*Patio Productions is not liable for any incidents that may occur from applying techniques portrayed in these videos. We have no affiliation and are simply presenting the content.*
If you own a patio umbrella, chances are it is one of your favorite pieces of outdoor furniture. They are extremely useful for beating the heat and making your outdoor experience much more pleasurable. When taken care of, outdoor umbrellas can last for several years, providing shade and comfort every summer. Picking the right umbrella can be a little tough, we get that. There are so many different factors that go into purchasing the best umbrella for your patio. We created the ultimate buyers guide to patio umbrellas so you can understand the ins and outs of patio umbrellas. You’ll be an expert by the time you’re done reading!
But after a while, common problems can arise, such as broken strings, torn fabric, and bent poles. Fortunately, there are plenty of online resources for learning how to fix your outdoor umbrella. A simple search on Youtube will give you hundreds of user-created videos that provide great tips, advice, and tutorials.
We have gathered a few of our most useful favorites here so you can keep enjoying the cool shade and keep living the #PatioLife
Patio Umbrella Rib Repair
Repairing a Patio Umbrella Rib is a relatively easy task that can be done at home with only a drill, hammer, and a couple of nuts and bolts.
- Buy a 6″ piece of 5/8ths copper from your local home improvement store
- Hammer it down/flatten it until it can fit over the broken parts of your umbrella rib
- Fit it on the broken pieces – leaving enough room so you can drill a small hole in the middle of the copper piece
- Attach the fixed rib onto the umbrella and test it out!
The step by step guide is quick, but watching the video will explain the process more in depth.
How to Replace Umbrella String
Replacing an Umbrella String is a simple job that has a lot of steps, so we definitely recommend watching the video. All you’ll need to replace the string is a Philips head screwdriver, flat head screwdriver, needle nose pliers, and your replacement string.
- Remove the umbrella fabric from the umbrella skeleton (this will make everything much easier)
- Remove the crank casing at the bottom of the umbrella (unscrew the 4 screws)
- Use the needle nose pliers to remove the cotter pin and then unscrew the nut, then remove the plastic cog and washer – try to keep everything together so reassembly is easier
- Next, remove the crank handle from the umbrella shaft – it should come out with a little force – next, pop the rivet off the side of the umbrella shaft
- Reach up to the umbrella hub and unscrew the plastic casing – it keeps the umbrella ribs attached so be careful they don’t fall off – remove the broken string
- Feed your new string through the string hole in the umbrella hub – tie a knot at the bottom so it can’t be pulled all the way through
- Pull the string through and up to the top of the umbrella and through the pulley
- Feed the string back into the pulley and down the hollow umbrella tube
- Pull the string out of the crank hole and feed it through the crank handle – tie a knot at the bottom so it can’t be pulled through – push the string back into the shaft and reattach crank
- Reassemble your new and improved umbrella!
How to Sew a Patio Umbrella
This is an in-depth how-to sewing video – your best bet is to watch the video and follow the instructions closely.
How to Fix Leaning Umbrella Pole
This is a quick $3 fix for a leaning umbrella!
- Home Depot offers hose clamps for a couple of bucks
- Attach to the loose swivel joint to stabilize
- The umbrella is fixed!
LED Light Patio Umbrellas
We’re seeing more and more patio umbrellas with built-in LED lights being produced in 2018. These lighted patio umbrellas are almost always powered by a small solar panel on top of the patio or table umbrella. If one of the LED’s goes out, you should be able to easily find a replacement bulb from your local hardware store. If the solar panel is acting up, it’s a little tougher to fix. However, we found a great article that gives you 8 things to try to fix your solar panel.
Here’s a great example of the 9 ft Collar Tilt LED Light Up Patio Umbrella from Treasure Garden
A sweet patio umbrella accessory is the Luna Umbrella Light w/ a Bluetooth Speaker. This one even charges with a cord so you won’t have to worry about any solar panel repairs!
The outdoor umbrellas sold on Patio Productions feature only the highest quality materials and construction. Check out our selection online, or take a look at all the rest of our outdoor decor and accessories to complete your patio look.
If all else fails and you cannot get it fixed, we have a full line of umbrellas in stock and ready to ship:
Cheryl is an award-winning landscape design consultant in San Diego, CA. She has over a decade of experience in the design world, working on both interior and exterior projects. She received her certification in design in 2010 and has contributed to the design of 7 separate furniture collections. Cheryl began lending her expertise to Patio Productions’ blog in 2012. When she’s not living in the furniture and design world, she’s busy playing with her dogs at home, or curling up with a cup of black coffee and a beautiful book on modern design. Her favorite patio furniture are her Acapulco Chairs in lightning blue.
Hello, my patio umbrella’s pole blended during a wind gust disabling it from being folded and stowed. Would you happen to have tips on how to repair it? Do you sell replacement parts for the pole? Please advice.
Thank you!
Very/ Carlo
Unfortunately we don’t sell pole replacement parts. If you ordered through our website we can help you find a replacement part through the manufacturer. By searching for “patio umbrella replacement pole” on Google I was able to find various sources for poles. Other than that I would recommend contacting the manufacturer and asking about a replacement pole for your particular umbrella model. Some manufacturers, like Treasure Garden, sell the poles by themselves at a reasonable price.
I am trying to restring my umbrella pola but it has the flexible swivel in the center of the pole making running a new string very tough.
yes I’m trying to get past the swivel section How do I get past it. Thank you in advance.
Hello
I’m looking for help as to how to fix the swivel section at the base. A friend over spun it and now it’s stuck and it won’t turn.
Any suggestions?
Without knowing anything about the manufacturer and product it is very hard to offer any advice. Different manufacturers use different mechanisms for their swivel bases. So not all swivel chairs are made the same. I would take a close look at the warranty to determine if the base is covered, then taking it up with the manufacturer/seller.
The push button on our umbrella popped out. Found the button and a spring. Wondered how to put back in umbrella?
Refer to the manufacturer and see if they can give you any specific information. They might even offer replacement parts.
THERE WAS NO SPRING FOUND AND THE BUTTON WAS POPPED OUT.
I need to find the plastic end caps that hold the umbrella onto the poles when extended mine are broken
I have a parasol that when I wind it close it closes half way then starts to open again
How can I rectify this
Hello, thank you for your comment.
Do you know the name of the manufacturer? If it is one of the manufacturers we deal with directly, we can reach out to them and try to find a solution for you.
Otherwise it’s very hard to make a recommendation because different manufacturers use different types of mechanisms (moving parts) to wind.
I have the same problem as Ann. My umbrella is Mainstays 9ft round market umbrella. Would appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks
Unfortunately we don’t have any experience with products from that manufacturer. We would recommend checking the manufacturer’s warranty first and seeing if you qualify for a replacement. Otherwise, it might not be worth repairing the umbrella if the cost of repairs is going to be higher than the umbrella itself.
Hi. Our umbrella is stuck closed. We think it is frozen. Can you help with that repair?
One of the most common problems with umbrellas is when the cording becomes tangled or frayed. This easily leads to problems with the pulley system and the whole thing ends up getting “stuck” or “frozen.”
Unfortunately, the only solution to this problem is to take apart the pulley system and fix the cord by untangling it yourself, and then re-running the chord through the pulley system. If you’ve ever taken apart an umbrella you know this can get a bit complicated. I would recommend going on YouTube and looking for How To videos that will guide you through the process. Hopefully one of the videos in this post can help.
Also, if the umbrella is made by one of the manufacturers we deal for, we can try and get in touch with them for you and see what can be done.
Thank you for your comment.
Hi, my tension seems to be too tight as when I open the umbrella it starts to close on it’s own. Any ideas?
That’s an interesting problem. Thank you for your comment.
There must be a problem with the pulley system. If it’s an older umbrella the chording may have gotten tangled or stretched out somewhere. Either way the pulley system won’t work properly.
The most expensive part of an umbrella is the canopy, so if you can get just the frame from the manufacturer that could save you some money compared to buying a new one.
If you’re handy with a drill you can create a hole and pin locking system to keep the umbrella from sliding down the pole. Just be sure to use a strong enough pin that will hold the weight without bending.
Hi, I have a new cantilever umbrella from La Papillon Leisure. I was raising it up and all of a sudden my crank ratchet didn’t want to ratchet anymore. I can open it but it wont stay open.
It was bought out of Amazon and I can not find the company site to try and get a replacement part.
Do you have any ideas?
Thanks
My tilt, crank umbrella has wire and not a cord. Can it be fixed?
How do you fix and put back together an umbrella crank?
The crank broke on my umbrelas Where can I get net parts?
The crank mechanism is unique to each manufacturer, therefore we would recommend reaching out to them for replacement parts. Do you know the name of the manufacturer?
I have an obravia oblong umbrella, it seems the top has somewhat disconnected from the pole . It cranks up and down fine, but can potentially blow inside out if wind gets underneath.
Thank you for your comment. That does not sound good at all. If the wind can blow it inside out that can be quite dangerous depending on the size of the umbrella. You may be able to get a replacement if the warranty is still valid. Have you tried reaching out to the manufacturer?
I bought an table umbrella from eBay however it does not have a pulley system and the only way to put it up and lower is by standing on a ladder and doing it by hand. Any ideas how to add a non complicated pulley system?
Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately, a pulley system is critical when you’re using an umbrella with a table. The fact that you have to reach over the table to reach the umbrella makes raising and lowering very hard if you don’t have a simple pulley system with a crank.
I’m sure if you’re capable enough, you can DIY yourself a solution. But without knowing the exact specifications of your umbrella there is no advice we can give you.
Hope everything works out. Have a wonderful day.
My umbrella keeps creeping down after I crank it up. Does the crank have a tension setting.?
Thank you for commenting.
How old is the umbrella? My best guess would be that the string/rope used in the crank mechanism has frayed or gotten loose somehow. There is no reason for the umbrella to creep down once cranked and locked in position. If that’s the situation the string would need to be replaced with a new one. This is not an easy process as it requires taking apart the entire crank mechanism and then having to put it back together again. Even for someone with experience it’s a fairly tough job.
I just fixed this problem (umbrella creeping down) by reading the directions that came with the umbrella. They specified to turn the crank clockwise to put up the umbrella. Somehow I was raising the umbrella by turning the crank counterclockwise. I put it down (by turning the crank clockwise), then kept turning the crank clockwise until it raised up again and this time it held in place.
We have an approximately 4 year old Treasure Garden AKZ 10′ square cantilever. We used the umbrella last weekend without issue. Now, we are unable to open / lift the umbrella. It is in the fully closed umbrella position with the tilt lever attached to the mainframe. When we use the crank to attempt to lift/open, the tilt lever will not move and appears to be stuck. It looks like the superior portion of the tilt lever is what will not move as it is showing visible forced pressure with attempt at cranking. We cannot remove and/or disengage the tilt lever. Attempted to contact Treasure Garden with no help and they recommended we order replacement parts. I have no idea what the issue is so replacing the part would be a random guess.
Can you offer any suggestions?
Thank you for your comment.
From your description it sounds like your pulley system may have gotten jammed and is not allowing you to open/lift the umbrella. This may have happened because the string got frayed over time or simply separated itself from the pulley mechanism. Treasure Garden warranties the frame and moving parts for a period of 2 years in residential settings.
If you still like the AKZ series, we would recommend looking into the AKZ Plus series of umbrellas now available. They have less moving parts and the pulley mechanism is located in the arm only and not the entire frame, making it less prone to jamming.
We have the same problem. – which we had figured out but have taken to not pushing the tilt lever into the post when the umbrella is closed, At the moment it is atuck again because someone pushed it in…. if that is not in we have managed fine.
I have same problem. JP what did you have to do to free things up again?
How do I put a rib back into the socket of the lifting mechanism?
Thank you for your comment.
That’s a hard question to answer without having the actual umbrella in front of me.
I do recall an incident that sounds familiar in which the rib detached from the socket after the umbrella got carried away by heavy winds. I had to loosen up the lifting mechanism by removing a bolt and that allowed me to put the rib back into the socket. Otherwise the rib was too big to go back into place. Once the rib was back in the socket all I had to do was tighten the bolt again and it was good as new.
Hello, I have a Domi Outdoor 11′ Cantilever Umbrella and my handle broke. Do you know of any places that sell a replacement handle? I’ve tried emailing the company and my emails are returned as failed. I also tried to enter information in on their website but keep getting an error message. If you know of any way this can be fixed or I can order a new part I would be very appreciative! Thanks in advance!
Unfortunately we do not have a relationship with that brand. It sounds like they may have gone out of business or changed their company name. If you are interested in replacing your Cantilever we would recommend Treasure Garden.
Can you buy the small plastic end caps that hold the fabric onto the spokes. I have a broken one
Great video. The instructions were clear. You used the camera angles to our advantage and thankfully your voice is good for videos. Voice is key 🙂 I have one umbrella that needs the string replaced and one that needs the top hub splines re-attached. Plenty to do.
Thanks again.
Thank you for your comments. The videos posted in this article were found on YouTube. If you would like to compliment the creator(s) you can do so by commenting directly on their video pages. We did not have anything to do with the making of these videos.
Our crank has fallen off of the pole and the only way to push the umbrella up is to pull on the rope that is attached to the crank. We then wrap the rope around the pole and tie it. Is there a fix for this or should we just order a new pole? Thank you!
Thank you for your comment. It sounds like you need a new crank mechanism but those can be very tough to replace on your own, even for the most experienced umbrella repair person. One DIY solution you may consider is drilling a hole in the pole and using a steel pin to hold the umbrella canopy in place. That’s easier than tying the rope around the pole every time. Otherwise, it might be time to consider getting yourself a new umbrella. If you can replace the frame and just swap the canopy that would be the best option.
I have a 30+ year old umbrella. During a recent storm I lost the piece that attaches the end of the rib to the fabric. It is a U shaped metal piece that has “teeth” at both ends. You clamp the teeth onto the fabric and slide the end of the rib into that. Do you know what this piece is call and where I can get one? Thanks
That sounds like a very unique piece of hardware. If the umbrella is 30+ years old chances are they just don’t make them like that anymore. You might need to get creative and find a substitute somewhere else. Sorry we couldn’t be more helpful.
Hi there, I have 2 Mainstays 9″ round, 3 way tilt umbrellas. Every time I open them they tilt and will not stay in an upright position? How can I fix this problem? Thank you
I have a vintage metal umbrella from the 1960s that was blown over by the wind. The fabric disconnected from the top finial and the umbrella no longer goes up and down. It’s really heavy duty double layered plastic with fringe on the edges and is in great condition, other than the storm damage, so I don’t want to trash it! Do you have any directions for repairing the cord in an older, metal umbrella?
Thank you for your comment.
That sounds like a job for someone who specializes in restoring vintage pieces of furniture. Unfortunately we only have experience with modern umbrella types and can’t give you any advice on how to fix a 1960’s umbrella. Umbrella designs, especially the moving parts, have changed a lot since the 1960’s. It’s going to be tough to find replacement parts for your umbrella unless you find another one just like it.
I have an 11′ California collar tilt umbrella. The pulley at the top has corroded so that the cord will not stay on the pulley making it very difficult to raise and lower the umbrella. Is there a way to replace the pulley?
Hey Jim, thanks for dropping us a line. We don’t sell California Umbrella umbrellas, and I am not certain we ever did, but I sent a quick email to our senior sales rep about it just in case. Did you buy your umbrella from us by any chance? I know we primarily deal with Treasure Garden, and have not had issues with corroded pulleys from them. If you did not buy your umbrella from us, I would try reaching out to California Umbrella directly. I checked their website and you can get a hold of them here: https://www.californiaumbrella.com/site/contact
I don’t know what kinds of warranties they offer, but it’s possible you may still be covered under a frame or parts warranty. Most umbrella brands offer at least a 3 year frame warranty and many lump “parts” into that, hopefully your pulley falls under that warranty too.
And of course if I am wrong and we did in fact used to sell “California Umbrella” umbrellas and you bought from us, I’ll have our rep get a hold of you ASAP.
Thanks for your question! I hope California Umbrella can resolve your issue quickly, having a corroded pulley sounds really un-fun and we’re sorry this has happened to you 🙁
-Mike, PatioProductions.com web and content admin
The umbrella will not ascend when I try to wind it up using the handle.
What could be the problem? Does the string have to be replaced?
My patio umbrella is Treasure Garden
Hey Bill! I will try to find a decent video on the process, but it sounds to me like that’s definitely a pulley cord problem. Probably broken. Here’s the general process to check the cord and replace if needed, obviously this may vary a bit on a product-to-product basis but for most umbrellas this is your process:
1.) Take the pin out of the pivot point to detach the umbrella at the pivot point.
2.) Check your cord. Is it broken or really loose? If loose, untie it and re-tie it around the ring that lifts the umbrella ribs at the top. If it’s broken, you’ll need to replace it, like so:
3.) take your new cord and tie it to the ring that lifts the umbrella ribs at the top.
4.) Thread the cord through the pulley at the top of the umbrella.
5.) You’ll need to pull the cord through the pivot point, but it’s usually a tight fit, so you may need a wire or a stringing tool or an unwound coat hanger.
6.) Open the crank housing. You can do this by removing the screws that hold the housing together. Again, this may vary by model; some use rings instead of screws, you’ll just need to move or unhook those rings.
7.) Pull the cord through the hole in the umbrella pole that is inside of the crank housing and wind the cord around the pulleys at the bottom of the housing.
8.) With the cord firmly wound, crank the pulley handle to get rid of any slack. Screw or hook the housing shut again.
That should be it. Good luck! Hope that works for you.
In replacing the cord on our Tropitone umbrella, I over torqued the bolt and it snapped. Web searching has gotten be nowhere in finding a replacement bolt. It is clearly not standard. Any advice would be welcome.
Hello Hal. Thank you for your comment.
When it comes to outdoor umbrellas, each manufacturer is different and there is no such thing as “universal” replacement parts unfortunately. You would think so considering they all look the same and have the same kinds of features. But nevertheless each manufacturer uses their own parts.
Therefore the best place to check would be directly with the manufacturer, or contact the store where you purchased the umbrella. They may be able to file a warranty claim for you and get your product either repaired or replaced.
Other than that, our team just came back from a trade show and I am happy to report that newer models of umbrellas are coming out with features that allow parts to be easily swapped out and replaced with little effort at all. It seems like the industry is finally catching on and designing umbrellas in a way that doesn’t make them nearly impossible to fix. We should start seeing these new models the next season (Summer 2019).
The release button the handle is stuck so I can’t get the pole to stay in place. Any suggestions?
Last year, I bought an umbrella frame/pole and then the canopy separate. It is so cute. BUT the canopy, which is supposed to fit the frame is so tight fitting that it is nearly impossible for me to open the 9 ft umbrella all the way to the top. What do you recommend for umbrella canopies that don’t seem to stretch? I have tried getting it wet and opening it up and letting it dry that way. It didn’t make a difference.
This sounds like a manufacturing defect. We recommend reaching out to the store where you purchased your umbrella and letting them know about your problem. An umbrella should be able to open completely without needing to stretch the fabric.
Hello,
I would happily pay to have my umbrella fixed, but can’t find anyone in South Florida that does umbrella servicing… Can you recommend someone?
Unfortunately we do not know anybody who specializes in umbrella repair in the South Florida area. I would try looking up “patio furniture repair” on Google and seeing what comes up.
I have a solar panel umbrella the hinge broke at the top where everything connect .how do we place it ….
hello, i am trying to restring a treasure garden 11ft and cannot get the string past the tilt mechanism near the top. do you have any suggestions? i have you tubed and contacted treasure garden to no avail. thank you very much.
Restringing a patio umbrella is a tricky process simply because there are many variables to consider, especially the amount of tension required. We don’t have any personal experience repairing umbrellas unfortunately and can’t give any advice in that area. You might want to try reaching out to a local professional who specializes in patio furniture repair.
Hi, we have a huge parasol with metal pole which we have had for several years, we have tried to put up this year but when screwed together by hand the parasol is extremely wobbly, is there a way of tightening these or replacing the actual pole, thank you
Do you know the name of the manufacturer? Yes, most manufacturers offer replacement for pole pieces. Best would be to reach out to them and see if they offer replacement parts. You can also reach out to the store that sold you the umbrella and see if they can provide you with replacement parts.
I saw 2 earlier posts from folks with the same problem I have – but there was no response from you. 10 year old Tilt umbrella cord breaks. I’ve watched the videos – taken the crank assembly out – but can’t get the new string to feed past the tilt joint. I’ve tried an electrical wire puller – and even bailing wire. No matter what I use – feeding from either the top or the bottom – it jams up at the tilt joint. What is the secret tool you use to feed the new string past the tilt joint? At this point – my only remaining option is to drill out the rivet securing the tilt joint together – remove the pin – open up the two halves of the tilt joint – feed the cord through each opening – then reassemble. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Stud in pole needs replacement, in my garden umbrella any suggestions where I might get replacement stud and thread for other piece
We would recommend contacting the manufacturer and asking if they can provide the replacement parts you are looking for. Not all umbrellas are the same and the only thing universal about them is the 1.5″ – 2″ pole width that is industry standard.
My umbrella, which was brand new two months ago will not raise all the way. It gets impossible to crank beyond 2/3 fully extended. What has happened?
Most umbrellas have at least a 1 Year warranty on the parts & mechanism. I would take it back to where you had purchased it or contact the manufacturer for a warranty defect.
Hey there, great post here but I can’t seem to find anything about the issue I have. My umbrella, one of the arms is attached to the top, seems to have come undone some how. At the end of the arm it looks like there’s a hole, which is threaded by a metal loop at the very top of the umbrella. I’m not sure how it came out, as the loop seems to still be securely in place, and I can’t seem to remove it any way in order to thread it back through the arm that came out. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Do you know the name of the manufacturer? Best thing would be to reach out to them and ask them directly. At the very least they should be able to tell you if you need to replace the entire umbrella or order a replacement part.
When I am cranking down my patio umbrella it will lower to about 2/3rds closed /down then start to raise up even though I am continuing to wind it down to close.
Hello. Thank you for your comment. Sounds like you might have cording issues with the cranking mechanism. You may need to look into getting the umbrella re-strung or getting a whole new umbrella.
I have a butterfly freedom umbrella. The cap on the top of the umbrella won’t screw in anymore. Am I missing an extra piece somehow? Or any suggestions would be helpful.
The tips of my patio umbrella are poking through the fabric pocket on the ends. Is there a way to repair that. The umbrella is a Brown Jordan and is in really good condition except for that. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thank you, k
We would recommend getting the canopy replaced. If the frame is still working fine you should be able to order a replacement canopy from the manufacturer. If you don’t remember where you bought the furniture you can reach out to a Brown Jordan dealer in your area and they should be able to get a replacement for you.
Hi. My 4 year old Treasure Garden 10′ square cantilever umbrella won’t close. It felt very tight when I opened it. When I try to crank it closed the main frame grip slides down the pile and a black cord poles out of the main frame stand. Can you help?
Thanks
Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately Treasure Garden warranties their cantilever frames for 2 years, therefore your cantilever wouldn’t qualify for a warranty claim. Sounds like the crank mechanism may need to be replaced or have a new cord installed. We would recommend reaching out to the dealer you purchased the umbrella from and asking if they can look into ordering replacement parts for you. It is possible that Treasure Garden may have what you need to get it working again.
The large slider that goes up and down is stuck/jammed (can not put umbrella up or down). Cords and connecting rod are free moving.
Any suggestion on how to free the large hub that appears to be binding on the pole?