How to choose the right gazebo?
Posted on mars 11, 2014 by Frank
As winter will slowly be kicked out of our gardens, we will slowly start to feel attracted towards the backyard again, dreaming of spending our complete days staring at the blue sky with a gentle breeze caressing our skin. This summer dream is enjoyed by tons of people who have a patio attached to their homes, or even a full-fledged (and very costly) solarium, but there are other alternatives for people that would rather avoid the burning bite of the sun. In this case, buying a garden shelter, which we also call a gazebo, can be the right choice.
There are quite a few criteria to consider when you are looking to buy the perfect gazebo. In this article, we will try to build your critical thinking, allowing you to save some hard-earned money or rather to gather all the comfort you need to spend the best summer of your life.
Choosing the right type of roofing
First of all, you will have to make a choice between light and heavy, or more specifically between canvas and polycarbonate.
In the first case, you will be buying a cheaper gazebo model. It is not necessarily a bad thing: it had the biggest market share since it makes this kind of shelter affordable and it does last a few years. However, the discoloration of the canvas and its lack of impermeability can be a nuisance to some people, especially if aesthetics are important to you. I’d also like to add that some canvas can be replaced: if you are looking to keep this kind of gazebo for a long time, please make sure that you buy one with replaceable canvas so that you will not hate yourself after the inevitable degradation has happened.
Then, there is the high quality polycarbonate roofing alternative. Let’s start by mentioning that you will not find such a gazebo in the 3 digits’ range; it is a higher-end shelter that is considered a long-term investment. Even though it is fully impermeable and a lot more durable, it does have some extra weaknesses! The main issue is with storage: since the canvas cannot be removed, you’ll be struggling if you have a small basement.
Understanding the price range of gazebos
Depending if you go for new products or if you buy gazebos for sale using online boutiques, the price could vary quite a bit.
In the new products sector, the price range could be set between 300$ and 2 000$. You might find even higher-end gazebos but regular consumers would never pay more than 2 000$ to get a simple garden shelter!
If you go for used or refurbished gazebos, online boutiques will typically drop the price from 10 to 25% to attract you. With a guarantee that matches the new gazebos’ coverage, it is a quite honest deal. Finally, if you buy used products from consumers, you’ll get all kinds of offers, getting sometimes more than 50% rebate… but you’ll have to move the gazebo by yourself and it will be a lot harder to evaluate the remaining “durability” of your purchase. But sometimes, it’s a sweet gamble to make!
That’s a pretty basic and cheap gazebo.
The different kinds of “protections”
A gazebo can be “stripped down” to let the wind flow in when the weather is perfect. However, there are three kinds of protections, which we could also label as curtains, that can be included with your purchase or not depending on the price you pay.
First of all, you have the basic net that come with each gazebo. It will not offer you privacy but at least, flies will be kept out of your living space if you want them away. Then, it is possible to purchase a vinyl curtain, which main focus will be to protect you from the rain while still being able to look outside the gazebo. Then, if you really want to be intimate, you’ll be adding an opaque curtain.
What if wind shows up?
Amongst the other minor criteria that should guide your decision, you should ask yourself if you live in a very windy area. If this is the case, it will be a lot preferable to choose a gazebo that has a carefully planned structure. In fact, canvas or polycarbonate roofs that are completely closed have a hard time staying up in an environment that is very windy. If the gazebo is made of a very light material such as PVC, it is even more prone to falling down!
First of all, go for heavier materials such as aluminum or steel if you live in a windy area. To put a cherry on top of your choice, you could also choose a model that comes equipped with a blowhole: wind will be able to escape from this hole on the top of the gazebo and it will take a huge storm to kick it down.
The wooden gazebo, a completely different offer
Depending on the style you are looking to give to your backyard, you could also go for a wooden gazebo. It adds some kind of rustic seal to your home while staying very comfortable. They tend to be a bit more expensive but, let’s face it, people will be in awe when they will see your new purchase.
A little look at size
I could not conclude this article – which I hope has been somewhat useful for your thought process – without writing a bit about which size you should be aiming at. It is a pretty simple question but it still needs to be covered.
First of all, you will notice pretty quickly that there are three standard sizes on the market: 10X10, 10X12 and an even bigger version, the 10X14. The bigger family you have, or the biggest receptions you want to organize, the bigger table you will need! A 10X10 gazebo should be large enough to accommodate 4 people with a table and 4 chairs, but if you want to expand this a little bit, you will have to look for non-standard models.
If you stay away from regular retailers and try to look for specialty gazebo products, you might end up with a 20X40 model, or even bigger! Since it sometimes has commercial applications, manufacturers have to make all sizes to be able to cater to companies as well as individuals.
