How to Add Weight to a Patio Umbrella Stand

Determine the diameter of the umbrella you have. You can read the label on the umbrella pole to find the size, or open the umbrella and measure the diameter with a measuring tape.

Remove the umbrella from the table and current stand base. Typically, this is done by by pressing in the rounded pin on the umbrella pole the near top of the stand base. Push the pin in and pull up on the pole at the same time. You will need to push the pin in again once the pin reaches the hole in the table in order to remove the pole from the table.

Tape a string to the hole in the table so it reaches the floor, allowing the table hole to be lined up with the new base later.

Replace the base with an iron base, or a plastic base filled with sand, of a weight determined by the diameter of your umbrella. According to the website "Backyards and Gardens," a 7 1/2-foot umbrella needs a 35-pound weight. A 7 1/2-to-9-foot umbrella needs a stand weighing between 40 and 55 pounds. An umbrella diameter of up to 11 feet requires a stand base weight of at least 60 to 75 pounds. Any umbrella larger than 11 feet will need a 100-pound base.

Line up the hole in the new base with the string hanging from the hole in the table. Replace the umbrella pole by sliding it in the hole on the table and next into the hole in the iron or plastic base. You do not need to hold the pin in again, because it will automatically pop in when the pole goes inside the table hole and the base hole.