How To Put A Roof On A Gazebo

November 25, 2021

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How To Put A Roof On A Gazebo That Will Last

How to build a Gazebo Roof

If youre quite handy and dont mind a bit of extra work, you can build a reinforced gazebo roof.

To make sure the gazebo roof will last longer, consider installing a king post that runs from the floor to the uppermost point of the roof. This middle post will have to be longer than the corner posts.

If you buy standard 8 ft lumber posts for the corners, the middle one should be 10 or 12 ft. Depending on your exact plan, you can cut it to measure using a circular saw.

Another option is to use cedar shingles instead of the more common and more affordable asphalt shingles. Wooden shingles age better and are more resistant. Covering the roof with cedar shingles requires more work than using asphalt shingle sheets, true. But whats an extra day of work on a gazebo that youre going to enjoy for many years to come?

To make sure your gazebo roof will last many years, insulate it as best you can. One option would be to cover the plywood with a self-sealing membrane that keeps water from seeping in.

Also, you should install a nylon underlayment for ventilation between the plywood and the cedar shingles. This underlayment will let air flow between the plywood and shingles, so they would dry faster after a storm.

In the end, building a roof for your gazebo may turn out to be not as difficult as you imagine. Pick the right method for you and take it one step at a time.

How To Shingle A Gazebo Roof

A gazebo is a great way to add a nice outdoor area to your backyard. Most gazebos have a shingle roof and are similar to most home roofing additions, except on a smaller scale, meaning that you can do the job yourself in a weekend.

Whether you have purchased a gazebo from a kit, are attempting to build a gazebo on your own, or are simply looking to repair or replace an existing gazebo roof, you will find that putting shingles on your gazebo is an easy and satisfying job to complete.

Make sure you have enough shingles to cover your gazebo roof. You will need enough to add two layers of shingles, the base layer and the final layer. For 10-foot gazebos, you will need roughly five bundles of shingles while a 14-foot gazebo will require roughly nine bundles of shingles. Check with your shingle manufacturer or home improvement specialist to make sure you will have enough shingles for the job.

Caulk the seams of your gazebo roof prior to installing shingles. This will increase the water resistance of your gazebo roof.

Install a drip edge around the edges of your gazebo roof. To install, start at one roof edge and nail the drip edge to the edge of the roof using ¾-inch roofing nails. When you get to a corner, bend the roof edge to the gazebo roof and continue nailing.

Install the metal roof cap at the top of the gazebo roof by placing it at the top of the roof and screwing it down securely.

Main Gazebo Roof Rafter Installation

Cut a birds mouth in each rafter and miter the upper end to fit flush against the octagon center frame.

Support the octagon from underneath to hold it at the proper height and level.

Install rafters one at a time, installing opposing rafters to support the octagon.

Fasten rafters by toe nailing into the frame at the birds mouth and driving fasteners into the end of each rafter, from inside the octagon.

Install two rafters against each flat face of the octagon and one at each corner of the roof.

Rafter tails can be cut for fascia, or left long and cut with a decorative detail as described in the single tiered roof section.

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Tools Required For Fitting The Gazebo

You only really need basic tools for fitting the gazebo. Two battery powered drills helps save time and clamps are essential really to make a good job, we use them a lot in fitting both gazebos and also log cabins. A very useful tool!

Tools include: Two Step Ladders, Two drills, hammers, pliers, long spirit level, marker pen, tape measure and the all important clamps. You will also need a saw for trimming roof boards.

Lifting The Second Tier Gazebo Roof

Position a heavy step ladder, long enough to reach from the ground to the center octagonal frame on a fairly low angle, with its feet firmly on solid ground and the top end extending just past the top edge of the octagon.

Cut lumber planks to fit over the ladder steps to create a bed for your ramp. The second tier roof assembly will slide up this and into position.

Work Safely

Secure a rope long enough to pass over the entire gazebo structure to the ground on the opposite side, to the second tier roof assembly.

Station a helper at the ground end of this rope to take out slack as the assembly is raised, to prevent it sliding back down.

With at least one strong helper, put the assembly in place at the bottom of the ladder and slide it up the ladder slowly.

Have the rope handler keep the rope tight at all times so that the assembly will not slide back.

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Go For Iron Roofing For Cooler Summers

Corrugated iron roofing is another popular choice among homeowners, primarily due to its extreme durability. In fact, its said that the average life expectancy of corrugated iron roofing is over 50 years! This means that youll never have to replace the roof ever again.

In addition to this, corrugated roofs keep you cool during summer because they naturally send the suns UV rays into the atmosphere. In comparison, traditional roofing materials can heat up to 190°F on a hot summer day, with a good portion of heat transferring into the gazebo.

The initial installation and material cost of corrugated roofs may be quite steep, but youre paying for high-quality roofing in exchange. Plus, as theyre made of metal, you can bend and twist them to whatever design fits your gazebo whether its four-sided, octagonal, or even flat.

Is Wood Or Metal Better For My Gazebo

Both metal and wood can be a long-lasting and durable material. Both can also corrode and decay quickly if you choose the wrong type. A wrought iron gazebo will be heavy, but sturdy and durable. At the same time, an aluminum one might get picked up in the wind. When building a wooden gazebo, it should be either hardwood or treated wood.

How To Install A Gazebo

Once you purchase your outdoor gazebo from a hardware store or directly from a gazebo supplier, youll have to take care of putting it together and securing it in place if youre making it a permanent fixture of your landscape.

You have a few options for installing the gazebo you just purchased:

Some suppliers will offer to install the gazebo for you when its delivered. Not all suppliers offer this service. Also, those who do tend to charge a lot.
You can do it yourself. For DIY enthusiasts, building a gazebo can be a fun weekend project. Youll just need a few basic tools like a hammer and a drill.
If you dont want to pay steep prices or worry about putting it together yourself, you can have a local building and construction expert install your gazebo for you.

Gazebo installation and repair services are available on Airtasker if you want a helping hand from an expert.

What if you start building it and give up halfway? No worries, you’re not the first one to need assistance with a partial build. You can post your task and help will be on the way!

Place Asphalt Shingles On The Roof

DIY Polycarbonate Gazebo Roof Follow up How to.

Now, its time to take out the asphalt sheets bundles. For best results, youll need to install two layers.

For the base layer, you need to place the shingles upside down. Start at the lower edge, lay one row of shingles, and work your way to the top. Trim the shingles sheet as necessary with a utility knife. Attach the shingles to the wooden frame using ¾ screws.

For the upper layer, the shingles will be placed with the right side up, but the process is the same. You start from the joists and work towards the top ridge. Make sure the rows overlap for better drainage.

The last step is to cover the seams of the roof with ridge caps cut from the shingles sheet to keep water from infiltrating.

Asphalt roof shingles are easy to install. Credit: Shutterstock

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Adjust The Gazebo Height Setting

You can now adjust the height of the legs for the gazebo. There are three height settings, with a 10cm difference between them. We recommend starting on the lowest setting, and then raising each leg as you require.

IMPORTANT: Ensure that all legs are straight and are not awkwardly leaning in or out of alignment. All legs must be adjusted to the same height. Your gazebo must also be installed on level ground.

Putting A Hard Top On My Gazebo

Cynthia H on Apr 01, 2018If the company you purchased it from doesn’t make one for it, make sure that any weight you are going to put on it will be safely supported. Some frames just aren’t strong enough.

Johnavallance82 on Apr 01, 2018You will need a number of cross timbers fixed in place before you could lay anything on it. i assume it is wood and could take the weight of a hard top roof.

Kathryn on Apr 09, 2018No they are steel posts and I don’t think it would be strong enough for a hard top. I might as well go and just buy one. Thanks for your help!

DesertRose on Apr 02, 2018Use the supports for the canvas and put up light weight plywood, then tar paper it and shingle it. That should be pretty easy approach for your need. Hope it all goes well!

Jewellmartin on Apr 03, 2018Check your city codes to see what is allowed. My city allows arbors and pergolas, but gazebos have to match the houses shingles and design. Canvas and plastic are not allowed.

Darlene Lewis on Apr 09, 2018mine has a metal roof….I don”t have any problem .I also have my gazeebo hard wired and screened in with a screen door that locks on the inside and slide bolts on the outside.HURRICANE IRMA knocked the door off on one hinge…….I had a handyman put it back on the hinge.

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Completing The Gazebo Roof Deck

Cut the ends of the boards for the next section to match the first, on a 22 ½ ° miter, long enough that the remaining end will overlap the opposite edge of the triangular section between main rafters.

Fit the boards in place as before, starting from the bottom edge. Fasten each board in place as previously described.

Continue decking in sections until you reach the last section. Measure and cut each piece to fit the last remaining section with miters on both ends.

Installing The Clear Roof Panels

Now we were finally ready for the roof! All that prep took way more time that actually adding the roof, but I know proper prep is important .

We discovered that our house is not square on the property and made our pergola line up with the fence so it didnt look crooked. So our roofing had to be measured carefully to ensure the overhang was the proper distance all the way down.

So we measured the start and end of every 26 panel and cut each one individually. It ended up being that each panel was 1/4 longer at the back end than the front end. We put the slightly diagonal cut line against the crooked house and left the factory cut line at the overhang.

To cut the panels, we clamped a level to create our cut line and used a circular saw to run right down the edge of it. It was super quick to measure and cut each one. The sound of the saw hitting each corrugation is a little scary at first, but it cuts so clean that there is no need to worry.

After cutting we placed the beautiful clear roof panels on top of the pergola. They just sit onto the horizontal and vertical closure strips. Once in place, it is time to start securing it.

Each screw hole needs to be predrilled with a 1/4 drill bit first to allow for expansion and contraction due to change in temperatures. Without this there might be cracking and that is not desirable! So we used both sets of hands to make quick work of it.

One person predrilled the holes and the other one came in behind with the special screws.

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Cover The Roof With Plywood

Once youve screwed the rafters in place, carefully measure each segment of the roof to determine how to cut the plywood sheets. Use your circular saw for this job.

Next, put up the plywood over the roof, without any screwing. See if the plywood pieces fit together. Trim where necessary. When they fit like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, you can start fixing them with 1 ¼ screws, placed every 6.

Or A Classic Wooden Roof

Wooden roofs are the first choice for many. Other than the fact that theyre generally more affordable than some other options, theyre also versatile and aesthetically-pleasing.

I personally believe that wooden roofs are the perfect choice if you have a backyard full of trees and flowers primarily because they further complement its natural look.

Another great thing about wooden roofs is that theyre easy to repair and replace. Although theyre not as durable as, say, asphalt shingles, they can easily stand the stress of severe weather conditions. Plus, they have superior insulation. What more could you want?

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What Is The Best Type Of Gazebo To Buy

Here are the best gazebos you can buy : Best garden gazebo overall: Sojag Dakota Aluminum Gazebo with Steel Roof Panels. Best fabric-topped gazebo : Sunjoy Rosedale Bamboo Steel Frame Gazebo . Best wood-framed gazebo : Sunjoy Archwood Cedar-Framed Gazebo . Best wooden build-in-place gazebo : Handy Home San Marino Round Gazebo .

Gazebo Roof Foundation Ring

How To Install Roof Shingles | Gazebo Direct

This ring sits at the top of the posts and is built similarly to the outside beam structure of your foundation, if you chose the straight decking model. There are two concentric octagons. Assemble the outside ring first.

Cut the pieces to length with 22 ½ °miters at each end. Fasten them to the tops of the posts and to each other at each corner.

Cut the inside octagon with 45° miters at each end. There will be two lengths of pieces, four short, four long.

Install the long pieces first. Lag bolt them to the posts and toenail each end where it meets the inside face of the outside octagon.

Install the four short pieces by toe nailing through the ends. Use fasteners long enough to go through both pieces and into the posts.

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Put A Transparent Plastic Roof

Lastly, you can put a transparent plastic roof on a pergola. A plastic roof can protect the element. It can protect you from snow, wind, rain and sun. Apart from that, a plastic roof is very durable. The transparent plastic roof also allows you to enjoy watching the sky while sitting in your gazebo.

Screw On The Roofing Panels

Then youre ready to start attaching your panels.

Put up the first panel so that its lying straight across the horizontal supports and the last raised groove is running on top of the vertical strip .

Make sure that you have the proper side up. There should be a label on the panel that tells you what side that is. Remove the label before attaching the panel.

Since my panel was a little bigger than my pergola roof, I let it overhang on both sides. That way if my roof isnt perfectly square , I can trim the panels later to end at the edge of the pergola roof line.

Then use a quarter inch drill bit to drill holes through the panel where the screws are going to go. These screws will be installed in the raised part of the horizontal supports and along the vertical supports.

You dont need a screw in every raised section of the horizontal closure strip.

For the strips that run along the outside edges of your pergola roof, put a screw in every other raised section.

For the closure strips that are in the middle of your pergola roof, put a screw in every third raised section.

Then screw in the screws with rubberized washers using the socket bit.

The washer should be resting firmly on the plastic roofing panel, but not tight enough to cause a dimple in the panel.

When you get to the edge where the next panel will join, dont put the screws in yet.

Put up the next panel so that the first raised section of the new panel overlaps the last raised section of the old panel.

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Advice On Fitting The Gazebo

From this point I only use the plans to check that I am using the right parts in the right place. I am not following the construction method or the particular location of screws, this is the way I have found it to be easiest over the years. With this method:

You only need two people to carry out the install.
It is easier to find the EXACT location of where post holders should be fitted while accounting for timber not being an exact product to work with.
It is safer, stronger and quicker.
No strain is placed on any joints, some plans will show building the gazebo on its side and then lifting into position, I have found this method very hard to do and can put strain on the joints.

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