Pop Up Gazebo or Garden Umbrella: What to Buy This Summer?
Can’t decide between a café umbrella and a pop up gazebo tent for your house?
We know, it can be pretty tricky. You need an outdoor space that’s perfect in every sense, and offers the optimal amount of protection from the harsh sun too. Is this achievable with a single portable shelter?
Yes – provided you find one that is right for your house. While both pop up gazebos and café umbrellas are excellent shade options, they come with their own merits and demerits. Unless you figure these out, it is impossible to make a buying decision.
Let’s First Understand Some Basic Differences Between the Two
A gazebo primarily, is a feature of a patio, deck, or garden. It’s also called a pergola, and offers a reasonably wider space as shade. Traditional gazebos are made out of wood or concrete, but with limited spaces, home owners are preferring fold out tents that double up as gazebos.
A garden or café umbrella, on the other hand, is a bigger model of traditional umbrella with the only difference of the base being offset from the centre. This type of arrangement is convenient from the point of view of functionality, and also adds a stylish appeal to the overall design. A sufficiently large umbrella provides enough space for a table and chairs perfect for a small, intimate event.
A gazebo usually provides you more sheltered space and privacy than a garden umbrella – you can enclose it with side panels. Alternately, a café umbrella can be easily moved around, and doesn’t require a lot of space to be set up.
So, What Should You Choose for Your Home?
| Factors | Pop Up Gazebo | Garden Umbrella |
| Size | Consider the space that is available for setting up a portable gazebo tent along with the furniture and other accessories. A 3m × 3m pop up gazebo can easily accommodate a table and patio chairs for four people. | Just measure the area that you need protected from direct sunlight. These umbrellas come in several dimensions, so finding the right size shouldn’t be a problem. |
| Structure | Frame of most fold-out tents are made of powder-coated aluminium that is weather-resistant, and can last for years without dismantling. However, these can be expensive. | Consider a café umbrella as a viable option if budget is a constraint. You can either go for umbrellas with poles made of hard plastic, or powder-coated aluminium frames. |
| Fabric | A portable gazebo tent comes in either PVC-coated polyester or 100% PVC fabric. Both these materials are compact, lightweight, and weather-resilient. The bigger your gazebo is, the sturdier the fabric would be. | Garden umbrellas usually come in waterproof polyester fabric. These are anti-fade, UV-resistant, and waterproof. The thicker the fabric, the more protected you will be in inclement weather conditions. |
| Practicality | Setting up a pop-up gazebo takes more effort, since needs lighting and fixtures. Post dismantling, these take up more space while being packed and stored. | Garden umbrellas are compact, portable, and can be packed away very easily. They are ideal for all spaces and events. |
| Value for money | A pop-up gazebo can be decked out on several occasions – ranging from informal to commercial. They might seem expensive initially, but pay off every penny in the long run. | Café umbrellas are useful only for smaller events, or as add-ons during business branding exercises along with fold-out tents. |
Our Verdict
Go for custom made solutions that deliver what YOU want!
Before getting swayed by fancy sales jargon, think about where you’ll set up your portable gazebo tent and how you intend to use it. Outdoor spaces should be customised for the people who own them. So, make sure that your pop-up gazebo or garden umbrella adds design and functionality, along with a hint of your own style to your house’s exterior.
For a get-together with your friends their families, a pop-up gazebo makes sense. It can accommodate several people all at once, and does so effortlessly. However, if it’s a pool-party you need to jazz up, by all means, go for a garden umbrella. It will up the ante immediately.
Set to rock your summers? Buy the pop-up gazebo or garden umbrella of your dreams from Extreme Marquees – New Zealand’s premier outdoor shelters manufacturer!