How To Build A Hardtop Gazebo

This Gazebo Is Builder

This how to build a gazebo project is not as difficult as it looks. Think of it as a series of several shorter projects with an end goal in sight for each. You can make all the decorative parts in your garage or shop .

If you have several friends help you with the slab and framing , you can spread these two tasks over several weeks. A project like this would take two experienced carpenters nine working days from start to finish. An intermediate do-it-yourselfer who has built a deck should plan this as a whole summer project. Check out these 12 one-hour projects for your summer bucket list.

NOTE: You must have a site that slopes less than four inches over 12 ft.; any more than this will require some excavating.

Spectacular Hardtop Gazebo Ideas

Gallery featuring pictures of 36 spectacular hardtop gazebo ideas, showing off the stunning variety possible in your own backyard.

Welcome to our gallery of marvelous hardtop gazebo ideas!

If your backyard space feels empty and devoid of shady areas, you may be in the market for a fabulous multiple purpose gazebo.

Gazebos always make superb additions to backyard spaces. They provide shade and act as a gathering spot for family and guests. Gazebos look great in almost any yard or garden. They can put a cap on a carefully constructed landscaping job or just sit pleasantly poolside. You can use a gazebo to stage events or house your outdoor eating area. A gazebo can transform your space with elegance and style. Your yard can have an extra level of comfort and depth with a structure like;this.

Hardtop gazebos are great if you prefer to build a permanent area that will grace your yard in all seasons. Hardtops can reliably bring design to your landscape and garden through the seasons without much change. With proper maintenance, hardtops are resilient to the elements and can give your home an extra charm for many years.

What are the pros and cons of a hardtop gazebo?

Pros

Cons

Find more backyard ideas in our definitive guide to backyards!;

Materials You Need To Build A Hardtop Gazebo From Scratch

• Post timber
• Roofing sheets
• Screws

Once you have your plans for your gazebo and all your tools, you need to source your materials from a local DIY shop or lumbar yard.

When ordering timber, it is better for the posts and beams to be a little longer than necessary as you can always cut them to size but you cant add more on. It is worth knowing that around 1/3rd of the posts total length should be in the ground so for a 2-meter high roof, you should order posts around 2.8 3 meters long.

The posts should be treated to be used outdoors and thick enough to support the weight of the structure. The beams dont have to be as thick as the posts but it will help with the aesthetics if they are.

You will need some timber screws long enough to reach through your thickest timber and secure into the next one. I like to use sleeper bolts designed to be used with railway sleepers as they are long and strong.

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Alexander Aluminum Hardtop Gazebo

At a Glance;

Your backyard may not have a river running past, but this brilliant hardtop gazebo looks good in pretty much any location. ;

Top of the class? Well; this one is certainly right up there.

Elegant but tough as they come, this is a gazebo built to last. A steel and aluminum gazebo mix manufactured from all high quality materials.; The rustproof triangular aluminium frame is finished in understated dark brown and the triangular shape of the poles resist twisting or deforming.

The generous air vent and galvanised steel hardtop roof means its able to withstand quite sever winter weather and heavy snowfalls .

Rainwater and snow melt is taken care of by a gutter system that runs the water from the roof to the ground down the leg interiors. Nice!;;

A double track rail runs around the gazebo to allow mosquito netting and a privacy curtain to be hung. These are both included with the purchase, as well as bug netting to fit below the roof vent. A really nice, thoughtful, attention to detail.

Kozyard, the manufacturer have become a bench mark in build quality and elegance.

Footprint: 9.1 ft x 11.2 ft. Canopy size:;10 ft x12 ft.;Cupola Height:;9. 6ft. ;Max Arch:; 6. 6 ft

Additional Size Options:12 x 16 ft. 12 x 20 ft

Yardistry Meridian Wooden Gazebo

At a Glance;

If youre looking for a more traditional look for your 10 x 10 hardtop gazebo then Yardistry might just have the answer.

Its a beautifully finished product made from ready to assemble pre-cut cedar wood components topped off by an elegant graphite coloured aluminium roof. Its quite an appealing sight we think.

With sturdy 6 inch square legs and extensive interior roof bracing this gazebo is built to last. Its been pre-coated with an environmentally friendly cedar stain to bring out the natural beauty of the wood as well as to protect it from the elements.

No curtains or bug netting options with this gazebo though which is a tad disappointing, but for many this wont be much of an issue.;;

Footprint: 9 2 x 9 2. Canopy size:;9 11 x 9 11. ;OverallHeight:;9 5; ;Max Arch:; 6 11

Additional Size Options: 12 x 12 ft. 12 x 14 ft

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Gazebo Parts And Assembly

This isnt a full and detailed tutorial because that would take way too many photos and hours to read. I decided to give you an overview so you get the idea of what it will be like, and the tools youll need to build your own patio gazebo from this kit.

Yardistry, the manufacturer of this kit, provides an excellent instruction book and they also have a series of step-by-step videos you can watch.

We watched the videos several times before we started. ;And when we had questions about something, wed replay just that part of the video.

Before we put ours together my husband decided to give it an extra coat of stain. ;It comes stained but we wanted it to look a bit richer, and give it the best start. ;After all the pieces were dry we stacked them in the garage until we were ready to assemble the gazebo.

Thats a lot of parts, but dont stress, keep reading.

The ends of each board is labeled so you know which parts you need for which section. ;It looks intimidating but when you follow the directions step-by-step it really goes pretty smoothly.

Wed already removed some of the pieces when I took this picture.

Im sorry I didnt get a picture of the hardware. ;There is a lot of it. I mean a lot a lot so be prepared with those plastic bags and a sharpie to keep them organized.

How To Replace A Canopy On A Gazebo Hard And Soft Top

Last Updated on By: The Backyard Gnome

Gazebos add so much to our backyards by creating a visual focal point and an area for people to gather. However, they are subject to weather related damage since they stand outside 24/7!

Every so often there comes a time when we must replace the canopy on our gazebo. Soft-top canopies need to be replaced more often than hard top because of their vulnerability to damage such as ripping, tearing or sun-related damage like fading.

However, hard top canopies also become damaged or perhaps you want to replace the existing style with something else that caught your eye. Perhaps your soft top was damaged and you want to try a hard top now.

No matter your reason, we are here to help you learn to replace a hard and soft top canopy for your gazebo so you can save some money and do it yourself!

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Ways To Anchor A Gazebo In Grass With Stakes

When locating a gazebo in grass, you dont have a concrete slab to drill into, even if you wanted to! You could use the heavy anchors in each corner, but theres another method to try in grassy surfaces.

As long as the soil underneath your grass isnt too rocky, you should be able to sink anchors into the ground. Similar to tent stakes, you want to make sure these anchors get enough grip on the dirt to be effective.

Gazebo stakes have barbs or bits at the end to help them get more friction against the soil. If your gazebo has holes in the base of the legs, you can pound or twist these anchors into the ground, similar to drilling a screw. Make sure you install them per the manufacturers instructions for the safest installation.

The Raised Floor Gazebo

This gazebo looks like a scene out of paradise. It has a raised floor and an interesting roof line that catches your attention at first glance.

But once you step inside it has a great space for sitting, resting, or even sleeping. And to amp it up a notch, there is a cooler on the floor. What more could your heart desire in a gazebo?

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Screw The 2×6 Top Plates

• Screw the 2×6 top plates to the 4×4 posts with 3-in. galvanized screws.
• If your posts are set properly, the top plates should all be the same length.
• Make any adjustments to ensure the posts will all be plumb.
• Use a level to plumb the posts and install temporary bracing.
• Cut and install the post wraps C1 and C2 at this time.

Give the Posts Some Dimension:

• Give the posts some beef and dimension by nailing the cedar wrap to the tops and bottoms.
• Nail the 1×4 cedar wrap onto the posts first, then measure this width and rip-cut the wider 1×6 to fit .
• Nail the wider wrap to the post with 8d galvanized casing nails.

Picking The Best Hardtop Gazebo

Often hardtop gazebos are bought simply on looks and price. Natural enough, but you need to be sure that elegant good looks of a gazebo kit are disguising a rugged and durable gazebo underneath and youre not just buying a pretty, short lived lemon.;

Hardtop gazebos are pretty much permanent structures and require substantial financial, and if you plan to build it yourself, time investment. Naturally you want to get it right, and you want your gazebo to give many years of service.;

Buying a budget hardtop gazebo may suit some owners, but just remember it will take the same time and effort to build but just wont last as long.; For some folks living in states with warmer, drier winters a cheaper gazebo might well be an option, but the majority should plan on spending a tad more and with the right annual maintenance youll enjoy your hardtop garden or patio gazebo for very many years during the summer and all through the winter months.

Price is generally an indication of quality.; Cheap materials and poor build quality might produce a good looking temporary gazebo solution.; We really strongly recommend resisting that temptation though if youre looking past just a season or two.

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Nail The Roof Decking

• Nail the roof decking to the rafters with 8d nails.
• Be sure to screw the steel strap to the lower roof boards for extra support.
• The strap ties the narrower boards together to prevent sagging.
• Cut your lower fascia from 1×10 cedar. Hold it 7/8-in. above the ends of the rafters so your roof decking will be flush with the fascia.
• Rip 5-1/2-in. decking in half for the first seven courses so they’ll be able to bend around the lower curved section.
• Cut each end of the decking at 22-1/2 degrees for the first course and change the angle slightly until you finally reach about 16 degrees for the rest of the full-width courses.

Cut The Cupola Rafters

• Cut the rafters and the curved rafter tail buildups using the information in Fig. F.
• Pro tip:Study Figs. A, E and F in the attachments at the beginning of this article.

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Purple Leaf Double Roof Aluminum Patio Gazebo

Like the Dahlin above, the Purple Leaf Double Roof Aluminum Patio Gazebo is one of our overall favorite gazebos. The steel roof is designed to quickly usher out hot air in the summer while also withstanding the weight of 2 foot of snow.;

Equipped with rain gutters, mosquito netting, and privacy curtains, the Double Roof is a moderately-sized gazebo with features for every season.;

We especially love the Double Roof for its sleek design thats not 100% contemporary but also not entirely classic-looking either. It has a handsome profile with a roof line and texture that reminds us of Japanese pagodas.;

Pros

• Only available in one size and one color

Extreme How To Gazebo

This gazebo is a beautiful masterpiece. It has a tiered ceiling where the sunlight can trickle in. And it also has lots of seating available too.

But what sets this gazebo over the top is the detailed plans that help you build it. So if you are looking for a beautiful place to relax then look no further. This gazebo could be your private oasis or a great place for family gatherings. So let these plans help you to build this dream gazebo.

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Sojag Dakota Hardtop Sun Shelter

At a Glance;

Not bristling with fussy design details the Sojag sun shelter just offers a high quality product with out any visual bells and whistles.

A simple powder coated aluminium frame is topped by a galvanised steel roof. The understated dark brown colour blends easily into pretty much any outdoor location.

The visual simplicity of the hardtop gazebo can be enhanced by hanging and tying back of the mosquito nets which are included in the list price. A double curtain rail is built into the construction, but privacy curtains will need to be bought separately if theyre required.

Quite a light gazebo so could be suited to weight sensitive locations. No roof air vent and light weight means it does need to be well secured to its base.

We particularly like the rather useful winter covers. This link will take you to Amazon.com that Sojag offers as an extra for their hardtop gazebos. Really handy to turn the interior space into exterior winter storage. Who doesnt need that ?;

Sojag is a company with a long pedigree of excellence so youre in very safe hands with them. Great after sales too

Footprint:;9 5 x 9 5. Canopy size:;9 11 x 9 11;;Overall Height:9.00 ft. ;Eaves Height:; 6 7

At a Glance;

We particularly like this rather elegant all 10 x 10 steel gazebo from Outsunny.

The interestingly styled galvanised steel roof sits on top of a steel frame and legs. Everything has been rust proofed with a powder coated black and brown finish.

What Our Old Inexpensive Gazebo Really Cost Us

What we didnt anticipate was having to replace the canvas top every few years. ;Between the beating summer sun, and then no sun in the winter to dry it out, they disintegrated after a few seasons.

Each replacement top cost us around $100 each. ;Over the years we probably spent an additional $500 on tops. ;That really adds up and our $300 patio gazebo cost us closer to $1,000, not a great investment after all.

So last Spring on a trip to Costco we were thrilled to see a 12×14 cedar patio gazebo kit on display. ;With an aluminum top. ;Yay. ;No more replacing sun and water destroyed tops.

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Kozyard 10 Aluminum Patio Gazebo

The 10 Aluminum Patio Gazebo is the smaller model on the list from our friends at Kozyard. This gazebo manufacturer is known for great customer service and durable products. The 10 model is perfect for warming up a winter day with the flavors of the summer grill session. Even in the heart of winter, you and your family will be cozy under the galvanized steel roof that holds up to 2,500 lbs. of snow!

We love the sleek rustic appearance of this 10 gazebo. It also comes with insect-repelling, mesh screens for privacy and protection. For ultimate care, we recommend that you remove large amounts of snow from the roof. However, with a rust-resistant and powder-coated aluminum frame, you can feel good about leaving this gazebo outdoors all year-round.;

Pros