How to put up a cantilever parasol
Updated: 22.10.2026
The cross, the pole, and the crank are on the patio, and you want shade over the table before lunch. How to put up a cantilever parasol is an order of work: level ground and the ballast first, then the arm locked, then a slow crank, then a dry close. Forcing the handle when it goes hard is how cords leave the pulley. The [rectangular cantilever parasol comparison](/hub/sun-shades/rectangular-cantilever-parasol) is where the six listings were chosen. This page assumes the canopy is already yours. If the base weight is still a guess, read the kilogram page before the cloth opens.
The cross, the pole, and the crank are on the patio, and you want shade over the table before lunch.
The cross, the pole, and the crank are on the patio, and you want shade over the table before lunch. How to put up a cantilever parasol is an order of work: level ground and the ballast first, then the arm locked, then a slow crank, then a dry close. Forcing the handle when it goes hard is how cords leave the pulley. The rectangular cantilever parasol comparison is where the six listings were chosen. This page assumes the canopy is already yours. If the base weight is still a guess, read the kilogram page before the cloth opens.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Base included | Cover included | ASIN match | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Grand patio Grand patio balcony cantilever | No | – | Yes | 8.7 | about £59.98 | View offer |
| Alternative |  tillvex tillvex square cantilever with LED | – | Yes | Yes | 6.2 | about £107.79 | View offer |
| Preis-Tipp |  tillvex tillvex square cantilever | – | Yes | No | 5.1 | about £86.79 | View offer |
On this page
Before the canopy opens
Stand the foot on firm, level paving or decking. Fit the ballast the instructions name before anyone turns the crank. Thompson & Morgan's manual, for their own 270 cm model, has you set the cross and the support, then use the securing knob. Their paving-slab line is over 50 kg combined for that parasol only.
Hartman's Seychelles 3 m square instructions allow about 45 minutes and tell you not to overtighten aluminium bolts. The Grand patio bullets say that small balcony canopy arrives assembled. You still need the 25 kg base that listing says is not included. Wind straps are a tether, not ballast. Kilograms belong on the cantilever parasol base weight page.
Open it without forcing the cord
Raise the pole, set the arm to the angle you want, then lock that angle. Thompson & Morgan tell you to lock the arm before you crank. An unlocked arm lets the canopy climb at a skew. Stand to the side of the crank, with a second person watching the ribs, and turn only in the direction the leaflet shows. A grind, or a handle that suddenly needs two hands, is the stop.
If the crank goes hard, Hartman say to check whether the rope has come off the pulley before you keep turning. Smartwares say to stop at unusual resistance and look for a fabric snag first. Nova Outdoor Living say a stiff crank gets silicone, not force. There is no re-cording procedure on this page. Checking that the rope still sits on the pulley, and stopping if it does not, is as far as the how-to goes.
Rotation is separate from the crank. The Grand patio bullets claim 360°. A tillvex review describes a rotation lock as only a small screw that does not hold in a gust. One UK review of the balcony parasol says it blew over when tilted. The rectangular cantilever parasol buying guide is where tilt belongs as a buying check.
Close it and cover it dry
Close the canopy when you go in, when you leave it unattended, and overnight. Nova's care guide says to dry the canopy open, then cover it, and to store it dry in winter. A cover on wet polyester holds damp against the cloth. If the zip is there, use the cover only on dry cloth. If the cover never arrived, a dry shed is the storage.
Brollies and Parasols say they close above 25 km/h and store above 35 km/h. That is their guidance, not a rating of the six listings here. When the canopy tugs at the arm, close it. A half-open canopy is still a sail. Grand patio reviews include a pole that would not unscrew, so that model may stay as one piece.
When to stop using it
Stop when the foot or the arm is bent, when the cord has snapped, or when the crank grinds after you have checked for a snag and a rope off the pulley. Reviews in this set include a foot bent in the first wind and a canopy that would not operate after the cord failed. Contact the seller, and keep the canopy closed while you do.
A solar panel that will not fit, or an LED that never lights, is a parts complaint. Do not drill the pole to make a light fit. Bolting the foot to a balcony slab is the point where a fitter should judge the structure.
Common questions
What do I build first, the canopy or the base?
The base, on level ground, with the weight in place. The canopy opens only after the foot is stable and the arm can be locked. The small Grand patio listing says it arrives assembled, and you still fit the separate 25 kg base before you crank it.
Which way do I turn the crank?
The direction printed in that model's leaflet, and only while the cloth rises evenly. If there is no leaflet, stop at the first grind and look for a snag or a rope off the pulley. Turning harder because the first direction almost worked is how the cord breaks.
What if the crank suddenly goes stiff?
Stop. Check for cloth caught in a rib, then check whether the rope is still on the pulley, which is the Hartman warning. Smartwares say the same kind of stop at unusual resistance. Silicone is for a crank that is merely dry, after you know the rope is seated. A snapped cord is a seller conversation.
Can I leave it up overnight?
Close it. Nova's guide for Nova cantilevers says to close in wind, when you leave the garden, and overnight. An open canopy on an offset arm is a sail for the whole night. A cover belongs on the closed, dry cloth.
When should I stop and contact the seller instead of repairing the cord?
When the rope is off the pulley and you cannot seat it by a simple look, when the cord has snapped, or when the crank grinds after the snag is cleared. Also stop for a bent foot, a bent arm, or holes in a new canopy. Photos and the order number are the message. Re-cording the pulley is beyond this how-to.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Listings captured 21 October 2026. Updated 22.10.2026.
- GOV.UK, General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- legislation.gov.uk, SI 2005/1803 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- GOV.UK, Ultraviolet radiation FAQ (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- BSI, BS EN 581-2 scope (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- Planning Portal, outbuildings (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- Nova Outdoor Living, cantilever care (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- Plia Parasols, base guide (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- JB Furniture, securing a cantilever (retrieved 22.10.2026)