A.Floor Framing… 2 x 6 Pressure Treated Floor Joists for long life and strength. This floor can hold your hot tub and large groups of people. (NOTE: Floor joists where sections are joined in kits are doubled 2 x 6 – floor joists on assembled units are single 2 x 6. 18' gazebos use 2 x 8's ’)
B.Floor Decking: 5/4 x 6 #1 grade lumber; either #1 pressure treated southern yellow pine, western red cedar, or the new state of the art composite decking.
C.Posts are different in each of our three materials: Treated gazebos have a laminated post, which is made by gluing southern yellow pine boards together under pressure to produce a post that is stronger and less likely to twist, split, or check than a standard 4 x 4 post. Cedar gazebos have 4 x 4 cedar posts, (Note: Due to it’s chemical makeup, western red cedar cannot be laminated.) Our vinyl gazebos have a Treated Pine 4 x 4 post packed with a 1/2" of plywood between the pies and covered with a heavy duty vinyl sleeve.
D.Top hand rail 2 x 4 to match gazebo (cedar, treated) or a wooden top rail cased in vinyl. This adds strength to the railing and stability to the posts.
E.Corner Brackets: Part of the top railing system, they are more than just decoration. They help keep the gazebo square and also help support the weight of the roof. While you can choose to not have the top railings, the corner braces are required for strength. Available in standard or a more decorative design.
F.Top Railings: Top spindles will match the other railings on your gazebo. The top railings have a full 2 x 3 top and bottom plate for strength.
G.Top Plate: Depending on the size of the gazebo, the top plate is either 2 x 8 or 2 x 12. This serves as a top plate for attaching the roof to the gazebo and keeps the gazebo square.
H.Fascia: It is made with wood to match the rest of your gazebo and comes with the decorative waved bottom.
I.Roof Framing: Shown is the standard roof framing for a gazebo with cedar shake shingles. Roof rafters are 2 x 4 (or 2 x 6 for large gazebos). Just as with the floor, assembled gazebos have single rafters, while the easy to install kits give even more support as the rafters are doubled. Vinyl Gazebos have wooden rafters that can be painted or left natural. Cedar shake shingles need to breathe, so they are installed using 1 x 4 strips of wood (cedar or treated pine) called “perlins”. Looking up from inside your gazebo, you will see the bottom of the cedar shingles. NOTE: If you have chosen a different shingle (Asphalt or Rubber), the perlins are replaced with a 1 x 6 cedar tongue and groove roof decking.
J.Cedar Shingles: Used on houses for centuries, cedar shake shingles will hold up for decades as cedar has no natural enemies, such as insects, and will not rot or decay. They can be allowed to weather to a light gray, or with proper application of stain/sealer, will look new for years to come.
K.Cupola: – Standard on all octagon and square gazebos, cupolas will match your gazebo in materials and shingles. The roof is open to the cupola allowing ventilation. Rectangular and Oval Gazebos do not come with cupolas as a standard feature, but can be added as an option. However, to maintain the structural strength of the roof, the cupola is purely decorative and the roof is not open.
