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

Wooden parasol vs metal parasol

Updated: 16.10.2026

A wooden parasol vs a metal parasol feels like a style question when the patio set is timber and the cheapest search results are steel. It is mostly a question of what fails in a wet UK week. A wooden centre pole can swell and crack. A metal one is often lighter, can rust, and usually hides a crank in a hollow pole. This page is that comparison, next to the four timber rows on the [wooden parasol comparison](/hub/sun-shades/wooden-parasol). The Products Compared editorial team read the amazon.co.uk listings and UK reviews on 16 October 2026. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

A wooden parasol vs a metal parasol feels like a style question when the patio set is timber and the cheapest search results are steel. It is mostly a question of what fails in a wet UK week.

Our top picks

Garden Marketplace Garden Marketplace hardwood pulley

Best overall

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

Alternative

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

Preis-Tipp

Outsunny Outsunny 2 × 1.5 m rectangle, cream
7.2/10about £33.46
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What you are actually comparing
  2. 2.Wet weather and the pole
  3. 3.Opening and weight
  4. 4.When to pick which

What you are actually comparing

Both sides here are centre-pole parasols. The wooden side in the set we kept is a Garden Marketplace hardwood pulley and an Outsunny rectangle whose bullets say fir and bamboo. The metal side is a steel or aluminium centre pole. A cantilever arm is a different product. So is tilt hardware as the reason you are buying. If you want a crank and a tilt, use the tilting parasol comparison. One long UK review prefers hardwood spars and a pulley. The same sample also includes a pole that broke within months. The Outsunny is the light wood option, not a metal row: 4.5 kg, a pull rope, and a stated 38 mm pole. No standard here says timber outlasts steel.

Wet weather and the pole

Timber swells when it stays wet, and it can crack as it dries. One Outsunny reviewer had a pole that swelled and would not pass back through the table. The hardwood title says water-repellent 180 g/m² polyester, not waterproof, and it states no UPF number. A hollow metal pole does not swell in a table ring the way wet wood does. It can still corrode where the finish is chipped and water sits in the tube. A metal frame with polyester is not automatically waterproof. If the listing says water-repellent, or says nothing, close it in a downpour on either frame.
Garden Marketplace Garden Marketplace hardwood pulley

Testsieger

Garden Marketplace Garden Marketplace hardwood pulley
7.6/10about £99.99
View offer

Opening and weight

The hardwood title is a pulley: you pull a cord and pin the canopy up. The Outsunny uses a pull rope and a button the bullets put at about 45 degrees. A typical metal centre pole uses a crank. One long UK review prefers the pulley, because a crank in a hollow pole is what failed for that reviewer. The hardwood pages do not state a tilt. If low sun is why you are buying, a crank-and-tilt steel parasol belongs on the tilting page. The best wooden parasol page stays inside the timber rows.

When to pick which

Choose wood when you want a solid centre pole, a pulley or a pull rope, and you will close it and store it dry. In this set that is the hardwood pulley at about £99.99 if the seller names the metres and the diameter, or the Outsunny at about £33.46 if you want 200 cm by 150 cm and a 38 mm pole printed on the page. Choose metal when you want a stated light weight and a crank, and you accept rust and a hollow pole instead of swelling. For millimetres and the shared star line, use the wooden parasol buying guide.

Common questions

When is wood the better frame?
Wood is the better frame when you want a timber centre pole and a pulley or pull rope, and you will store it dry. The hardwood pulley at about £99.99 states 180 g/m² water-repellent cloth and a 10 kg weight, if you confirm the size. The Outsunny at about £33.46 states the canopy and a 38 mm pole. Skip wood if you need a crank, or if you will leave the pole wet in the table.
When is metal the better frame?
Metal is the better frame when you want a lighter stated weight and a crank, and you would rather manage rust than a pole that swells. It does not swell in a table hole the way wet timber does. It can still corrode, and the cloth is not waterproof because the pole is steel. Compare those listings on a tilting or metal page. They are not the four rows kept here.
Does wood survive wind better?
Not on any test we can cite. One UK reviewer preferred hardwood spars to metal over many years, and another review says a thin pole broke within months. Close either frame when the wind freshens. There is no British Standard wind figure for these parasols, and no failure speed you should treat as a rating.
Will a wooden pole swell in the table?
It can. Wet timber swells, and one Outsunny reviewer could not get the pole back through the table after rain. The hardwood listings do not state a diameter, so you cannot check the fit from the page alone. Dry the pole before you cut it. A metal pole does not swell in the same way.
Is a pulley better than a crank?
A pulley is the wooden pattern here, and one long UK review prefers it to a crank in a hollow pole. A crank is often easier to reach, and it is the usual metal mechanism. The Outsunny uses a pull rope and a button tilt, not a crank. A twisted pulley rope can snap a strut if you keep pulling.
Which is lighter?
In this wooden set, the Outsunny is listed at 4.5 kg and the hardwood line at 10 kg. Aluminium parasols are often lighter than hardwood, and a heavy steel pole may not be. Read the kilogram on the listing. The base is extra on these wooden pages, so the parasol weight is not the weight of the whole setup.

Related pages

Wooden parasol buying guide

Wooden parasol

Best wooden parasol: our top pick and a value pick

How to use a wooden parasol: open, tilt, and store

Wooden parasol pole size: hole, swelling, and base

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)