even IMAGINE degrees higher than 83F. You are just trying to make me feel bad. (chanting…. ‘I hate this cuntry, I hate this cuntry, I hate this cuntry’

For $120 you can get the same canopy I have. You can fit a couple of chairs or a table. More complete shade. It has the slits in the top. You can stake each leg down in the grass or weight it down. You can weight it at the center too. I don’t know if you have enough space for all the legs to be level.

The negative is, during bad storms an umbrella you can easily take down is more practical. Easy up, easy down.