A cantilever parasol is a parasol which overhangs your furniture. It has 2 poles rather than one, so the stand is out of the way. The parasol rotates 360° so you can easily move it and stay shaded all day long.

What to Consider When Choosing the Best Cantilever Umbrella

Material/Fabric

High-quality cantilever umbrellas are made from durable materials to withstand sun, rain, and wind. Specifically, the canopy should block UV rays to protect from the sun and be water resistant if a summer shower rolls over. To maintain both the look and overall sturdiness, look for an umbrella with a fade-, weather-, and mildew-resistant canopy as well as a rust-resistant frame.

Common cantilever canopy fabrics include acrylic, Sunbrella, polyester, and olefin.

Popular frame materials include stainless steel, aluminum, and fiberglass.

UV Protection

The sun’s UV rays can damage the skin, causing everything from wrinkles to skin cancer. To provide proper cover from the sun, many cantilever umbrellas feature UV-resistant fabrics to block some of these damaging UV rays.

One way to measure the UV resistance of a patio UV umbrella is the UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) rating. This rating refers to the fabric’s ability to block a certain amount of UV rays. A higher UPF rating means better protection, with most ratings ranging between 15 and 50+. A UPF 15 fabric blocks around 93.3 percent of UV radiation, while a 50+ UPF fabric blocks around 98 percent of UV radiation.

The fabric weave, color, thickness, and stretch can affect its UPF rating. To ensure proper sun protection, look for a cantilever umbrella with a certain level of UV resistance. For example, Sunbrella provides up to 98 percent protection from harmful UV rays.