How to Repair a Patio Umbrella Yourself

*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

FAQs: Repairing Your Patio Umbrella (DIY)

Broken ribs, snapped strings, torn fabric, and leaning poles. The guide curates how-to videos and steps for common fixes: rib repairs with a copper sleeve, full string replacement, sewing fabric, and stabilizing a wobbly/leaning pole. Follow instructions carefully; proceed at your own risk.

Use a flattened 6" copper sleeve + bolts. Flatten a 6" piece of 5/8" copper so it slips over both rib ends. Fit it, drill a hole centered through the sleeve/rib, and secure with small nuts/bolts. Reattach and test. Tools: drill, hammer, basic hardware.

Remove canopy → open crank case → reroute new string. Take off the fabric. Unscrew crank housing; remove cotter pin, nut, cog, washer; pull crank handle and pop side rivet. At the hub, unscrew cover, remove old string. Feed new string through hub and top pulley, down the hollow tube, out the crank hole, knot, reassemble.

Yes—follow the step-by-step sewing video. The guide links an in-depth sewing tutorial. Remove the canopy, follow the video closely, then reinstall once stitching/patching is complete for a clean, durable fix.

$3 hose clamp on the loose swivel joint. Use a basic hose clamp from the hardware store and tighten it around the loose joint to stabilize the tilt/swivel. It’s a fast, low-cost fix for minor lean issues.

Most use solar panels; bulbs are replaceable. Many lighted umbrellas run off a small solar panel. Individual LEDs are typically easy to replace; solar panel issues require additional troubleshooting. Example: 9' Treasure Garden Collar Tilt LED umbrella; accessory: Luna Umbrella Light with Bluetooth speaker.

Shop PatioProductions.com for quality options. We stock outdoor umbrellas built with high-quality materials and construction, plus accessories to complete your setup. Browse our selection when a fix isn’t feasible or you’re ready to upgrade.

We're just beginning to address the process, read on to uncover expert tips for successfully repairing patio umbrellas yourself.

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.