A gazebo is the dream of many people who own a house with a garden or a plot. It not only performs practical functions, but can also become an excellent visual addition to the landscape space. The article will tell about the types of arbors, the choice of materials and practical measures for their construction in the courtyard of a private house.

Types of arbors

Convenient and practical gazebo in the garden - a simple and useful solution for the improvement and decoration of the site. Here you can organize a place of rest, meetings, shelter from the hot sun, summer rain or wind, equip a workshop for comfortable and accurate work, a gym, a home theater, a children's playground, or simply read a book in silence and loneliness, if adequate lighting is provided.

There are open summer pavilions and enclosed constructions that can be used year-round. Sometimes there are intermediate options when the summer structure is insulated for cold periods, but such use requires additional costs of materials and time for arrangement. The choice to erect a gazebo with or without walls depends on the purpose of the structure. If this is only a place of rest and solitude, then closed models with one entrance are ideal, and for the meeting place it is better to equip an open structure on all sides, where all guests will have free access to the center.

Pavilions can also be built of wood. A wide variety of forms and styles of gazebos, as well as plans for detached and deck structures, give a wide choice for the owner of the site and the possibility of creative imagination when implementing the project.

If you want to equip a shady place in the garden, you can build a pergola for this, which will provide shade and a little sunlight, since it does not have a blank roof. But for protection from rain and arranging a barbecue area, a gazebo under the roof will be an excellent solution. It should be large enough to accommodate a set of comfortable garden furniture and accommodate all family members and guests.

If a grill is used in the gazebo, then a ventilation hole should be provided, and often one of the walls near which an open fire is kindled is made of stone. It is not only practical and safe, but also looks modern in appearance, although it increases construction costs. A simple structure can be built near the fence or next to a country house in the form of a veranda with a canopy, which has a common roof with the main structure. This version of the gazebo is easy to build and cost effective.

Did you know? The round arbor is called a rotunda, and the construction on a hill for admiring the surrounding view is a belvedere. The English call it gazebo, and the Slavs - altanka.

The traditional garden gazebo has walls, a roof and a floor. However, you can make a cheaper version in the form of a pavilion. These types of structures are devoid of floors and side walls. The lightest pavilions are made of varnished steel grating, covered with impregnated fabric (waterproof). Quick and easy assembly and lightweight materials make it possible to move the structure to different places, and in winter - to disassemble and store until spring, for example, in a garage.

Where to place in the yard

The days when plastic furniture and simple hammered benches dominated the gardens are a thing of the past. Today, the garden should be considered as another room in the house, a green summer living room, in the device and interior of which love and imagination should be invested. After all, it is here that summer days and evenings are spent in the fresh air, and this place should provide minimal stealth and convenient access. Two main points when choosing a place is the appearance of the gazebo, so that it does not violate the harmony of the garden and fits into the landscape, and the location, providing a cozy shady corner.

For relaxation, choose a quiet and peaceful place, preferably in the back of the garden, away from the main entrance and the street. It can be a lawn, a territory in the shade of trees and bushes, by a stream or an artificial reservoir. A place for lunch in the fresh air or parties is better to equip closer to home to make it convenient to set the table. Ideally, when the arbor is surrounded on several sides by lush vegetation, this to some extent allows you to isolate the place and gives greater freedom in everyday use. And, of course, you need to build a gazebo away from the garage, trash can and toilet.

Preparatory work before construction

Building a gazebo can be a simple or complex construction project, depending on which plan you choose, so before starting work, correctly assess your level of skill and material capabilities, collect more information about the methods.

Seat selection

Preparatory work begins with the selection of a site for construction - the terrain must be smooth, without slopes, faults and other irregularities. After choosing a site for future construction, it is necessary to clear, remove vegetable debris, cut down and uproot the bush and trees. It is very important that the base under the structure is well aligned, which guarantees the subsequent correct assembly of the structure and its stability.

Drawing preparation

Pergolas are often used in garden landscapes, and designs range from complex and costly to simple with minimal investment. Often the minimal classic design is mainly composed of four pillars and cross bars running along the top.

Even such a small and simple structure requires some design and preparation of the drawing in order to estimate material costs, make a reference to the terrain, take into account growing trees, and not get confused during the construction process in the sequence of assembly of the structure, manufacture of necessary parts.

The choice of material for construction

Construction should begin with the selection of the most important building materials, the exact list of which must be prepared along with the drawings of the project, and then purchased everything necessary. If we talk about building materials, the list is very extensive, but the cost of the project will depend on the choice of the components used - wood, metal, concrete, plastic, glass, lumber, screws, nuts and bolts for connection.

Important! The material that will be used for the manufacture of the structure must be well protected from adverse weather conditions.

Wooden arbors are considered the simplest, since this material is easy to use, does not require special tools, and work skills are easy to master. Impregnated wood with protection against moisture, mold, fungi and insects is being manufactured. In many supermarkets, you can find ready-made kits and individual items that are supplied with the assembly instructions.

They will include:

• frame support beams;
• a wooden beam measuring 9 × 9 cm;
• planed boards 2 × 20 × 200 cm - they can be used for walls and roofing;
• openwork elements that are great for decorative walls.

During assembly, wooden fasteners, fittings, spacers and steel anchors that will be built into the assembly will also come in handy. Alternative materials for the gazebo are steel, glass, stone and plastic.

The gazebo made of forged parts or curved metal pipes is a lightweight construction and fits well into a small area of ​​the garden. All elements must be painted to protect the metal from corrosion. A stone building can be designed from a brick, concrete or stone base part of the walls, and the top, taken away by a lattice or glass frames. This design can be used as a winter storage.

Step-by-step construction

Choosing a place, drawing up a drawing and deciding on the materials, you can proceed directly to the construction. It is advisable to have basic skills in this matter, especially if work with stone or metal is supposed. However, this is not about creating a residential building, so the requirements for construction are not so strict.

Foundation laying

The first stage of construction is the preparation and laying of the foundation. The stability and durability of the structure depend on the work performed correctly. Irregularities, poorly calibrated directions, improper waterproofing can lead to the destruction of the building.

The arbor area is marked with pegs with a stretched rope. Then they begin to manufacture the base of the arbor. Usually, concrete pillars on cement mortar are laid in the ground to a depth of 70–80 cm with an interval of not more than 1 m. Metal anchors or profiles are attached to them, on which the rest of the structure is mounted.

The number of point foundations depends on the number of vertical support columns attached to them. For lightweight open structures with a thin English grid and a simple roof, it is enough to lay several concrete slabs or paving stones for leveling in the base. If the arbor is heavy (with brick or stone pillars), then form a concrete foundation slab with a thickness of 15–20 cm. To protect the structure from water, the foundation should be at least 10 cm above the ground.

Bottom harness

Reliability and durability of the gazebo depend on high-quality castings. The lower harness distributes the load and serves as a strong support for the lag beams of the floor and walls, so it should be securely fixed to the foundation of the structure, waiting for the concrete to dry completely. This is the key to a long service life and structural stability.

Metal anchors or profiles are attached to the foundation, and the wooden structure of the gazebo is mounted on them. Wood should not come in direct contact with soil or concrete - burnt bricks or blocks wrapped in waterproofing material are placed under the beams.

The gazebo with the floor can also be placed directly on the ground, provided that the soil is perfectly leveled and compacted, and the material of the gazebo from the bottom is well saturated. At this stage, the most important thing is that the beams are perfectly aligned and located at right angles.

Important! Leveling must always be checked with a liquid level and a plumb line.

Pillars and top rail

When the lower harness is ready, you can begin to install the vertical supports, determining their position using the level and tape measure. All work is carried out from the base to the roof. Work begins from one wall, fixing wooden supports strictly vertically at equal distances with the help of metal corners and jibs, and the floor is laid out with beams. For fastenings and joints, metal profiles, anchors, fittings, screws, nails and screws are used.

For a simple design, four columns are enough that form the frame of the structure. They should stand in each corner of the gazebo or be located at a distance of about 1.5 m from each other in the form of a round structure, and the roof should rest on poles. The upper harness is designed to combine the walls of the structure into a single whole. It evenly distributes the load between the walls, roof and floors.

On the beams of the wall, the upper harness of the gazebo is built from specially profiled boards. After laying the first layer, the right angle between the walls is checked. The individual elements are stacked on top of each other and neatly knocked together with a rubber mallet using a mounting plate. With the correct fastening of the pillars and harnesses, the load on the foundation is distributed evenly, the individual parts of the frame are firmly connected, which guarantees the stability of the structure as a whole.

Roof and Roofing

On the upper harness of the arbor, floor beams are laid, and then the rafters and girders for the roof are mounted. Roofs of arbors can have different shapes depending on individual preferences - flat, gable, six-axle, domed and awning.

The roofs of modern garden buildings are usually covered with wooden or bituminous tiles. This is a cheap and easy solution, but not the only one. The roof can be made of light metal sheet (for example, corrugated steel) or stone slate. An interesting alternative is a rustic-style straw mat roof.

Types of roofing materials:

1. Wooden roof tiles It is a split or cut board made of oak, spruce, fir and larch, which are extremely resistant to negative environmental influences. It is aesthetic and fits perfectly into the environment, which is very important for garden arbors.
2. Shingles It is made of fiberglass (core) surrounded by bitumen, which ensures tightness and durability, and the top layer is pressed or painted mineral or ceramic powder. Lay it on roofs with a slope of more than 12 degrees. On flatter surfaces, it is recommended to use a primer layer, which ensures tightness. Installation is simple, quick and safe - they start from the bottom row, gradually rising to the top of the roof and overlapping stripes of tiles with an overlap. An important advantage is the lightness of the material, which is important for garden arbors, the supporting structure of which is usually not very durable.
3. Polycarbonate Plastic Roofs is an alternative solution for shingles. It is a strong and durable plastic. The sheets are connected to each other with an overlap or with the help of latches (they also fix plastic with rafters). There are two types - white and transparent. White wafers transmit about 35% of the light that is diffused, pleasant and soft, while transparent wafers transmit up to 72% of sunlight, so it is recommended that they be used only in arbors where bright, natural light is required.
4. Light sheet or corrugated metal coatings cheap but less aesthetic. It can be galvanized steel, copper, zinc or aluminum roofing sheets. The last material is the lightest, which is important when choosing a roof for a garden gazebo.
5. Straw or cane coating It has an original and stylish appearance, but, despite the lightness of the material, it makes the roof heavy, as it absorbs moisture, and requires a strong support system that can withstand heavy loads. These types of roofs are usually laid by specialists, and the work lasts several days.
6. Stone slate - This is an elite class roofing. Differs in durability, durability and beauty, environmentally friendly material. The tile takes various forms and the simplest solution is rectangular or arched elements (usually covering the roof with "fish scales"). This is a heavy material, so they are not recommended to cover the roofs of light arbors with a weak supporting structure.

Floor

Installing the gazebo on bare ground or grass, of course, is a simple and cheap solution, but the soil is not always smooth, and in case of adverse weather conditions, moisture and dirt get inside, which can damage the gazebo itself. When choosing a material for the floor, you need to pay attention to aesthetics and functionality. It should be beautiful, convenient to use, durable and not require additional protection.

For this purpose, a variety of materials are suitable:

• wood - has a natural look, fits perfectly into the space of the garden and goes well with garden furniture, boards are mounted when pouring the concrete base under the gazebo.But moisture negatively affects the wooden floor, which leads to the destruction of the boards. Impregnation protection is required to increase durability;
• terrace tiles - The floor looks aesthetically pleasing and resistant to atmospheric changes. The variety of species and varieties allows you to choose a material that mimics concrete, wood or natural stone, and frost-resistant tiles will withstand the long winter months;
• paving stones - less aesthetic and cold, but has high strength and durability, is not damaged by insects;
• concrete plates - quickly fit, resistant to changes in weather conditions and humidity, durable, but in the aesthetics category they lose to wood;
• a natural stone - the most durable of all materials, it is not afraid of water, weather and mechanical damage, it looks aesthetically pleasing, perfectly combined with green spaces. But the styling process is complex and requires certain skills;
• plastic - a rare way to cover the floor in a building, is to pour polyurethane material onto a prepared screed.

Decoration and decoration

When the gazebo is ready, you can start decorating and decorating - arrange the interior, plan lighting and add furniture and accessories. The most common furniture is a large table, chairs and, possibly, a sofa. The choice of furniture should depend not only on the purpose of the structure, but also on its size. For a large company, instead of separate chairs, a bench is better suited, and the table should be the central place of the gazebo.

Usually they choose wooden furniture, which, as a rule, matches the style of the arbor itself, but the wood cannot withstand the changing weather conditions on the street. Therefore, it is worth considering the possibility of using garden furniture made of technotang, plastic or metal, but it doesn’t look so good anymore.

Did you know? In the Renaissance, arbors became popular in the gardens of monasteries, as shrines and places for meditation. Four arbors in the Louvre were built in France in the 14th century, and the French style influenced their design in other countries.

Although the summer days are long and the sun sets late, the proper lighting of the gazebo is of great importance. Warm and not very bright light will create coziness, and correctly located lamps will decorate the space inside the building. You can save a little on energy consumption if you use solar-powered sources.

The arbor, which is an integral part of the garden, looks great when planted with greenery. An excellent solution would be potted flowers, a green vertical garden, climbing plants and shrubs. Some of them have the ability to repel mosquitoes and can be invaluable on warm summer evenings. For decoration, it is advisable to choose a specific theme and select accessories in this style and color. It can be pendants of various types, bells, which, when the wind moves, make a delicate sound. Practical extras like soft seatbacks and pillows should not be forgotten.

So, a well-erected and thoughtfully equipped arbor can become the central element of any garden where family members and guests will have a great time. A lot of different options for construction and decoration will allow you to choose just such a design that goes well with the landscape and emphasizes the individuality of the owner.