Gazebos are a highly popular outdoor furniture item. They’re perfect for providing shade in the summer heat, as well as protecting you from rain and gusts of wind. Plus, they look fantastic!
However, can gazebos go on decking?
If you’ve a large space on your decking that could be home to a potential gazebo, you’re probably wondering if it’s actually safe to do so.
Here is everything you need to know about whether gazebos can go on decking.
To answer it simply - yes, gazebos can go on decking!
This applies to both pop-up and permanent gazebos, meaning you can fill out that pesky space on your decking with a gazebo to provide some extra shade in your backyard.
The key to putting a gazebo on decking is knowing how to secure it to the surface without destroying the wooden floor below.
After all, it mostly depends on the security of your wooden decking. If your decking has been around for ages and is becoming rotten or broken, then it might not be worth adding a gazebo just yet.
So, here’s our guide on how to add a gazebo to a decking, including how to secure it, how to avoid damaging your decking, whether you can attack the gazebo to your house, and more.
Temporary, pop-up gazebos are a popular gazebo style for those only intending to use the gazebo during summer.
It means they can be taken down easily, plus you can move them around your backyard (or even outside your home entirely).
So, you’re not likely to need a permanent solution to attach a pop-up gazebo to your decking. Instead, you can get creative with ways to attach it so it doesn’t blow away.
Plant pots are a popular way to attach a pop-up gazebo to a decking. Heavy terracotta plant pots can be placed around each gazebo leg, which looks as good as it is practical.
Plus, it means you won’t have to go shopping, because you can use whatever is already available in your backyard.
If the area you live in is particularly windy, you can even put the gazebo leg in a plant pot to add a bit more weight.
To do this, place the leg into a plant pot and cover the bottom with bricks so it doesn’t move when pulled.
Then, fill it with soil, and even flowers to cover it. This is a great way to blend the gazebo into the backyard aesthetic, too!
Sandbags are a good option if you’re looking to weigh the legs of a gazebo down, however these aren’t always readily available.
Plus, sandbags aren’t exactly the most attractive thing to have on your decking, but this is a good temporary solution.
If you don’t want something too bulky, consider connecting your gazebo to the decking with metal straps.
This method is slightly more strenuous than the previous methods, however. Still, this is the best way to provide more invisible anchorage for your gazebo.
The key is to wrap one metal strap around each leg, and then wrap the strap underneath 2-3 wooden boards per leg.
We suggest connecting it to multiple boards, because strong winds can tear away a gazebo hanging onto one singular board.
Again, not the most attractive way to connect a gazebo to a deck but certainly a practical method is using cement blocks or bricks.
In the same way as the plant pots and sandbags, simply place the blocks around the legs of the gazebo so it’s secure.
If you want to add a splash of color, you can always spray paint the blocks or cover them with plant pots to hide them.
If you want to install a permanent hardtop gazebo to your decking, this can be made possible by screwing it to the wood.
However, it’s not an easy job to perform. It’s mostly recommended to hire a professional for this to prevent causing damage to your decking.
The legs of the gazebo should all be equipped with a screw hole. Start by making a pilot hole in four corners of the decking according to where you want the gazebo to be.
Make sure to attach galvanized screws to joists rather than directly to the decking, as this can cause damage. Then, screw through the leg and joist to the decking.
Bolts are a far more permanent option than screws, but these are typically harder to attach.
They’re also far harder to remove than screws, which is why most people opt for screws for a bit of leeway.
However, if you live in a particularly windy area, then bolts are the way to go.
As bolting a gazebo down to decking is a bit more complex than screws, we recommend hiring a professional to do this.
In the majority of cases, a gazebo attached to a decking will not damage the wood below.
This is especially true for pop-up gazebos, where it’s almost impossible to damage a decking when attaching it to the ground.
This is because you will be using non-permanent attachment methods, such as plant pots and bricks.
It all comes down to the method of attachment and the quality of the decking.
You can use your existing decking if the quality is decent enough to withhold the weight of multiple plant pots, blocks, and lots of foot traffic.
Remember, people will be standing underneath a gazebo (not to mention heavy furniture), so your decking needs to be able to hold that weight.
However, if your decking is old and rotting, then it might be worth investing in entirely new decking.
Unfortunately, this can cost a fair amount of money, but the price is worth it for your safety.
Screwing a gazebo to a decking is a fairly permanent method of attachment, but only if you use joists between the decking and the gazebo legs.
Not only will the joists provide more stability and attachment, but they will help to prevent the wood from splitting underneath the screw.
Bolting is the most permanent form of attachment, but this can be a tricky task.
For the safety of your decking, it is recommended to hire a professional, as they will know how to prevent damage to the wood.
So, can you attach a gazebo to decking and a house? The answer is yes!
Attaching a gazebo to decking and a house is a fun way to create a porch, allowing you a shaded and dry area to leave muddy boots, escape the rain while enjoying the fresh air, and a good place to socialize near your home.
With a pop-up gazebo, you won’t necessarily need to attach the structure to your house if it’s close enough.
This is because it will already be temporarily attached to the decking itself, so you’ll only need to move it close to your home.
Attaching to the house won’t provide any more security or stability than attaching it to the decking.
However, if you want to prevent water from dripping down the gap between the gazebo and the house, fabric gutters are available to purchase to collect the rainwater.
If you have a hardtop gazebo, you’ll need to seek the help of a professional. They will be able to bolt your gazebo both to the decking and to your home.
However, once it’s attached, it’s hard to remove, which is why people will often opt for a more permanent structure such as a pergola or porch.
These also happen to be the more attractive options.
Pop-up gazebos are the most popular temporary gazebo style used on decking. As the name suggests, they take minimal time to set up, and they’re super simple to attach to a decking.
As they are easy to remove, too, you can move these structures around your decking and backyard. This is very handy for packing it away during winter and bad weather.
We recommend opting for aluminum structures, because these tend to be the sturdiest.
Hardtop gazebos are more of a permanent gazebo compared to pop-up ones.
Typically made of aluminum, cast iron, or stainless steel, these structures are designed to last up to 10-15 years.
Aluminum is generally the preferred material as it’s the most rust-proof.
The attachment methods for hardtop gazebos are slightly more complicated than for pop-up ones, but the results are worth it if you want a permanent extension to your decking.
We also recommend looking for one with a roof vent if you wish to put a fire pit or grill underneath it.
Technically, a gazebo can be placed anywhere. It’s not limited to being placed on concrete.
All a gazebo needs is a solid and even structure to prevent it from falling over, which includes concrete, grass, patio, and even decking.
The only issue with putting a gazebo on concrete is that it’s not easy to find a suitable attachment method other than placing heavy objects around the legs.
With grass or decking, however, you can afford to screw the gazebo legs into the ground to provide a more stable structure.
While both gazebos and pergolas offer an outdoor structure, there is a clear difference between the two - and it’s all about the roof.
Gazebos have a complete roof (usually made of aluminum or fabric), offering a full coverage of shade underneath.
Pergolas, however, tend to offer partial shade due to a patterned roof. Also, pergolas are a permanent structure, while gazebos are only temporary.
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