My wife wants a Gazebo, Help!

[mike69440]

My wife wants a Gazebo, to impress all at this summer's family reunion, and maybe drink tea as I sweat during the summer.

You know what they say, Happy wife, happy life.

I'm really not too excited about spending money we do not have to buy a pre-built and delivered Gazebo, nor do I look forward to the challenge of designing my own.
I admit I'm getting lazier and lazier.

Are there any kits available that supply the fancy stuff, any special hardware and templates for cutting your own lumber.

Vinyl trim would be nice. Looking for a 10-12 ft. size.

I can't be the first guy trying to get out of this for minimum $$$$ outlay and effort.

Thanks for any advice in advance!

Best

Mike W.

 

[CADplans]

My wife wanted one,, I added a screened in porch on the house,, instead,,
It made her much happier,,, no bugs!!

 

[Deere Dude]

My wife wanted one for 20 years and every time we drive past one I never see anyone in them. Stall her. In case you can't, send pictures.

 

[mike69440]

My wife wanted one for 20 years and every time we drive past one I never see anyone in them. Stall her. In case you can't, send pictures.

I Agree, But when I say no, all fury and wrath.

 

[David Wayne]

Just get an old wire corn crib. My wife saw one, showed me some photos of it. They had it fixed real nice with paver step stones, one of those free standing fire pits, and some type of flowering vine climbing the sides.

 

[ovrszd]

Gazebos suck!!!! Horrible compound angles to work out. I hope you don't have an ole grain bin sitting around like I did.....

This is what my Wife ended up with..............

If you show her the pics I'm off the hook......

 

[RickB]

Just get an old wire corn crib. My wife saw one, showed me some photos of it. They had it fixed real nice with paver step stones, one of those free standing fire pits, and some type of flowering vine climbing the sides.

That crib wire'll keep the big'uns out.

 

[fried1765]

Gazebos suck!!!! Horrible compound angles to work out. I hope you don't have an ole grain bin sitting around like I did.....

This is what my Wife ended up with..............

If you show her the pics I'm off the hook......






View attachment 497266





View attachment 497267

That is an ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT solution to the request for a useless gazebo!

 

[ovrszd]

That is an ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT solution to the request for a useless gazebo!

Terry bugged me about it for two years. Last Summer I incorporated my 16 year old Grandson into the project. We had a great time building it. She hasn't spent more than 5 minutes in it. That's okay, Dylan and I enjoyed it.

 

[SandburRanch]

The grain bin concept idea is great and I agree with the statement " useless gazebo " when they won't keep the rain, hail, bird crap or sun off of my ole body. Mine would have a roof and be called a pavilion.

 

[NewfieDan]

We built one a few years ago for the wife's lutdoor kitchen. To protect it from the weather. Ours does not have any fancy pre-made stuff. The only compound angles were in the roof. The supports are 6x6 with 2x10 on top. The 2x10 were cut at about 22degree angles. Around the base we put in 2x6 between the posts for the cold beverages. Under these 2x6 and between the posts is laminated safety glass. We put in the safety glass because of the nieces and nephews. If they fell against it there would be no large sharp pieces. Above the 2x6 ledgers we had custom vinyl pieces made at a local place. They are trimmed in opaque brown vinyl with clear vinyl windows like a boat top has.

For decorative supports at the top of the 6x6 to the 2x10(placed at 45degree) are just more 2x6. To make them decorative a s-curve was cut, then a hole drilled with a hole saw. To cover any mistakes in the roof, the inside is a cathedral style roof with tongue and groove pine. Ours is huge(20'x25' with 10' ceiling) since we have a LARGE family. Wife has 10 brothers and sisters, plus their spouses and kids. We also put in water and sink drain that goes to a french drain covered by topsoil.

If you want photos I have a few I can send. BTW ours is used for our hot tub.

Before the gazebo I put in a retractable awning. She was pretty happy with that. A lot cheaper and simpler to put in. An afternoon and you have shade from the sun and light showers.

 

[MossRoad]

Got an old, large satellite dish???

Don't laugh, some of these are beautiful!

gazebo from old satellite dish - Google Search

 

[STx]

Talk to Eddie Walker, he can show you how to build a gazebo.

 

[mike69440]

Talk to Eddie Walker, he can show you how to build a gazebo.

Yes, Eddie sure can!

This looks doable
http://www.calredwood.org/pdf/Projects/Lake+Tahoe+Gazebo.pdf

 

[EddieWalker]

I have three gazebos and will probably build a few more before I'm dead. We use the one down by the pond about a dozen times a year. It's long enough for two 8 foot tables end to end and 20 chairs, which is nice for parties and get togethers. Fighting wasps is my never ending battle with it. Another is where my hot tub is and it gets used a couple times a week when the weather is cool. The third one has been sitting, unfinished for five years. It looks nice from a distance, I just always have something else to do.

Most importantly, all of them are just nice to see in the landscape of the land. I smile just seeing them.

I don't have any knowledge of any kits. I had one client with a metal one that looked like stained wood from a distance. It was nice. No maintenance to it, nothing to rot or need repainting. I'm not aware of anything that's both affordable, and durable. Attractive means time, and time means money.

I suggest to my clients when they want something to find pictures of what they like, and then I give them a price for that, and I also give them suggestions on how to save money with some changes, or places to get it already done, for less.

 

[fried1765]

We built one a few years ago for the wife's lutdoor kitchen. To protect it from the weather. Ours does not have any fancy pre-made stuff. The only compound angles were in the roof. The supports are 6x6 with 2x10 on top. The 2x10 were cut at about 22degree angles. Around the base we put in 2x6 between the posts for the cold beverages. Under these 2x6 and between the posts is laminated safety glass. We put in the safety glass because of the nieces and nephews. If they fell against it there would be no large sharp pieces. Above the 2x6 ledgers we had custom vinyl pieces made at a local place. They are trimmed in opaque brown vinyl with clear vinyl windows like a boat top has.

For decorative supports at the top of the 6x6 to the 2x10(placed at 45degree) are just more 2x6. To make them decorative a s-curve was cut, then a hole drilled with a hole saw. To cover any mistakes in the roof, the inside is a cathedral style roof with tongue and groove pine. Ours is huge(20'x25' with 10' ceiling) since we have a LARGE family. Wife has 10 brothers and sisters, plus their spouses and kids. We also put in water and sink drain that goes to a french drain covered by topsoil.

If you want photos I have a few I can send. BTW ours is used for our hot tub.

Before the gazebo I put in a retractable awning. She was pretty happy with that. A lot cheaper and simpler to put in. An afternoon and you have shade from the sun and light showers.

"shade from the SUN and light showers"

I spent a year in Argentia.
I must have missed that day with the "SUN"
Plenty of fog though!
I loved my year up there..... hated to leave!

 

[Big Barn]

Gazebos suck!!!! Horrible compound angles to work out. I hope you don't have an ole grain bin sitting around like I did.....

This is what my Wife ended up with..............

If you show her the pics I'm off the hook......






View attachment 497266





View attachment 497267

Holy CRAP Richard, THAT is cool!! Good thinking and nice job.!

Terry

 

[Big Barn]

I have three gazebos and will probably build a few more before I'm dead. We use the one down by the pond about a dozen times a year. It's long enough for two 8 foot tables end to end and 20 chairs, which is nice for parties and get togethers. Fighting wasps is my never ending battle with it. Another is where my hot tub is and it gets used a couple times a week when the weather is cool. The third one has been sitting, unfinished for five years. It looks nice from a distance, I just always have something else to do.

Most importantly, all of them are just nice to see in the landscape of the land. I smile just seeing them.

I don't have any knowledge of any kits. I had one client with a metal one that looked like stained wood from a distance. It was nice. No maintenance to it, nothing to rot or need repainting. I'm not aware of anything that's both affordable, and durable. Attractive means time, and time means money.

I suggest to my clients when they want something to find pictures of what they like, and then I give them a price for that, and I also give them suggestions on how to save money with some changes, or places to get it already done, for less.

Here's mine. My woodworking skills SUCK so I had to enlist help.

Eddie would have been my first choice, but I'm sure the travel expenses would have killed me.

 

[ovrszd]

Holy CRAP Richard, THAT is cool!! Good thinking and nice job.!

Terry

Thank you.

It was my wife's idea. She had looked at hundreds of pictures of them from a Google search. Of course now I am the condemnation of many men in the community. Now their wives want one. For the first month there were a lot of vehicles turning around at the farm. They just drove out to take a look. I'm not talented like Eddie. I've probably did my one and only.

 

[ovrszd]

Here's mine. My woodworking skills SUCK so I had to enlist help.

Eddie would have been my first choice, but I'm sure the travel expenses would have killed me.

View attachment 497325

Sure looks good to me!!!!! Way beyond my pay grade.