Customer Reviews for Best Choice Products - 4-Piece Cantilever Offset Patio Umbrella Base Stand, Fills Up to 160lbs w/ Carry Handles - Black
Customer Rating
4
Good Quality
on June 13, 2021
Posted by: Sam
Great quality stand. We filled them with sand and it works great. My only wish is that there was a way to attach the weights to the umbrella itself. The umbrella still blows over in strong wind as the weights can come off, even when secured to each other with the metal bars.
The base stand it made well. The color is nice and it seems to be holding up quite well so far. It keeps the umbrella from tipping while in the stand. Highly recommend. Quality is a plus
I absolutely adore this base. My last cantilever umbrella was badly damaged in a storm bc it did not come with a base. We purchased the umbrella and this base and are in love. It protects the umbrella against strong wind, takes up no space, is attractive, easy to use and store and comes in a nice neutral color!
I ordered the BCP off-set umbrella as a treat since we had just redone our deck and wanted to create a nice outdoor space for the summer. I splurged for this base since it looks so nice in the images, had decent reviews, and came from the same company in order to be a good fit. Initially, I filled each piece with water and the base was secure in keeping our umbrella in place. However, at some point two of the pieces sprung a leak in the bottom (during the same first season of use). The reduced water did not keep the umbrella secure during some wind and the whole thing fell over. Unfortunately it damaged part of the railing of our new deck and damaged the umbrella structure. The umbrella still functions but leans slightly and has a few small holes in the fabric. I took apart the whole thing and stored for the winter. This spring, I tried to patch the holes on the base pieces. They are underneath at the tips of the hollow cones the cover the bottom of each piece. I patched the visible holes I knew of and decided to instead fill each piece with sand this time around. This was a long and tedious process since sandbags from the hardware store come slightly moist and did not pour through a funnel easily. In the process of filling the sand, I found more weak spots where sand was spilling out of the underside. I ended up getting a tube of silicone caulk and filling each hollow cone on the bottom of all the pieces. I am hoping this will keep the sand inside. It just seems like poor design/structure. The umbrella is now up with the modified and refilled base. It's only been a couple days with no extreme weather to test, but so far the umbrella still stands and the base seems secure.
I also wanted to note that when I took apart the umbrella after it fell last summer that I found rust along the cross pieces at the bottom. Unfortunately rain water settles in the cracks and crevices of the base and I guess was enough to cause rust. And I now realize that I don't care for the squares on top that allow rain water to collect. I don't like to have standing water due to mosquitos.
All-in-all, this base isn't worth money to me. I feel I would have been better off buying the cement paver squares that I see many others using to secure their off-set umbrellas.
2 of the 4 do not hold water. End caps would not seal properly, losing water over 6 hours. water was not an option (desirable) so had to resort to sand. Had to buy sand for the base.
I love this patio umbrella and highly recommend it. It is sturdy, easy to open and move umbrella positions. I bought the weights as well and are very happy with them. I live at the beach, which is breezy and have not had any concerns so far, but if the wind really picks up, I would probably close the umbrella. Delivery service was fast. It does take some time to put together, two people are best.