Buy 3x6m gazebo or build temporary timber gazebo with tarp?

JP_

Joined
17 May 2012
Messages
10,767
Reaction score
844
Country
United Kingdom
My patio is pretty much 3m by 6m and I need to put up a gazebo of some sort for dad's 80th.

I have 3 ideas, open to more, but cannot decide which way to go....

  1. buy a 3/6m gazebo - this is cheap. - OutSunny Party Gazebo Outdoors Water proof Green 3000 mm x 6000 mm x 2550 mm - https://www.viking-direct.co.uk/en/...f-green-3000-mm-x-6000-mm-x-2550-mm-p-1157555 -
    Only £79.79 Each£66.49 excl. VAT
  2. buy two 3m gazebos, idea being that I'd get more use out of them, one for camping etc. then one in the garden always for shade (we have a south facing garden that gets little shade in summer during middle of day) something cheap, like these Eurohike Gazebo £23.36 each, £48 total. - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eurohike-Gazebo-White-One-Size/dp/B08RX71N1R/ref=sr_1_9
  3. Build something like this that is freestanding (tied down) that can then be dismantled and timber used for something else later ... or a nicer permanent gazebo down the bottom of the garden - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07P42YYCS/ref=sspa_dk_detail_5
Option 2 currently seems most sensible. They don't need to last forever ... although I had a cheap gazebo once before that I didn't take down before a windy day and it was quickly bent our of shape.

Wondering how much extra time and money building something simple would cost and throwing a tarp over it. Only needs to sit 11 people, and 3 dogs if they want to stay out of the sun / rain.
 
Sponsored Links
Crumbs.

6 brackets (4 post corners, 2 doubles) and 13 90mm posts will cost about £350.

Think I might just hire a marquee and share the cost with the family!
 
Tie a cheap one down, expect to have to dispose of it afterwards and any future use of it will be a benefit.
 
Sponsored Links
Starting to think I should just build something. Hiring seems a waste of money.

My idea: 6 vertical posts joined at top with 3m timbers using these on the 4 corners and these in the middle, should be reasonably stable, with guy ropes on each leg for extra support, and a tarp thrown over the top held down to the ground with it's own guy ropes (so if that comes lose, only it can take off!). I have a few 1 foot steel pegs left over from my greenhouse I can use to help hold it in place.

Then when the party is over, I can dismantle it and rebuild as a 3m square gazebo down the garden.

Any suggestions where I can get 90mm posts cheaper than this https://www.fencingandlandscapesupplies.co.uk/8ft-4x4-plained-wood-fence-post

will need 3m ones to for the top ... although I could probably do it all in 2.4m - it wont have walls, just cover on the top - one side is sheltered by 2 sheds the one end by the house, so unless there is a storm blowing from the SW a little rain won't be a problem.

But just doing that comes to £86.94 for brackets plus £260 for 13 timbers ...

Also, don't really need 90mm timbers for this but cannot find any other brackets ... other than 40mm which seems too small and hard to find timber to size.
 
Can't you put in some corner braces in say 6 x 2 timber?
 
Could do, is 6 x 2 cheaper?
 
Have you looked at hiring a venue? Village hall, conference room, function room in a pub etc? Often cheaper than you think......
 
Have you looked at hiring a venue? Village hall, conference room, function room in a pub etc? Often cheaper than you think......

Nah, don't want to do that. Want to do it at home.
 
Have you got any buildings/trees/posts nearby you could string a tarp up with?



btw the cheap gazebos are rubbish
 
Have you got any buildings/trees/posts nearby you could string a tarp up with?



btw the cheap gazebos are rubbish


I had thought about that. In previous house I put up a tarp between the house, garage and shed, but had timber facias - extension has plastic fascias. I used the table parasol to lift it in the middle. Could do similar again ... had thought about it. Might do....

Want something more stylish, but I think that will cost too much at the moment.

Maybe I can just make a sort of big top with a tarp, with the parasol centre and a few tree stakes to push it up, and a lot of guy ropes....
 
Sounds like a plan.

Not so sure now - seems sill to spend £300 hiring a marquee when I do plan to do some sort of wooden gazebo at some point ...

But for now, thinking maybe a few bits of wood, 50x50mm should be plenty, with 2 attached to the edges of the blue shed, with support legs screwed in, tarp over the top ...

But undecided. The sensible part of me thinks, buy big, get what I need to make a nice pergola/gazebo thing later, make it with brackets and screws so I can easily dismatle it and move it / build differently.

dodgy shelter.png
 
Not so sure now - seems sill to spend £300 hiring a marquee when I do plan to do some sort of wooden gazebo at some point ...

well looking at in one way -you get the timber for free to keep afterwards if you are comparing to hiring.
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top