The Various Kinds Of Residential Gazebos
In order for open space near a home to be useful, it should be at least partly shaded against the sun for reasons of comfort and health. If there are no trees or other natural shading, one option is to install a garden gazebo. A gazebo is a self-supported structure that is usually circular or octagonal. It has supporting beam structures which hold up a roof that also can be lined with a wall.
Most people who own a home will have come across the lightweight, portable gazebo. It is easy to set up as the supporting frame structure is made of rigid plastic or hollowed metal tubes. The shelter walls and roof are fabric to keep the entire structure very light. The great advantage is that these structures can be set up quickly and with minimal effort. The great disadvantage is that these structures are not robust and need to be taken down for the winter.
The roof and wall fabric can be made of many materials, with canvas being the classic selection. However, nowadays canvas is rare due to its propensity to get dirty and contaminated with microbial growth. Modern synthetics resist the color-fading sun light as well as microbial growth much better. They are also lighter, waterproof, and can be woven tightly to reduce light transmittance.
The majority of gazebos are permanent fixed types made of materials such as wood, iron, steel or even brick. Each of them have to be pretreated on the surface to ensure longevity as they are constantly exposed to the elements. The structure is held fixed in place by sinking concrete post anchors or footings into the ground. The set up is not trivial and requires some amount of expertise or time.
Because gazebos are so big it is important to make sure that there is a lot of space around it for guests and homeowners to manuever easily around the structure. It should not be built very close to the house. For people interested in shade structures near the house, it may be better to erect a pergola, awning or canopy.
Many of these problems are discussed in gazebo kits which can be purchased online or at a home improvement store. Complete schematics and hardware are included with the kits. Raw materials such as wood must be purchased separately. After the gazebo is completed it can be supplemented with add-on improvements. For hot climates a mosquito netting will make the evening more bearable by keeping out small bugs and insects. For very sunny areas a hanging shade can add to the shade power of the gazebo.
