How to assemble a patio umbrella and base

• Funnel or hose for filling the base
• Adjustable spanner

Before you start, lay everything out on a soft surface (the flattened box works) and check it against the parts list in your manual.

• Upper and lower pole sections with crank or pulley
• Canopy on ribs with vent cap
• Base shells or slab frame
• Base tube, stem and locking knob
• Fill caps or slabs

1. 1

   Step 1: Assemble the base first: bolt the base shells or slab frame together and screw the stem tube into the centre so it stands vertical.

2. 2

   Step 2: Fill a fillable base with water or dry sand to the level the manual gives, or load the slab frame with the paving slabs it is designed for, then fit the caps.

3. 3

   Step 3: Join the lower and upper pole sections, lining up the push button or the pulley cord so it runs cleanly through the joint.

4. 4

   Step 4: Lower the pole into the base tube, or through the table's centre hole first if it goes through a patio table, and tighten the locking knob.

5. 5

   Step 5: Open the canopy with the crank or pulley until the ribs lock, checking no rib is caught or bent.

6. 6

   Step 6: Tilt it if your model allows, and check the canopy clears the table, chairs and anyone standing under it.

7. 7

   Step 7: Close the canopy and fit its strap or cover whenever you leave it, and practise closing it quickly before the first windy day.

• Using a base that is too light for the canopy size, so the umbrella tips or lifts in a gust.
• Leaving the umbrella open overnight or when nobody is around.
• Forcing the crank when a rib is caught, which bends the rib or strips the crank gear.