[masraum]

Originally Posted by jyl

How about embed a section of pipe in the cement, sized to fit the umbrella pole? The umbrella without stand is light and easy to stash away. No stand to move around. Cost - rent a hammer drill, a bit of pipe, either epoxy or cement. If the surface is pavers that you can lift out with dirt below, then even easier.

Genius! I'd go with 2 pieces of pipe, one flush with the ground that you could put some sort of rubber/plastic cap in to keep stuff out of the hole when the other pipe was not in the ground. Then a piece of pipe that would fit inside that one that the umbrella would go into (most umbrellas aren't tall enough to go a couple of feet down into the ground, I think).