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How to put up a garden parasol

Updated: 22.10.2026

The canopy is still tied, the pole is in two pieces, and you want shade on a still afternoon rather than a bent rib at the first gust. A 2 m parasol is small enough to handle alone if the pole is already held, and awkward enough to damage if you crank it the wrong way or leave it open overnight. This page is the sequence for a crank, a clip-together beach pole or a half canopy. It is not a lab test, and it is not the instruction leaflet inside your box. Prices and review notes come from amazon.co.uk listings captured on 19 October 2026 in the [200 cm parasol comparison](/hub/sun-shades/200cm-parasol).

The canopy is still tied, the pole is in two pieces, and you want shade on a still afternoon rather than a bent rib at the first gust.

Our top picks

VOUNOT VOUNOT 2 m tilt with ground anchor

Best overall

VOUNOT VOUNOT 2 m tilt with ground anchor
6.4/10about £23.99
View offer
Cressi Cressi Sunshell Ø 200 cm

Rank 2

Cressi Cressi Sunshell Ø 200 cm
8.4/10about £49.99
View offer
VOUNOT VOUNOT 200 x 125 cm balcony parasol

Preis-Tipp

VOUNOT VOUNOT 200 x 125 cm balcony parasol
8.0/10about £33.36
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Fit the pole before you open anything
  2. 2.Open a crank or a clip-together pole
  3. 3.Tilt for low sun, not for wind
  4. 4.Close, tie and cover
  5. 5.When something is already wrong

Fit the pole before you open anything

Nothing should open until the pole cannot lift out of whatever is holding it. On a patio that holder is a base with a collar, and the collar screw has to bite the pole. A crank manual aimed at Great Britain and Ireland asks for the pole to sit at least 40 cm into the stand. A beach spike is a different holder. The yellow VOUNOT in this comparison includes a spiral anchor the bullets describe for sand, grass or soil. Screw it in by hand until the spiral is buried, then fit the pole. Do not drive that spike into decking, a balcony slab or a table top. The kilogram bands for those stands are on the parasol base for a 2 m umbrella page.

Open a crank or a clip-together pole

Join the pole before you touch the cloth. On the Cressi Sunshell, the bullets and UK reviews describe two sections that clip together without tools. One reviewer found the instructions on the bag did not match the model, so follow the clip you can see. A crank opens by turning the handle so the runner climbs the pole. The crank-and-tilt manual we used says clockwise to open and anticlockwise to close, and not to force the handle if it stops. That direction is for the model in that leaflet. If your handle is marked the other way, follow the mark. Keep fingers off the gear. If a rib will not seat in its pocket, stop. Forcing it bends the rib.
VOUNOT VOUNOT 2 m tilt with ground anchor

Testsieger

VOUNOT VOUNOT 2 m tilt with ground anchor
6.4/10about £23.99
View offer

Tilt for low sun, not for wind

Tilt is for a calm afternoon when the sun has dropped and the shadow has walked off the chairs. The yellow VOUNOT bullets claim 30°. Use the button or the joint the page describes, and put the canopy back to upright before you close it. Forcing the joint further does not. Do not tilt into the wind. A 200 cm circle or a 200 x 125 cm rectangle will load one side of a light base. If you would not sit out in the gusts, close the canopy.

Close, tie and cover

Close the canopy while you are still outside and the air is moving, not after the rib has already bent. Turn the crank back the way the handle allows, without forcing it past the stop. Tie the canopy with the strap it came with so the ribs are not left sprung. On the rectangular VOUNOT the included-components line includes a cover. Put the cover on only once the cloth is dry. Brollies and Parasols tell owners of their own parasols to close above about 25 km/h and not to leave the canopy up overnight. A UK review of the grey VOUNOT describes a rib that distorted after the canopy was left up in a breeze. Overnight, the canopy is closed and the collar screw stays tight.

When something is already wrong

Some faults are a return, not an afternoon with a spanner. An edge of cloth left out of the binding, about 2 inches on one yellow VOUNOT review, will not sew itself in the garden. A rib that has bent because the canopy stayed open in the wind is a damaged part. A rectangle delivered against a round title is the wrong product. Check the landlord before anyone bolts a base into a balcony slab. Size and mechanism are on the 2 m parasol buying guide.

Common questions

Which way do I turn the crank?
The crank-and-tilt manual we checked says clockwise to open and anticlockwise to close. That is one maker’s leaflet, not a rule printed on every amazon.co.uk page. If your handle is marked, follow the mark. Stop when the runner meets the top.
Can I leave a 2 m parasol open overnight?
No. Close it when you go indoors, overnight, and when the wind rises. Tie the cloth and, if you have the cover, use it once the canopy is dry.
Where can I use a ground spike?
In sand, grass or soil, which is how the yellow VOUNOT bullets describe the spiral anchor. One UK review says it held on a Norfolk beach. Another says it turns in soft sand and is poor in damp sand. Do not use it on decking or a balcony.
How do I stop the pole lifting out of the base?
Tighten the collar screw so it bites the pole. One crank manual asks for at least 40 cm inside the base. That is that leaflet’s figure. A table hole alone does not do this job. If the base is too light, the remedy is more ballast or a closed canopy, not a looser screw.
When is a bent rib a return rather than a repair?
When the rib is kinked, the stitching has left a gap, or the shape in the box is not the shape in the title. Keep the packaging, photograph the fault, and use the seller’s returns route. Do not open it again to see if it settles.

Related pages

Balcony parasol 200 x 125 or round

200 cm parasol

Parasol base for a 2m umbrella: kilograms and fill

Best 2m garden parasol for a patio, balcony or beach

2m garden parasol: size, mechanism and the missing base

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Listings captured 19 October 2026. Updated 22.10.2026.

  1. NHS: sunscreen and sun safety (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  2. GOV.UK: ultraviolet radiation FAQ (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  3. GOV.UK: General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  4. Plot & Patio: parasol size, base and UV (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  5. Plia: choosing a parasol base (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  6. Umbrella Heaven: 2 m garden parasol (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  7. Country Living: garden parasols and bases (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  8. Christow 2 m tilting parasol on amazon.co.uk (retrieved 22.10.2026)