How to Build Outdoor Rooms

An outdoor room, such as a gazebo or a structure that is open but has a roof, can be built and placed in your backyard or on your patio. Building an outdoor room can be done over the course of a weekend depending how you want to construct the room. An outdoor room has many uses, including covering a grill to keep it out of the elements. You can build outdoor rooms by first determining where the room will be located.

Things You'll Need

• Wood Stakes
• Tape measure
• 8-foot pressure-treated 4-by-4 boards, 18
• Deck screws
• Hammer
• Nails
• Pencil
• Circular saw
• Power drill
• Socket wrench
• Chisel
• Sandpaper
• Wood lattice

Instructions

Build the Walls

1. Measure an area on the ground that measures 8 feet by 8 feet. Place wood stakes in each corner to mark the corners of the room.

2. Construct the first wall for the room using the 4-by-4 boards. Place two 4-by-4 boards on the ground that are 7 feet, 4 inches apart.

3. Measure and mark three 4-by-4 boards 7 feet, 8 inches with a pencil. You will then need to cut the boards to length using the table saw or a circular saw.

4. Mark the two 4-by-4 boards that are on the ground with a pencil 2 feet from each end. You can then place the cut pieces of the 4-by-4 boards so they align with each pencil mark. These will be the crossbeams of the walls.

5. Drill a hole for the lag bolts into the side of the 4-by-4 boards, at the pencil marks, with the power drill.

6. Place lag bolts in the holes and tighten them with a socket wrench.

7. Repeat steps 2 through 6 to build the second wall of the room.

Assemble the Walls

1. Mark the location of the crossbeams on the two constructed walls for the backside of the room. The crossbeams will be in the same location as the crossbeams on the completed walls. Drill a hole in the 4-by-4 beams for the lag bolts.

2. Measure and mark two additional crossbeams 7 feet, 8 inches long with a pencil where they need to be cut. You can then cut the boards to length using the table saw or circular saw.

3. Drill a hole in the center of the end of all the boards for the lag bolts.

4. Set the two sections of wall upright and place the crossbeams in between the walls on the pencil marks.

5. Place log bolts in the holes and tighten them with the socket wrench.

Construct the Top of the Frame

1. Cut half laps into end of the four remaining 4-by-4 boards with the circular saw and a chisel. Measure and mark the boards with a pencil 4 inches from the ends.

2. Cut small strips 2 inches deep with the circular saw and then remove the material using the chisel with the hammer. Smooth out the end of the board with sandpaper.

3. Place the boards on the top of the frame so the half laps connect together. You will then need to drill a hole in the center of the corners for the lag bolts.

4. Insert the lag bolts into the holes and tighten them with the socket wrench.

5. Place wood lattice on top of the frame and secure it with nails using the hammer to finish the project.

Tips & Warnings

• You can install a window frame between the cross beams or leave each wall open.

• The boards are heavy and may require two or more people to hold them in place when constructing the walls.

References

• How to Build an Outdoor Room

Resources

• Creating Half-Lap Joints