Guide · Bucklesbury, London

Chestnut, Maple and Beechwood: The Woods in an English Umbrella

The wood is the heart of an English umbrella. All the wood in a Bucklesbury umbrella is English, from sustainable forests, and we use three: chestnut, maple and beechwood. Here is how they differ and which umbrella each one is used for.

The three woods at a glance

	English chestnut	English maple	English beechwood
Used for	The London Umbrella	The London Ladies Umbrella	The Classic Umbrella shaft
Construction	Handle and shaft in one continuous length	Handle and shaft in one continuous length	Solid wooden shaft with a handle made in Germany
Price	£255	£255	£175

English chestnut

The London Umbrella is made from one continuous length of English chestnut. Handle and shaft are a single piece of wood, with no joint between them, which is the most traditional way an umbrella can be made. Chestnut has a warm colour and a pronounced grain, so no two London Umbrellas look exactly alike.

English maple

The London Ladies Umbrella is made in the same way, from one continuous length of English maple. Maple is a pale, fine-grained wood, and it gives the Ladies Umbrella a lighter look.

English beechwood

The Classic Umbrella is built on a shaft of solid English beechwood. Beech is a hard, close-grained wood that has long been used for umbrella shafts. Many mass-produced umbrellas use a hollow metal shaft; a solid wooden shaft feels more substantial in the hand and ages well with use.

Questions about wooden umbrellas

What is a solid stick umbrella?

A solid stick umbrella is one whose handle and shaft are cut from a single length of wood rather than two pieces joined together. The Bucklesbury London Umbrella is made this way from English chestnut, and the London Ladies Umbrella from English maple.

Is the wood in Bucklesbury umbrellas sustainable?

Yes. All our wood is English, from sustainable forests.

Which wood should I choose?

For a single-piece umbrella, choose chestnut (the London Umbrella) or maple (the London Ladies Umbrella). For a classic full-length umbrella at a lower price, choose the beechwood Classic Umbrella.

How do I look after a wooden umbrella?

Leave the umbrella open to dry after use and keep it away from radiators and other heat sources, which can cause a wooden crook handle to lose its shape. See our umbrella care advice.

Every Bucklesbury umbrella is constructed by hand in London using traditional techniques, individually finished by a craftsman and Rain Tested In England™. See all umbrellas.