Gazebo Options: Making the Best Decisions
It’s a warm summer evening, cold drink in your hand, friends sitting around, the smell of burgers are coming across the fresh-cut lawn, music is playing, and you’re finally hosting the reunion your family has talked about for years. The best part is the brand-new gazebo that was delivered just beforehand, and it’s the focal spot of your dream landscape. Everyone loves it.
Regretfully for most of us the dream gazebo is still sitting on our Pinterest board, or in the outdoor living catalogues we’ve collected the past few years, until now. It can be hard to go from dreaming about gazebo ideas to turning your ideas into reality. If you’ve been staying tuned into to Ulrich Lifestyle’s blog you’ll see we’ve been doing a series of info posts to help you get started.
What is a Pergola
Wood vs. Vinyl Pergola
What is a Pavilion
Wood vs. Vinyl Pavilion
What is a Gazebo
Wood vs. Vinyl Gazebo
Today’s post is about gazebo ideas and options, and it gives some of the basic and luxe options available. We can’t vouch that every company offers the same things, but this covers many of the options we have available at Ulrich Lifestyle.
Skim the ideas and options:
Roof materials for gazebos
Floor materials for gazebos
Gazebos for entertainment: electrical, lighting and fans
Gazebos with screens: no bugs allowed
Style & design: the customized gazebo
Roof materials for gazebos
Of all the options you can look at for a gazebo, roof choices are actually more of a necessary part of structure. We’ve included it in the gazebo options because while the roof is one surface of a building that is going to be most exposed to the most weather, it is one of the first things people look at and you want to make a great impression.
Options for gazebo roofs
Shingles are made of asphalt and are the workhorse of the roofing industry, coming in at lifetime guarantees of up to 30 years. They are considered an entry or mid-level option for those looking to go easy on their wallet and get a roof that will last them a good while. Usually come in a nice variety of color options.
Metal is the relatively new kid on the block and is becoming a desired choice for gazebo owners because of its longevity and the lovely, relaxing sound it makes when it rains. It has a slightly increased price tag, but by the same token lasts for more than a lifetime. Also available in a good range of colors and designs.
Luxe roofing options aren’t sold everywhere, but can make for a show-stopping gazebo. This includes materials such as cedar wood shakes, rubber slate shingles, or the option of going with the new, minimal look of bare wood (treated, of course). If you’re looking to create a focal centerpiece of a garden, landscape, luxury home or business, these are excellent options.
Floor materials for Gazebos
Flooring is another necessary part of any gazebo, so you will want it look good and stand the test of traffic. The quality and support in any flooring varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, but Ulrich Lifestyle’s standard gazebo floors come built with pressure-treated southern yellow pine wood, double 2 x 6 floor joists for support, and 2 x 6 solid wood decking boards finished however you want them. From there on out the options are icing on the cake.
A couple of floor options to consider in gazebos:
Composite decking is made of a combination of recycled wood fibers and recycled plastic. Because this material is so durable and impervious to rot it has a longer life-span than an average wood used for decking. The lifetime increases even more in gazebos because it is not exposed to as much weather as an average deck would be.
Wood floor boards are the standard in most gazebos, and if built well with a quality pressure-treated wood last a lifetime. If you’re looking for many stain and paint options this would definitely be a quality, yet economical way to go.
Gazebos with screens: no bugs allowed
One of the things that can most quickly disturb the peace are mosquitoes. They may come and go with cool and warm weather, windy or still nights, and aside from spraying vast quantities of DEET sprays there isn’t much to do about it except keep slapping.
This is why adding screens to a gazebo is a fantastic option. In fact, if you live near mosquito-prone areas this may be one of the most important options you can add to the gazebo to make it comfortable and usable throughout the year. Screens are truly worth every extra penny it takes.
Gazebos for entertainment: electrical, lighting and fan options
Full use of a gazebo for entertaining and relaxing, especially in evenings when most of us have the time, often means adding some conveniences like lights, fans, and outlets. While some people view this as a DIY project we see it more from the perspective that there is a reason electricians are licensed; you want to light your evening, not create fireworks. Adding an electrical package to your gazebo will not cost much and can add hours of fun to the night.
Most gazebo companies have a range of ceiling fans, lights and outlet placements to choose from, and the convenience of having the building delivered “ready-made” is usually greater than hiring someone to do it after the fact.
Style & Design: customizations
The fun of any outdoor building is that there are possibilities for customizations galore. There are railing styles from Baroque to Colonial, roof styles that include pagoda and bell tower roofs, and little details such as lighting and trim that create a truly memorable gazebo. For design inspo, as always, we suggest Pinterest and ideas from one of our recent blog posts with gazebo ideas.
Or we would love to see you at one of our locations in Virginia. Stop on by, we’d love to discuss the options in detail with you.
Looking for a gazebo for your backyard? We’re here to help!