Choosing the Right Gazebo
There are many reasons for buying a gazebo, shelter or awning; particularly if you consider the unpredictability of the weather in the UK! You may enjoy garden parties at home, help out at the local fete or perhaps your company is exhibiting at an industry trade show? Whatever the event, the chances are you have considered buying a gazebo but how do you choose the right one?
Standard or Heavy Duty Gazebo?
When it comes to purchasing your gazebo, shelter or awning, a quick search on Google quickly shows a wide choice of instant pop up, commercial and industrial heavy duty gazebos all available to buy online. Choosing the right gazebo for your event is critical but it can be a confusing process with each website offering a variety of information and sometimes too much choice.
When buying your gazebo online, we always encourage you to think about these main points that will ensure that you make an informed choice. For more information on buying event use gazebos, check out our article here.
The PURPOSE you want your shelter for:
- Garden Party
- Local Fete
- Market Stall
- Exhibition Stand
- Trade Event or Show – printing options available
The FREQUENCY that you will use your shelter:
- Recreational Use
- Seasonal garden use
- Occasional corporate use
- Regular heavy duty trade use
The BUDGET you have to spend on your shelter:
The GROUND SURFACE your shelter will stand on
- Cost effective gazebo for regular domestic use
- Durable heavy duty gazebo for trade or corporate use
- Do you need any custom printing for corporate events?
- What accessories might you need?
- Always carry out a risk assessment before using your gazebo.
- Grass or soft ground may require additional pegs and guy ropes.
- Hard standing or concrete will require leg weights.
- Exposed locations should be assessed and additional security measures taken.
Can I leave my gazebo up permanently?
Our pop up are not permanent structures and should be used with this in mind. Whilst we can test our Gazebos for fire and rain – our Commercial and Industrial ranges conform to British Standard 7837/1996, and are also fully waterproof – but wind is a different story. A test in a wind tunnel gives a steady blast of wind but that is not what happens in the real world. A windy day is about sudden, unpredictable gusts from all directions.
Our advice is that you must carry out a risk assessment on whether the wind is strong enough to lift the gazebo against your anchors. Pegs and guys are only as good as the ground they go into, whereas our HD straps will withstand up to 600KGs per strap. If the item the strap is attached to is firmly set on the ground, then this will make a significant difference to the amount of wind it is safe to leave the structure up in.
If you are caught out in the wind and need to take urgent action, we recommend you first lower the structure to its lowest point and adjust the straps. Closing the sidewalls will also prevent the wind from getting under the canopy and lifting this. We offer a full range of spare parts. Check out the Repair or Replace guide for our gazebos.
What if there is a chance of snowfall?
We also recommend that you take down the gazebo in the event that snow is forecast. Even a small amount of snow will add significant weight and could cause damage to both the canopy and frame if allowed to collect on the canopy.
Every site is different and so the responsibility of ensuring the gazebo is sufficiently anchored down, and used within its limitations, always lies with the people erecting the outdoor structure. Gazebos should not be left unattended in case weather conditions change without warning. It is the users responsibility to determine whether it is safe to continue to use the gazebo in windy conditions.
Take a look at our Setting Up Your Gazebo guide for more tips and information. Or for more advice on using a gazebo in winter, check out this article.
Our Gazebos Comparison Guide
| GAZEBO SPECIFICATION | STANDARD RANGE | COMMERCIAL RANGE | INDUSTRIAL RANGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| FRAME MATERIAL | White Powder Coated Steel | Aluminium Commercial Alloy | Aluminium Commercial Alloy |
| FRAME PROFILE | Box Steel | Hexagonal | Hexagonal |
| LEG PROFILE (at widest part) | 39mm (1.2mm grade) | 48mm (2mm grade) | 58mm (2mm grade) |
| CANOPY/SIDEWALL MATERIAL | 350 gsm Polyester (PVC backed) | 380 gsm Polyester (PVC backed) | 550 gsm Polyester (PVC backed) |
| WATERPROOF | |||
| FIRE RESISTANT (BS7837/1996) | |||
| STORAGE BAG | Slipover Cover Bag | Wheeled Bag | Slipover Cover Bag |
| PEGS & GUYS | |||
| WEIGHT (Frame) | From 20kg | From 18kg | From 38kg |
| HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE | 5 Positions | 5 Positions | 5 Positions (Leg extensions available) |
| WARRANTY | 12 Months | 12 Months | 12 Months |
| SPARE PARTS AVAILABLE | |||
| RECOMMENDED USE | Occasional/Leisure | Regular, Commercial Events | Frequent, Heavy Duty & Military |
If you give some careful thought to these important criteria and analyse how you plan to use your gazebo, this will give you some guidance in how to choose the right gazebo for you. Typically, standard gazebos are more suited to the occasional user who is looking for a reliable yet affordable gazebo for summer use. For trade shows, sporting events and markets, a heavy duty gazebo constructed from high grade aluminium will give strength but will remain easy to manoeuvre and quick to install.
Buying an instant pop up gazebo or awning need not be as difficult as you think!
Gazebo Sizes Available
| Gazebo Size | Standard Range | Commercial Range | Industrial Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2m x 2m | |||
| 2.5m x 2.5m | |||
| 2.5m x 5m | |||
| 3m x 2m | |||
| 3m x 3m | |||
| 4m x 2m | |||
| 4m x 4m | |||
| 4.5m x 3m | |||
| 6m x 3m | |||
| 6m x 4m | |||
| 8m x 4m |