Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

How to set up a double parasol

Updated: 22.10.2026

You already have a rectangular centre-pole canopy, the pole is meant to go through the table or into a base, and the leaflet is thin or missing. This is how to set up a double parasol: seat it level, open it without forcing the mechanism, close it upright, tie it, and let the cloth dry before you cover it. None of the five amazon.co.uk listings in the [double parasol comparison](/hub/sun-shades/double-parasol) includes a setup manual, so this sequence follows UK care guides written on 21 October 2026. The habits transfer. The parts lists do not. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You already have a rectangular centre-pole canopy, the pole is meant to go through the table or into a base, and the leaflet is thin or missing.

Our top picks

PHI VILLA PHI VILLA 3.8 x 2 m (177 reviews)

Best overall

PHI VILLA PHI VILLA 3.8 x 2 m (177 reviews)
6.2/10about £94.99
View offer
Harrier Harrier 4.6 m double-sided

Alternative

Harrier Harrier 4.6 m double-sided
4.2/10about £89.99
View offer
VOUNOT VOUNOT double parasol

Preis-Tipp

VOUNOT VOUNOT double parasol
5.5/10about £49.43
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Before you open it
  2. 2.Opening with a crank
  3. 3.Closing, tying, and leaving it
  4. 4.Drying, cover, and cleaning
  5. 5.When to stop

Before you open it

Start on firm, level ground, with the base or the table already where it will stay. Dragging an open canopy across a patio is how ribs catch a chair. If the pole comes in sections, lock them before you think about the crank. Hartman’s market-parasol sheet, a different product from these five, still has the useful habit: sections locked, base level, people and pets clear of the cloth. None of the five listings states a diameter. If the pole will not enter, stop. Tilt is unstated, so this sequence has no tilt step.

Opening with a crank

Only the PHI VILLA titles name a crank. The Harrier row does not, so if your handle is absent, follow the hardware you have and do not borrow a crank direction. Where a crank is present, Hartman’s market-parasol sheet says clockwise to open and the other way to close. That is not a PHI VILLA sheet. Stop if your own canopy fights it. Keep the canopy upright. If the crank goes stiff, stop and check the rope before you force the handle.
PHI VILLA PHI VILLA 3.8 x 2 m (177 reviews)

Testsieger

PHI VILLA PHI VILLA 3.8 x 2 m (177 reviews)
6.2/10about £94.99
View offer

Closing, tying, and leaving it

Close the canopy while it is upright, turning the crank the other way if you opened it on a crank. Hartman’s sheet says you close only in that upright position. Collapsing it sideways is how a rib hinges the wrong way. Once it is down, tie the cloth if it will stay outside. Brollies and Parasols wants a collapsed canopy tied when it remains out. Do not leave it open overnight. White Stores and Nova say the same. Close it before a Met Office storm warning.

Drying, cover, and cleaning

Dry the canopy fully open before a long close or before any cover goes on. Solero, writing about its own commercial parasols, treats mould in a damp covered canopy as hard to remove. Brollies agrees that a damp close should be opened again as soon as you can. If rain caught you with it up, drop it, then open it on the next dry hour before you sleeve it. Winter storage is closed, dry, and indoors. Do not machine-wash or jet-wash. Put a cover on only when the cloth is dry.

When to stop

Stop when the mast is bent, a rib is kinked, the rope has jumped and will not sit back, or the pole will not enter the hole without force. A fixing bolted to the ground is a licensed contractor’s job, which is also how Brollies frames leaving a parasol out in stronger wind. Cutting a hole in glass is the same class of job. An injury is a reason to stop, not a reason to finish the setup. The five listings are not ranked here. Report unsafe goods through Citizens Advice, Advice Direct Scotland, or the Northern Ireland district council.

Common questions

How do you put up a double parasol on a table?
Seat the pole through the centre hole, or into a base that matches a diameter you have measured, on level ground. Lock any pole sections first. Keep people and pets clear of the hem. If the pole is too wide for the hole, stop. None of the five listings states a pole diameter.
Which way do you turn a crank to open and close it?
Hartman’s market-parasol sheet says clockwise to open and the other way to close, with the canopy upright for the close. That manual is not one of the five amazon.co.uk listings. Only the PHI VILLA titles name a crank. If the handle stiffens, stop and look at the rope before you force it.
Should the canopy stay open overnight?
Leave it closed overnight. White Stores and Nova agree. A summer cover is for a canopy that is already down and dry. If a storm is forecast, the Met Office line is to secure garden furniture, which for this canopy means down, tied, and indoors when you can.
Can you put the cover on while the cloth is damp?
Wait until it is dry, and dry it fully open. Solero and the Brollies guidance both treat a damp close inside a cover as a mould problem. If you had to collapse it in rain, open it again as soon as the weather allows. A cover is not confirmed in the box, aside from Harrier calling one optional.
How do you clean the canopy?
Brush it while it is open, with a soft brush and mild detergent, then let it dry open. Do not machine-wash it, and do not jet-wash it. Nova also says not to hang things from the ribs. If a rib is already bent, cleaning will not straighten it.
When do you stop and call a professional?
Stop for a bent mast or rib, a rope that has jumped and will not reseat, a base that must be bolted to the ground, a hole that would be cut in glass, or an injury. A licensed contractor is the route Brollies names for a bolted fixing. Unsafe goods can be reported via Citizens Advice, Advice Direct Scotland, or the Northern Ireland district council.

Related pages

Double parasol base and wind

Double parasol buying guide

Double parasol vs cantilever

Double parasol

Best double parasol: stated size against the title

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Updated 22.10.2026.

  1. NHS sun safety (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  2. Cancer Research UK sun safety (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  3. General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  4. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 9 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  5. GOV.UK ultraviolet radiation FAQ (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  6. BS EN 581-3:2026 preview (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  7. Plia parasol base guide (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  8. Met Office storm advice (retrieved 22.10.2026)