Parasol/Sun Shade

[traveler]

We are now in the market for a new parasol for our courtyard. We are looking for a 2.5 to 3 meter parasol that can be opened and closed easily. To replace the umbrella portion of our current shade is approximately 800 euros (Glatz Pendalex). While our old one has lasted well over 10 years, we don't feel like shelling out this kind of cash at the moment for a replacement. Does anyone have experience with the large parasols being sold at Aki or Leroy Merlin? My concerns with these parasols is that they will not be able to tolerate the wind, and that after one year of sun exposure they will fall apart. If anyone has suggestions or ideas on what/where to buy decent parasols or brands that have worked well for them, we would be happy to receive your recommendations.

Thanks in advance!

[RichardHenshall]

We bought 20€ umbrellas from Aki last year and they barely lasted one summer due to wind damage

I've had this one recommended to me but have no experience yet.

[traveler]

We also bought the 20 euro wood shade from Aki last year and it was very poorly made. It did not last 2 months. The shame of it was that it could have lasted longer if the manufacturer had invested about 0.50 euro in a better mechanism to join the two halves of the umbrella together. I would be interested to hear more about the larger more expensive shades sold at Aki. These are in the 200-300 euro range.

[Jaylay]

Perhaps ask at somewhere like Rascals Bar theirs are out on the Terrace exposed to high sea winds and they have survived the winter .

[ANDY]

Rascals bars Parasols are provided by the beer company they use for free..

[Jaylay]

Rascals bars Parasols are provided by the beer company they use for free..

That seems very unlikely as they have no logo on them and all of their furniture I know they bought themselves, far above the standard beer company stuff.

[EMM]

We have seen the Racals furniture type in IZI.

Having bought decent parasols for our apartment and seen them last for just a few weeks because they were left open in high winds we now accept the fact that guests will not look after them and they will have to put up with the best value we can find.
it was the same with loungers, we must have had some of the most overweight visitors to the Algarve judging by the damage done to them.

[Farol]

If your €800 parasol lasted 10 years then buying a new one for €80 means you can replace it every year and be no worse of. If tenants are the source of your problem this seems a safer route. Just budget on buying a new one every year and if it gets trashed before the year is up you have only lost a smaller amount than if you buy another €800 one.

When I was looking to buy one recently there seemed to be little to choose between with most of them being sourced from Asia and sold through multiple channels.

An alternative which might work for you could be a shade sail. There is a firm on one of the roundabouts on the N125 just before Lagos that sells these - its on the right hand side going towards Lagos. These tend to be tougher and are designed to be left up. They have a web site here: http://www.ozshade.com/ Shade sails can also be bought via e-Bay.

[ANDY]

ooooh ,cerveja Estrella Galicia must be making parasols then, as its written all over them.

[joeysoap]

Personally I would go for the largest strongest one you can get that does not have a winding mechanism. The cord snapped in my last one after 1 year (but very little use) so next one will be push up.

[Bruce Wallis]

We had a big cream wind up parasol, which the cord snapped on. I replaced the cord with steel wire, and it has worked perfectly for 3 years!!

[pato]

We had a big cream wind up parasol, which the cord snapped on. I replaced the cord with steel wire, and it has worked perfectly for 3 years!!

That figures Bruce! you're good at the old "wind up" eh!

[pato]

I've been toying with the idea of having an awning fitted, any advice on the practicality of that, they look the part to me.

[wickhamwanderer]

Pato I would recommend Estores E Toldos Lamy their showroom is in the centre Lagoa next door to F Jacob Telephone 282342858 . They will come to your Villa with the colour samples and discuss all you need to know , sizes, manual electric ., automatic ( wind sensitive) We had ours fitted after our last visit in april but seen the pictures and looks good. A fyll cassette version where the blind is fully protected from the sun and wind when not in use !

[traveler]

Thanks all for the feedback.