Gazebos provide a sheltered area in your garden or backyard where you can kick back and relax, enjoy some fresh air, and take in the beautiful sights of your lush, well-manicured garden. These structures can also be used as a focal point to amplify your property’s curb appeal.
What Is A Gazebo?
Gazebos are freestanding outdoor structures with a roof and open sides that are normally used for daytime shelter. You will find them commonly used as a serene place for reading and entertaining friends. They usually spot railings on the sides with an octagonal, hexagonal, or round shape. But the structures can also be constructed in a square shape, even though purists argue the square-shaped ones aren’t true gazebos.
Gazebos can be movable, like the kits you can buy from big box hardware stores that you can assemble and take apart for reassembly later. Or they can be permanently anchored on concrete stumps. And even though they typically have open sides with railings, gazebos can be screened in to ensure better protection from insects.
Common Materials Used In The Construction Of Gazebos
Some of the finest gazebos in Kitchener are made out of wood, but there is a wide range of materials you can use with vinyl and wrought iron being the more popular ones. The roofing materials used for gazebos also vary quite widely with iron sheets, tiles, pine shingles, and thatch being some of the choices.
The origins of gazebos can be traced back to ancient times. But while gazebos have fallen into popular use in Kitchener, people often mistake them for other outdoor structures, like pergolas and pavilions. Pergolas have open sides but with no roof, save for a latticed top, while pavilions are a lot similar to gazebos with the key difference being they are often larger and don’t have their own floor.
Gazebo Construction Tips
Where homeowners add a gazebo to their property, the intention is usually to provide an entertaining area that also serves as a focal point in your garden. But poor design and bad material choices can make the structure look out of place, defeating their original purpose. Here are a few tips to consider as plan your gazebo construction:
- Choose a style that’s in harmony with the main house’s architecture. If the style you choose for your gazebo doesn’t blend with the main house’s design, it can look contrived and out of place.
- The size of the gazebo must be proportional to the outdoor space it sits on. A large gazebo in a small backyard won’t look its best, no matter how well designed it is.
- Consider your hardscape choices wisely. The best, long-lasting gazebos sit on concrete or natural stone flows. It is a good idea to create a seamless look across the property by using the same hardscape materials used elsewhere, like on the driveway.
- Decorate tastefully but mind the structural integrity of the gazebo, too. Training vines around the gazebo can decorate and add shade that helps cool the gazebo, but be sure the plants don’t weigh down the gazebo’s roof or cause the pillars to rot, especially if they are made out of wood. Also, consider the effect of weeds.
Once the summer will approach us, people will be spending more time outdoors than indoors, and a gazebo will be a great addition to your property. If you are considering adding a gazebo to your residential property, we would love to help. We have been constructing gazebos for clients for many years.
Jay Fencing offers the finest gazebos in Kitchener. Check out some of our creations here. Otherwise, you can contact us here for a quote.