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How to use a wooden parasol

Updated: 16.10.2026

The first dry afternoon is when a wooden parasol usually gets opened in a hurry, often while the wind is already moving the shrubs. You need the sequence for a pulley and for a pull rope, and the point where you close it again. This is that sequence for the parasols on the [wooden parasol comparison](/hub/sun-shades/wooden-parasol). The Products Compared editorial team used the amazon.co.uk listings, the stored UK reviews, and public care notes from Nova Outdoor Living and Parasols Direct, on 16 October 2026. We did not time a wind trial on these ASINs. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The first dry afternoon is when a wooden parasol usually gets opened in a hurry, often while the wind is already moving the shrubs.

Our top picks

Garden Marketplace Garden Marketplace hardwood pulley

Best overall

Garden Marketplace Garden Marketplace hardwood pulley
7.6/10about £99.99
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Garden Marketplace Garden Marketplace hardwood pulley, second listing

Alternative

Garden Marketplace Garden Marketplace hardwood pulley, second listing
6.8/10about £99.99
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Outsunny Outsunny 2 × 1.5 m rectangle, cream

Preis-Tipp

Outsunny Outsunny 2 × 1.5 m rectangle, cream
7.2/10about £33.46
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On this page
  1. 1.Before you raise it
  2. 2.Pulley and pull rope
  3. 3.Wind and rain
  4. 4.Dry, oil, and store

Before you raise it

Fit the pole before you touch the cord. The Outsunny states a 38 mm pole and says assembly is required. Check every joint on the ground before the canopy is over anyone's head. If the pole will not pass the hole in the table, stop. Measure the hole and the base first, using the wooden parasol pole size page. The base is not in these boxes. The Outsunny recommends 15 kg and says the package is the parasol only. If the base slides when you try a gentle lift, it is too light.

Pulley and pull rope

A hardwood pulley in this set is the Garden Marketplace title: cord and pulley, not a crank. Free the canopy, pull the cord steadily until the ribs are open, and put the pin into the hole in the pole so the canopy cannot drop. If the rope is twisted around a rib, lower the canopy and clear the twist before you pull again. Hauling on a twist can snap a strut. The Outsunny opens and closes with a pull rope, and the bullets say a button tilts the canopy to about 45 degrees. Set the tilt only after the canopy is open and the rope is locked. The Garden Marketplace specification does not list a tilt. What the listing must print before you buy is in the wooden parasol buying guide.
Garden Marketplace Garden Marketplace hardwood pulley

Testsieger

Garden Marketplace Garden Marketplace hardwood pulley
7.6/10about £99.99
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Wind and rain

Close a centre-pole parasol when you leave the garden. Close a tilted canopy when small branches move. Brollies and Parasols tells its customers not to leave a parasol open above 15 mph unless a contractor has bolted it down. That is their guidance, not a failure speed we measured on these ASINs. If the Outsunny button is at about 45 degrees, bring it back to flat before you fur the cloth. The hardwood cloth is water-repellent at 180 g/m², which is shower resistance, not a waterproof sheet. Close it when rain sets in. If a gust has already split a rib, close the parasol and do not reopen it that day.

Dry, oil, and store

Let the cloth and the pole dry before you cover them. Oil the timber once or twice a season after it is clean and dry. These listings are not identified as teak, and oil will not close a linear crack. None of the kept boxes includes a cover, so use a breathable one if you buy one. Stop if the pole is jammed after it has dried, if you would have to cut glass or stone, if a roof terrace needs a fixed socket, or if a split rib hangs over a shared seat.

Common questions

How do I raise a pulley parasol?
Free the furled canopy, pull the cord steadily until the ribs are open, and put the pin into the hole in the pole so it cannot drop. That is the pattern Parasols Direct describes for its own pulley parasols. If the rope is twisted, lower the canopy and clear the twist before you pull again. Hauling on a twist can break a strut. Use the pin your leaflet shows.
How do I use a pull-rope parasol?
On the Outsunny you open and close with the pull rope, then use the button if you want the tilt the bullets state at about 45 degrees. Lock the rope before you tilt. Assembly is required, and the base is separate. If you cannot reach the lock comfortably, close it and use a proper step rather than a chair.
When do I close it?
Close it when you leave, when rain sets in, and when the wind freshens. A tilted canopy should come down when small branches move. A centre pole should come down when small trees in leaf start to sway, around Beaufort Force 5 on the Met Office scale. One maker says not to leave a parasol open above 15 mph unless it is bolted down. That is guidance, not a test of these ASINs.
Can I leave it up in the rain?
Not as a habit. Water-repellent 180 g/m² cloth is for light rain, and Outsunny reviews say heavy rain seeps through. Close it, let it dry, and store it dry. An open wet canopy still loads the ribs, and a wet wooden pole is more likely to swell in the table.
How do I oil the pole?
Clean the timber, let it dry, then oil it once or twice a season if you are following Nova's care guide. These listings are not identified as teak, so use the finish the leaflet names if it names one. Greying can be normal. A crack in the pole is not, and oil will not close a split.
Where does it go in winter?
Somewhere dry: a shed or a garage if you can lift it. The Outsunny is listed at 4.5 kg and the hardwood line at 10 kg. If it must stay outside, use a breathable cover, and only once the cloth is dry. A sealed plastic cover holds moisture against the pole. You do not need a professional for that seasonal move if the pole is free.

Related pages

Best wooden parasol

Wooden parasol

Wooden parasol buying guide: canopy, pole and base

Wooden parasol pole size: hole, swelling, and base

Wooden parasol vs metal parasol: which fails first

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are from the saved amazon.co.uk pages.

  1. Met Office — Beaufort scale (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  2. GOV.UK — product safety advice for businesses (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  3. Consumer Rights Act 2015 — goods contract rights (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  4. Parasols Direct — frequently asked questions (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  5. Ottena — wooden garden parasols FAQ (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  6. Jati — 3 m octagonal wooden garden parasol (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  7. Tates of Sussex — 3 m hardwood pulley parasol (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  8. Brollies and Parasols — parasol usage guidance (retrieved 16.10.2026)