How to Make a Table Umbrella

Make the Table Umbrella

• 1

  Lay down a plastic sheet so that it is flat and there are no creases or bumps. Measure the size of the circle needed. For 2-foot-long ribs, the plastic sheet will need to measure 4 1/2 feet in diameter. Cut out the circle. Cut out 16 small squares from the leftover plastic sheet.

• 2

  Bend a 1/2-inch tip at the end of 8 aluminum bars using pliers. Drill 3/8-inch holes into the sides of the PVC cap at equal intervals. Bend a 1/4-inch flat tip at the end of 8 steel rods using pliers. Fit the unbent end of the steel rods into an umbrella runner and set it aside.

• 3

  Set the bent ends of the aluminum bars into the PVC cap. Lay down the 8 aluminum bars on the plastic sheet circle with the PVC cap in the exact center of the circle so that the opening of the cap is facing up.

• 4

  Sew the plastic squares over the ends of the aluminum bars with a needle and nylon thread, holding them in these spots. Sew another set of plastic squares over the bars 6 inches from the ends for additional support using the same needle and nylon thread.

• 5

  Place the umbrella runner and a 1 1/2-inch rubber ring onto a 5-foot-long 1 1/2-inch PVC pipe about 2 feet from the top. Set the umbrella top onto the top of the 5-foot PVC pipe. Drill the flat ends of the steel rods into the middle of the aluminum bars with screws. Move the rubber ring to the position that makes the umbrella open or close to the degree desired.

Make the Umbrella Stand

• 6

  Mix the cement and the water together in a bucket. Follow the cement manufacturer's instructions for mixing cement.

• 7

  Cap the PVC pipe with an appropriate PVC cap. Have a friend hold a 6-inch-long PVC pipe that is 2 inches wide in the middle top of a second bucket. Make sure the pipe is held straight and level with the top of the bucket. Pour the cement into the bucket around the PVC pipe. Set it aside to set. Check the manufacturer's label on the cement to find out how long it will take to set. Usually, it takes 24 hours.

• 8

  Measure the table to find the exact center. Draw two lines anywhere on the table. They do not have to be close to the center; they can be anywhere on the circle. Mark these spots with a piece of chalk. Find the middle of each line by measuring it and dividing that number by 2. Draw a perpendicular line at the center of the line. Perpendicular means it makes a 90-degree angle. Repeat this process on the other line. The place where these two perpendicular lines meet is the exact center of the round table.

• 9

  Drill a 1 5/8 hole into the center of the table with the hole-saw drill bit. Cut the hole from the top, but do not go all the way through. Get under the table and finish drilling the hole. This will prevent splintering and chipping where the wood is drilled.

• 10

  Break the plastic around the cement until the entire bucket is gone. Be careful not to chip the cement. Place the cement under the hole until it is lined up. Place the umbrella through the table and into the cement's hole.