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Parasol base weight

Updated: 16.10.2026

The parasol has arrived and the base has not. Parasol base weight is the next decision, because every patio listing in this amazon.co.uk set that mentions a stand says the stand is extra. You need a collar that grips the pole, enough mass to keep a tilted canopy from walking, and the habit of closing it when the wind gets up. The [tilting parasol comparison](/hub/sun-shades/tilting-parasol) shows which canopies those are. There is no single UK legal weight. The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 do not print a kilogram. Products Compared did not run a lab test. A purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The parasol has arrived and the base has not. Parasol base weight is the next decision, because every patio listing in this amazon.co.uk set that mentions a stand says the stand is extra.

Our top picks

VOUNOT VOUNOT 2.7 m crank tilt, red

Best overall

VOUNOT VOUNOT 2.7 m crank tilt, red
8.6/10about £39.56
View offer
Grand patio Grand patio half canopy, rotating

Alternative

Grand patio Grand patio half canopy, rotating
7.8/10about £59.98
View offer
VOUNOT VOUNOT 200 × 125 cm balcony tilt, grey

Preis-Tipp

VOUNOT VOUNOT 200 × 125 cm balcony tilt, grey
8.0/10about £33.36
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.The base is not in the box
  2. 2.Kilograms that do not agree
  3. 3.Collar size, sand and water
  4. 4.A heavier base still means you close it

The base is not in the box

The red VOUNOT 2.7 m crank, B096X2Z95H, says a base is not included and is needed in the wind. The parasol itself is about 5 kg. The Grand patio half canopy, about 182 cm, recommends at least 25 kg and does not supply it. The 200 × 125 cm rectangle does not state a base at all. If your listing is silent, assume you are buying the canopy only. The beach pair includes a spiral ground anchor, not a patio collar. On a slab that spike has nothing to bite. A hole in a domestic table is not a freestanding mount. BS EN 581-3:2026 covers outdoor tables meant to support a parasol. Public summaries say a hole that is not meant to hold a parasol on its own should carry a warning to use a base. The standard is not a wind class for the canopy. Plia's guide says a through-table setup still needs a base that grips. If the table is glass and you are unsure the hole is structural, that is a fitter's question.

Kilograms that do not agree

Published figures for a centre pole spread widely. Plia suggests from about 20 kg under 2 m, about 30 kg at 2–2.5 m, and about 40 kg at 2.6–3 m. Opal suggests about 20–25 kg for a 3 m centre pole through a table, and about 40–50 kg if the same pole is freestanding. Plot & Patio suggests about 20–30 kg for 2.4–2.7 m and about 25–35 kg for 3 m. None of them is printed on the red VOUNOT page. Inside this batch, the Grand patio listing asks for 25 kg under its half canopy. That figure is one maker's minimum for a balcony half canopy, not a measured rating for every 2.7 m crank.
VOUNOT VOUNOT 2.7 m crank tilt, red

Testsieger

VOUNOT VOUNOT 2.7 m crank tilt, red
8.6/10about £39.56
View offer

Collar size, sand and water

The collar has to match the pole before the kilograms matter. Plia treats 38 mm and 48 mm as the common UK diameters. In this batch only B096X2Z95H states one, and it is 38 mm with a 0.7 mm wall. A 48 mm base will rattle on that pole unless a reducer actually clamps. The SUNMER, the rectangle and the Amazon Basics file do not state a diameter. Measure the pole before you order the base. Fillable bases are sold empty, and the fill changes the mass. Opal notes that sand is heavier than water in the same shell. A base marketed as 25 kg may mean the filled weight with sand, the capacity of the shell, or a number that assumes you fill it. Water can leak and evaporate, so the base becomes lighter than the number on the box. Sand stays, and it is awkward to move on a balcony.

A heavier base still means you close it

A heavier base is not permission to leave the canopy open in a gale. Close it when you leave and when the wind rises. One UK maker's PDF says to close above 25 km/h and store the parasol inside above 35 km/h. That is that maker's instruction, not a figure on these listings. The sequence for cranking shut is on how to use a tilting parasol. A cantilever sits in a different weight class. Opal's guide puts a 3 m offset arm around 80–100 kg of sand.

Common questions

What weight base for a 2.7 m parasol?
There is no single UK figure. Plia's shop guide is about 40 kg at 2.6–3 m. Plot & Patio is about 20–30 kg for 2.4–2.7 m. Opal is about 20–25 kg for a 3 m pole through a table, or 40–50 kg freestanding. The red VOUNOT listing states none of these. If your instructions are blank, shop inside that spread for a sheltered table, and toward the heavier end if the pole stands free or you tilt it often.
Can the table hole be the base?
No. The hole locates the pole. A gripping base on the floor still has to hold it, including when the canopy is tilted. A light base is what UK reviews of the 2.7 m canopies say feels insecure. Outdoor-table guidance expects a warning where a hole is not designed to support a parasol alone.
Is the pole 38 mm or 48 mm?
Both sizes are common in UK base ranges. In this batch, only the red 2.7 m VOUNOT prints a diameter, and it is 38 mm. Measure any other pole before you buy. A collar that is 10 mm too wide will not clamp, however heavy the slabs are.
Should I fill a base with sand or water?
Sand gives more weight in the same shell, which is how Opal describes fillable bases. Water is easier to empty and can leak or evaporate, so the base becomes lighter than the number on the box. If the kilogram is a when-filled figure, check whether that assumes sand.
Is 12 kg enough?
A UK review describes a 12 kg base under a 2.7 m parasol through a table, and the same reviews say a light base lets the parasol tip. Twelve kilograms is evidence of what someone tried, not a recommendation. The Grand patio listing, a smaller half canopy, asks for 25 kg. A 9 kg line on a GardenKraft page outside this batch is another maker's minimum, not a match for these files.
Does a heavier base mean I can leave it open in a gale?
No. Mass resists a gust. It does not turn a tilted polyester canopy into a permanent sail. Close it when you leave and in wind. A UK review of the rectangle records a rib bent after it was left up in a breeze, which is a frame problem as well as a ballast problem.

Related pages

Cantilever vs tilting parasol

Tilting parasol buying guide

Tilting parasol

Best tilting parasol: table crank and balcony value

How to use a tilting parasol: open, tilt and close

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are from amazon.co.uk on 15 October 2026.

  1. NHS — sunscreen and sun safety (retrieved 15.10.2026)
  2. GOV.UK — ultraviolet radiation frequently asked questions (retrieved 15.10.2026)
  3. Cancer Research UK — sun safety (retrieved 15.10.2026)
  4. General Product Safety Regulations 2005, regulation 5 (retrieved 15.10.2026)
  5. BSI — BS EN 581-3:2026 outdoor furniture, tables (retrieved 15.10.2026)
  6. Plia — guide to choosing a garden parasol base (retrieved 15.10.2026)
  7. Brollies and Parasols — parasol usage guidance (retrieved 15.10.2026)
  8. amazon.co.uk listings in this comparison, captured 15 October 2026 (retrieved 15.10.2026)