Parasols are sized to tables in most guidance, and that is the wrong reference. A parasol should be sized to the seated footprint, meaning the table plus the chairs pulled out and occupied, because shade that covers only the tabletop leaves everyone sitting in the sun.<\/p>\n
The practical rule that follows is simple: the canopy needs to overhang the table edge by roughly the depth of a seated diner, around 50cm to 60cm on every side. On a 90cm round table that means a canopy of about 2m across rather than the 2.5m figure often quoted for larger sets, and on a 160cm rectangular table it means 3m or a cantilever with an offset canopy. Everything else in this report follows from that overhang.<\/p>\n
A seated adult at a table occupies roughly 50cm to 60cm of depth from the table edge to the back of the chair, and the head, which is what actually needs shade, sits near the middle of that band. A canopy that stops at the table edge therefore shades the food and leaves the diners exposed. This is the most common parasol sizing error we see, and it is entirely avoidable at the point of purchase.<\/p>\n
Applying the rule is straightforward. Take the table’s largest dimension, add 100cm to 120cm to account for overhang on both sides, and that is the minimum canopy span. Round canopies are quoted by diameter, square and rectangular by side length, so the comparison is direct once you know the number you need. This also explains why parasols bought with a set are often undersized: they are matched to the table for storage and appearance rather than to the seated group. The table sizing in our modern outdoor garden dining sets UK<\/a> range is the figure to start from when calculating.<\/p>\n The figures below apply the overhang rule across the table shapes and sizes common in British gardens. They are specification calculations rather than statistics, and they can be checked against any table with a tape measure.<\/p>\nSizing by table and seating layout<\/h3>\n