Polycarbonate gazebo DIY
- Jun 3, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 5, 2021
Materials for installing the frame
The construction of a stable gazebo is impossible without the use of a quality foundation. Of the options used:
Metal – just erecting a frame from pipes is not the right option. It is imperative to connect individual elements by welding. Metal pipes always keep in price; however, the base will also have a long service life. As additional protection, pipes can be primed with enamel to prevent corrosive processes.
Wood – a wooden frame can be assembled by yourself without the involvement of professionals. Wood is affordable and environmentally friendly. It should be borne in mind that this material is subject to decay, therefore, the wooden frame must be treated with special protective sealer every year.
Instructions for the construction of a gazebo
Since the construction of a polycarbonate gazebo provides for the use of other construction materials for the construction of the frame, we will consider the two most common design options: with a frame made of pipes and wooden beams.
Polycarbonate & wood
For the construction of a gazebo with a polycarbonate coating and a wooden frame, a columnar foundation is required. How to construct such a gazebo – detailed instructions for your attention:
First, you need to level the soil and make a markup of the planned structure
Trenches 50 cm wide and about 1 m deep should be dug along the perimeter of the future gazebo. Rubble and sand (about 10 cm) are laid on the bottom
Wooden pillars are installed in the dug openings, which are pre-covered with protective equipment. To provide a higher level of waterproofing, the upper part of the posts is wrapped with roofing material.
The installed pillars are concreted, leveled, and passed along the surface with a level to determine the level of evenness. It looks like a columnar foundation. In this state, it must be left for about 6-7 days in order for the grout to cure thoroughly. So that cracks do not appear on the surface, the foundation must be regularly watered.
The next step is to install the lag. To do this, you need to take wooden beams (section 5*15 cm). They are installed in a horizontal position on the base of the gazebo, while the distance between the rails should be left about 40-50 cm.
The floor is installed on the rails. For this purpose, wooden boards pre-oiled with an antiseptic are suitable. And they are attached with self-tapping screws.
Next, the upper strapping with a bar takes place, and grooves are cut along the edge of the racks, into which the beam subsequently enters, connecting the racks. You can fix these components with self-tapping screws and standard nails. The final stage is the installation of rafters, lathing and covering the roof of the gazebo with polycarbonate.
This is a capital construction option. If the task is to erect the structure of an open gazebo for summer vacations, then you cannot construct walls, but just get by with a roof and pillars. It is also possible to construct a gazebo with fences, which are made with elements of artistic forging.
Shaped tube & polycarbonate sheathing
A gazebo made of a shaped pipe using polycarbonate is a solid construction with a long service life. It is a little more difficult to erect it in comparison with wooden options, but all the costs and efforts made are compensated for by a long service life. The following works are supposed to be performed:
The first stage is the selection of a site and a marking of the territory for the installation of support pillars.
Further – digging holes along the perimeter, the diameter of which is 10 cm, and the depth – up to 1 meter. At the bottom, a pillow of a mixture of sand and crushed stone is placed about 20 cm.
A metal support pipe is installed in each pit. For reliable fixation, wooden struts are made and the pits are concreted.
After the grout has cured, proceed to the stage of installing the lower trim. At the bottom of the pipes, metal corners are mounted by welding, and wooden rails are attached to their upper part. They are bolted together.
All components of the upper harness are welded.
The roof frame, as a rule, is assembled on the ground, and then installed on top of the gazebo already ready-made. To prevent metal elements from succumbing to corrosive processes, it is advisable to pre-treat them with special protective solutions or paint them.
For this look, look at our car ports.
The next stage is to fill the floors with concrete screed or to install wooden boards.
Final work – installation of carbonate sheets, fastening the roof to the frame and processing the joints with a special hermetic agent.
If it is planned to install a barbecue or grill in such a gazebo, then from the point of view of safety, it is better to make the floor concrete, but not sheathe it with wood.