Gazebos Galore

How to Build a Gazebo: With Proper Planning, You Can Do It

April 18th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

If you’re comfortable with handling tools and have the time, you can build a gazebo. You may be surprised to learn how much the market has to offer you for guidance, help and materials if you are willing to try your hand.

What You Need to Know to Build a Gazebo

First, you should do a little research. If you live in a homeowner’s association (HOA) you should confirm with them that building a gazebo is OK. Next, check with your local city or county building department. Have your property survey handy to show the building department staff where you plan to build your gazebo. They will tell you in detail where the gazebo is allowed to be placed according to the local setback limitations; and what materials, height and size requirements, if any, need to be followed. The building department will also tell you if any building permits will be required. Home owners are responsible for pulling all building permits. What size gazebo you can build will depend on the size of the lot. It is preferable to research how to build a gazebo prior to buying any materials or doing construction. You don’t want to be fined for building a gazebo that’s incapable of meeting hurricane or building code requirements.

It ’s also important to decide what your personal requirements are before you decide on an exact size and position to build a gazebo. If you plan to entertain regularly in your gazebo, you may want to place the gazebo near your kitchen and/or outdoor grill island for ease of transporting food and tableware. Entertaining large numbers of people will call for a large gazebo to enable them to mingle comfortably. If you plan to use the gazebo for private relaxation and meditation, perhaps you want to situate it farther from your home; or locate it just off your bedroom’s deck or porch. If you use the gazebo for a spa, you may consider having an ample amount of interior space to walk around the spa, installing screens for privacy, and ensuring that proper plumbing, drainage and electric lines are available. Of course, the larger your gazebo, the larger the area needed to build. You may also want to consider how much sunlight the gazebo area will get during the day. If you want to maximize the amount of sun your gazebo receives, make sure you position it away from trees or other structures that could create shade.

Once you’ve measured your area, checked out the local laws and HOA agreements, determined your personal requirements, and made your final decisions, you can look at building plans for gazebos. Check your local library for books on how to build a gazebo – this is a great way to find free plans for gazebos. Check out some of the fine books available online. Some internet sites also offer plans for free. Don’t forget that if you don’t want to build a gazebo completely from scratch, there are many excellent gazebo kits available for sale.