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A patio umbrella is not only a way of keeping cool on hot summer days but it can also protect you from the sun’s harmful rays. If you live where there are no trees on a very sunny lot, you will need a patio umbrella for your backyard living area. Patio umbrellas come in a wide variety of fabrics and colors. The amount of UV protection given and the type of fabric can have an effect on cost. The types of fabrics readily available are:

• Sunbrella - Is a solution dyed fabric which locks in the color. Color doesn’t fade or wash out. Provides 98% UV protection. White and light colors do not provide as much UV protection as do darker colors. This type of fabric is water repellant, not waterproof.
• SolarVista - Is the same as Sunbrella in it’s qualities of fade resistance and UV protection, but is a lighter weight fabric.
• Coolaroo - Is an open-weave fabric with loose woven fibers that allows the air underneath to escape, reducing the temperature below the umbrella by 32%. This material also protects from UV rays.
• Olefin - Is a durable light weight, weather and sunlight resistant fabric.
• Spun Poly - Is a high strength, polyester fabric. It has good quality, is colorfast and smooth. Similar to cotton, but stroger and more resistant to stress, mold and mildew.

In addition to fabrics there are also different types of patio umbrellas for backyard living areas. Some are able to tilt, which is great for a sunny backyard. You can keep it tilted in any direction and follow the sun’s path throughout the day. There are also offset umbrellas, which protrude out from the stand in a sideways direction. These are good for large areas or for tables that don’t have a center hole in which to place an umbrella. You can also purchase ones with mosquito netting that hangs down similar in look to a portable gazebo. Great for places where bugs are problem.

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