How to Build a Small Gazebo for an Outdoor Wedding

Gazebos are often used to host outdoor weddings.

When a couple decides to have an outdoor wedding, one venue they can choose is a gazebo. A gazebo is a small wooden structure with a roof that has railings along the base but otherwise is open. Gazebos are often used for outdoor weddings because they provide some shelter for the wedding party while still allowing the ceremonies to be viewed by the guests. If you want to host a wedding in your backyard, you can build a small gazebo for that purpose. Unless you have excellent carpentry skills, constructing the gazebo from a kit may be the most practical option.

Things You'll Need

• Gazebo kit
• Concrete
• Screwdriver
• Adjustable wrench
• Assistant

Instructions

1. Purchase a gazebo kit. The kit comes with the roof and floor panels pre-assembled, and it includes all of the hardware you need to assemble the gazebo. You can purchase the kits online or from a home improvement store.

2. Construct a concrete base for the gazebo. You can either pour a concrete slab for the gazebo to sit on, or pour concrete piers for the gazebo.

3. Lay the pre-assembled floor panels onto the ground upside-down, and assemble the floor with the floor panels. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the kit that you purchased, and use the hardware (nuts, bolts, screws) included with the kit.

4. Flip the floor so that it's face-up, and move it into position on the concrete piers or slab. Have an assistant help you flip the floor over and move it.

5. Insert the beams that support the roof into the holes around the outer edge of the gazebo floor, but do not fasten them with the hardware.

6. Install the wall panels by sliding them between the roof support beams and screwing them into position.

7. Secure the roof beams to the gazebo floor with the included hardware.

8. Lift the roof trusses into position with the help of an assistant. One end of each truss will extend to a support beam, and the other end will meet the other trusses in the center of the gazebo. Connect the roof trusses to the support beams and to each other with the provided hardware.

9. Raise the pre-assembled roof panels into place on top of the trusses with the help of an assistant, and screw them into place.

10. Install the screens to the sides of the gazebo, if your kit has screens.

References

• This Old House: Building a Great Gazebo
• Marshalls: Building a Gazebo
• Ron Hazelton.com: How to Put Together a Gazebo from a Kit

Resources

• The Gazebo Factory