Aluminium Frame Market Umbrellas from Instant Shade Umbrellas

Why choose Aluminium frame market umbrellas?

Traditionally commercial umbrellas have been manufactured with timber frames. These can vary in quality from very expensive heavy timber frames to cheaper poor quality imported timbers that weather and crack in the Australian sun. In recent years aluminium frame market umbrellas have overtaken timber frames in popularity in the Australian market. There are some very good reasons for this:

• Aluminium frame umbrellas are much better suited to use in bayside or marine environments. Aluminium frames do not rust, weather or crack when exposed to harsh sun and salty conditions.
  
• Aluminium frame umbrellas are lighter and easier to operate, move and carry. This is important in hospitality environments where the umbrellas may need to be packed and stored inside at the end of the day's trade.
  
• Aluminium frame umbrellas are easier to repair - all parts are easily replaced using basic tools. Timber frame umbrellas are often held together using wire at the top crown fitting and can be very difficult to repair when they break.
  
• Aluminium frames umbrellas provide a more contemporary look, complimenting modern hospitality fitouts.

When selecting aluminium frame commercial umbrellas it is important to consider the following:

Anodised vs Powder Coated - powder coated frames are available in a number of colours which may suit your brand or corporate colours, but they can scratch, chip and flake more easily. Anodised frames provide a neutral, sleek, contemporary finish. They are much more durable and scratch resistant, meaning they will stay looking "good as new" for longer.

Mast/post thickness - look for a post thickness of around 2mm or more.

Arms/ribs - are they a hollow aluminium extrusion or do they have reinforcing channels inside for extra strength?

Rope & Pulley - is the pulley external (ie. can you can see it)? External pulleys are much cheaper and easier to manufacture. Quality umbrellas have the pulley integrated inside the top hub construction so that it is not visible, providing a neater and more streamlined look.

Frame weight - one crude but effective way to judge the strength of an aluminium frame umbrella is to pick it up and test its weight. Does it feel solid? More weight = more aluminium = more strength, but this needs to be balanced against ease of use and moveability.

Need help selecting commercial market umbrellas? Look no further than the experts at Instant Shade Umbrellas.