Patio tables with umbrella hole

Shade at every seat, with the pole right through the middle. 12 tables here, most with faux teak or aluminum tops, at 30 inches for dining or 42 for the rail. The canopy and the table work as a pair, so pick both together. Start with the umbrella size you want, then find the table that will carry it.

The pole, the table and the base

Every umbrella we list has a 1 1/2-inch pole. Check that against each table listing before you order the pair. For a top bought on its own, an umbrella table base holds the pole and the top at once; we list square and round versions at 28 inches for dining and 41 inches for bar height in patio umbrellas.

Mind the clearance. A 9-foot aluminum umbrella leaves 83 3/4 inches under the canopy, plenty above a seated guest but worth checking near a door or an awning. Pick a canopy that reaches the chairs, not only the table, and leave space so its ribs clear the next canopy over.

Squares and bar tables

The 36-inch squares lead the group, and on the slatted aluminum tables every top is 36 by 36, so the canopy sits dead center over four guests. A faux teak aluminum patio table at 36 by 36 inches weighs 24 pounds and seats four in close quarters, around $349. Grey, rust and white versions carry the same size, and the grey slatted aluminum table sits at the top of the range near $397.

The outdoor lines in grey, black and dark walnut come in several sizes at both heights. The aluminum outdoor table in gray with faux teak seats a dining row; its bar-height partners stand at 42 inches and put shade over a rail of stools.

A steel table with legs fills out the group for a darker, plainer look.

Wind and closing time

An open canopy is a sail. On a roof or a corner that catches gusts, close the umbrellas whenever the wind picks up, and fold them down every night before the floor clears. Heavier umbrella bases help, and so does a house rule that whoever closes the last table closes the last canopy.

At season end, take the umbrellas out, store the canopies dry, rinse the tables and let the slats drain before covering.

Need the chairs? Plastic teak patio chairs match the faux teak tops, and patio tables shows tables without a hole. Mark each canopy in an outdoor plan so table count and umbrella count agree before the order goes out.