A Little Romance for your Backyard?
Of all the structures that you can add to your backyard, nothing evokes romance quite like an octagonally shaped white gazebo. From movies like Twilight, A Cinderella Story, and The Sound of Music, gazebos are often the backdrop for silk screened first kisses and moments of comfort and tenderness.
You may never have a movie star grace your own backyard but that doesn’t mean that placing a gazebo in your yard can’t bring its own level of style and functionality. More than just a focal point, a gazebo can be a wonderful setting for a summer lunch with the ladies, a cool shaded place to relax or as a backdrop for timeless family portraits.
Aside from the classic gazebo, there many other shapes, styles, and colors. For purposes of nomenclature, we prefer to call anything larger than 16’x16’ a “Pavilion”. Pavilions are generally flat to the ground and provide cover to dining tables, outdoor sofas or built in bar-b-ques. Gazebos are smaller, can be flat to the ground or elevated with steps, and generally contain more decorative accents.
You may already have an idea which style you prefer. Before you make your final considerations, keep in mind that if you belong to an Homeowners Association, it is very likely that you’ll need to submit plans and get their approval before you build. City permits vary by jurisdiction but typically anything larger than 10’x10’ requires city approval.
PAVILIONS
If you have a larger yard, or need more space than your existing patio for larger gatherings, and a more rustic design is more your style, a pavilion might be just what you need. In essence, a pavilion is very similar to an updated pole barn. Nestled near a pair of colorful maple trees, a timber framed pavilion with a gabled roof covers a dining table for 8 that provides the perfect setting for entertaining. Music adds to the ambience of a good meal. For convenience, pavilions are also perfect for built in barbeque islands with a hidden refrigerator for refreshments.
While kits can be ordered and it is possible to construct this yourself, hiring a decorative concrete contractor to lay the concrete pad (with tile?) along with a pergola installation company can provide a custom designed alternative to your own parched hands and splinters. Besides, 6’x6’ timbers are heavy so this is at least a two man job. You’ll want to make sure that the structure provides some connection to your house design. Before the concrete pad is poured, make sure to dig a trench from an electrical source so you can bury conduit and wires for lighting and audio additions. If you want to water those hanging baskets, you’ll need to bring in sprinkler extensions before the concrete pad is laid. You’ll want those hanging baskets of petunia vines to flourish without manual watering.
Special tip for both Pavilions and Gazebos: Make sure one of your posts has a pre-drilled hole through the length of at least one pole so you can hide unsightly conduit wire for overhead lights and outdoor audio system.
GAZEBOS
Gazebos are smaller than Pavilions and fit quite nicely into mid-sized or large yards. For most, a 10’x10’ or 12’x12’ gazebo should give you enough room to dance to your own sound of music. Since they are viewed as focal centerpieces, gazebos can be situated anywhere; in the middle of the lawn or on the edge under a dogwood or maple tree. Consider avoiding the placement of gazebos near pine trees as those needles can be tough to remove from joints and cracks. Gazebos don’t have to be white but because they have smaller decorative pieces, there is nothing wrong with using pre-painted vinyl wood that does not warp like wood can after several years of weather. Pre-painted vinyl doesn’t splinter, the paint doesn’t fade for 20 years and doesn’t detract from your vision of a gazebo at all.
Before you start, make sure you dig a trench to bury conduit and bring electricity and audio wire into the structure. You can purchase a kit that allows you to assemble the gazebo yourself but if you want some custom accents like built in benches (with storage space for pillows, blankets, portable tables, or books), steps up to the central floor, or unique decorative posts, then a custom built gazebo might require a deck construction contractor. Concrete footings and anchor posts are tricky so make sure you measure the distance between posts several times. If these posts aren’t level and equidistant from each other, you’ll be making constant adjustments as you build the gazebo. To keep costs down but still get the design you prefer, you can purchase a kit and retrofit additional accents yourself. Allow space around the gazebo for colorful shrubs that accent the color of your wood. Because this is your feature piece, make sure the finished product is what you envisioned.
Whether you build a pavilion or a gazebo, the structure will most assuredly be the prime feature in your backyard. You should build it to match the design and color of your existing house, to suit your lifestyle, and to build with quality so you can enjoy for many years. Doing it yourself or hiring a Colorado landscaping company will bring your picturesque vision to life.