8 Tips To Increase Your Gazebo'S Lifespan!

8 Tips To Increase Your Gazebo'S Lifespan! Mar. 15, 2023

8 TIPS TO INCREASE YOUR GAZEBO'S LIFESPAN!

Hard-top gazebos are generally more durable, but they also require proper maintenance and care due to their constant exposure to the elements. 

Want your Gazebo to last longer? Here are some tips to prolong its lifespan and preserve its beauty!

 

Tip #1: Secure Your Gazebo
 

To minimize chances of damage during periods of strong wind, rain or snow, ensure that your gazebos are secured. Sunjoy’s gazebos come with stakes for you to anchor them to soil ground. Alternatively, you may use expansion bolts to firmly secure the gazebo to concrete surfaces. 

 

Tip #2: Conduct Preventive Maintenance

As with all structures, a gazebo needs to be checked about twice a year for signs of splits or cracks. These issues need to be fixed before they worsen.

We also recommend inspecting your gazebos after heavy rains, storms or other similar events. This will help you to identify and rectify any damage as soon as it occurs.

 

Tip #3: Clear The Path Around Your Gazebo

Clearing the area around your gazebo is vital as it ensures adequate ventilation, and reduces occurrences of moisture damage. This also helps to keep your backyard looking clean and well-maintained. 

Leave at least 3 feet of your gazebo’s surroundings free of foliage. Remember to dig out or remove any shrubs, vines or weeds!

 

Tip #4: Conduct Routine Checks For Mildew And Mold

Mildew is a type of fungi, often gray or white, that lies on the surface of a moist area. Mold, on the other hand, is black or green and often appears during a much larger infestation. 

Mold and mildew can be removed easily, with a store-bought cleaner and a sponge, rag or soft scrubbing brush. Refrain from using chemical cleaners, as they may damage your gazebo. After you wipe the gazebo with the cleaner, rinse all surfaces with water. 

As mentioned in Tip #3, make sure to clear unwanted grass and shrubs near the gazebo, to ensure that the surroundings remain dry and mold-free.

 

Tip #5: Check The Roof 

Roofs are often one of the first parts of the gazebo to experience damage, due to storms, rain or snow, so it is especially important to inspect them and attend to any loose joints or cracks immediately. 

Similar to the maintenance of your house’s roof, keep the top of the gazebo as dry as possible. Snow should be cleared off regularly using a plastic snow rake, especially once it gets thicker than 4 inches. 

Tip #6: Check For Birds Or Insect Infestation

Inspect both the interior and exterior of your gazebo for insect and bird nests or infestations every month, especially during spring and summer. Dealing with these will help maintain your gazebo’s structural integrity. As a precaution, spray insecticides and pesticides occasionally.

Be careful with the removal of nests. Spray them with insect-specific insecticide and verify that there is no more activity inside. Afterwards, knock it down with a long-handled broom. 

 

Tip #7: Repaint or Coat Your Gazebo

Repaint your gazebo every couple of years to prevent rusting and maintain its state. Fill gaps with caulk before applying paint. If you would like to preserve the wood finish, coat the gazebo with waterproof sealant and reapply them every few years.

 

Tip #8: Use Normal Washers Instead Of Pressure Washers

Using a pressure washer to clean your gazebo can damage or nick the paint, which could lead to rust, as well as the hassle of repainting or applying new waterproof sealant. The high pressure can also loosen the top layer of wood gazebos and shorten their lifespan.

 

Conclusion

Investing time and effort to maintain your gazebo will help you to save the cost of buying another unit. We hope that these tips are helpful for you!

If you are interested in finding out how to maintain soft-top gazebos or pergolas, click here. 

Taking care of your wooden Gazebo

A Wooden Gazebo is an excellent addition to any yard, providing a space for relaxing, entertaining, and just enjoying the weather. Generally meant to provide shelter or shade; wooden gazebos can be easily adapted for a number of different functions: add a bar and some bar stools, or add a hot tub, or maybe add a couch, and you can unwind however you choose. Of course, to ensure that you always have a place to relax (or party); your wooden gazebo also needs some TLC. To this end, your Haven Spa Pool & Hearth team would like to give you some pointers on how to take care of your wooden gazebo.

  • Keep your wooden gazebo clean – the basic step in caring for your gazebo is to clean it: make sure you remove any leaves and garbage, and remove any plants or weeds that may be starting to grow on the wood.
  • Keep water away – Water is not your gazebo’s friend. Remove any excess water or puddles in or on the gazebo and keep it dry. Don’t use too much water when cleaning the wood and keep it as dry as humanly possible. If your gazebo uses unpainted or untreated wood; then make sure to treat it against water by using either a clear waterproof sealant or a tinted waterproof sealant. Treat the wood against termites (if it hasn’t been already).
  • Keep your wooden gazebo well-ventilated – Like we said above, excess moisture is not good for wooden structures like gazebos. Keep the area around your gazebo airy by trimming shrubbery and plants growing around it that prevent proper ventilation.
  • Keep the roof leak-free and clean – Inspect the gazebo roof and check for any leaks and holes. Have these repaired as soon as possible. And while you’re up there, be sure to clean the roof and remove any debris such as leaves, branches, and plants that may have been fallen or been blown onto it.

Do you want to have your very own wooden gazebo for relaxing and unwinding? Haven Spa Pool & Hearth offers a wide selection of Visscher™ gazebos that are made from SPF lumber harvested from Canada and painted using their double-coat paint process. We also carry Covana™ brand gazebos as well. Visit one of our showrooms in Clackamas, Beaverton, or Vancouver; request a quote, or contact us online for your product inquiries and for more information.

Garden Winds

 

As the summer months draw to a close, outdoor gatherings become few. It is that time of year to put the tiki torches and beach balls away, and pull out the sweaters, down comforters, and clean out the fireplace. The same should be said for replacement canopies for gazebos. With a gazebo more commonly associated as an outdoor gathering place during the summertime, care should be taken to make sure that the canopy on top is put away as well. Sure, it may seem like a daunting task: having to remove the entire fabric from the frame of the gazebo, folding it, and storing it away. But in the end, all of the effort will be well worth it, when next summer rolls around, because you will have another season to enjoy the gazebo. Here a few tips and suggestions from replacement canopy online retailer Garden Winds would like you to consider when caring, cleaning, and storing your replacement canopy.

Because the replacement canopy is a cloth roof for the gazebo, over time and constant exposure to the sun, wind, and rain, it will eventually deteriorate. On average, the gazebo canopy is used for about two to three seasons. This is dependent on the type of climate you live in. However, if you take extra care of the replacement canopy, it can last you another season or so. One of the first steps you can take once you remove the canopy is to clean it thoroughly. This can easily be done by washing the top down with a sponge or brush using a mild soap and water mixture. Once washed, allow the canopy to completely dry about 24 hours before storing away for the winter. It is not recommended that you wash the canopy top in a clothes washer. As an outdoor fabric, the material and construction of the replacement canopy is different than a cotton t-shirt.

Another way to wash the canopy is with the 303 Fabric Cleaner Concentrate. This cleaner can remove mildew, dirt, and other stains. Not only can it be used for outdoor fabrics, it can be used for indoor fabrics, such as furniture upholstery, carpeting, and vinyl. Its solvent-free formula removes mildew, mold, dirty, bird droppings, grease, oil, and most other stains from any water-safe textile material. Gazebo canopies, outdoor awnings, patio furniture, carpet, upholstery, curtains, fabric convertible tops, tonneau covers, bimini tops, and indoor furniture can all be cleaned with 303. This product is safe for the environment because it is non-toxic, biodegradable. It does not contain soap detergent or toxic chemicals and rinses off residue-free.

For removing spots and stains using the 303 Fabric cleaner, you can either use as a concentrate or dilute with water. Spray the area on the canopy that needs to be cleaned, and agitate with a medium brush or wet cloth.  Wipe clean with a damp cloth as described above or rinse thoroughly with water. Allow the fabric to completely dry before storing or placing the canopy top back onto the gazebo frame.

To prevent the presence of mold and mildew on your replacement canopy, the Jomax Mold and Mildew Shield is also another product to consider using. It is great for interior and exterior use on fiberglass, tile, grout, fabrics, paint, vinyl, plastic and more.  You can apply this product to your canopy top or other mold and mildew prone areas to keep your surface looking clean and good as new. To apply, simply spray one even coat on surface.  Sprays on white to show coverage and then dries clear for efficient application.  

After the replacement canopy is nice and clean, you can protect your canopy from the sun, water, and other elements with any type of fabric guard, such as 303 High Tech Fabric Guard or any other type of outdoor fabric protectant. The 303 High Tech Fabric Guard also protects patio swing canopy tops, umbrella canopies, and other outdoor furniture from deteriorating quickly. In addition, the Fabric Guard is safe for the environment, as it is non-toxic. It does not contain silicone, unlike some products that only repel water and require reapplication after 2 or 3 months. 303’s formula is “high tech” in the fact that it impedes mildew formation and locks out anything that threatens to soil or stain your fabric.

 For the fabric guard to be effective, the fabric itself must be clean and dry. The protectant will adhere better to a surface that is very clean. If the canopy is not dirt free or unsoiled, the Fabric Guard will not bond properly, affecting its performance.  It is recommended that you apply two coats of the spray on the replacement canopy top. This provides an even coating. Allow the first coat to dry completely (to the touch) before applying the second coat.

Since Garden Winds acknowledges the importance of preserving the lifespan of the canopy, the use of these various protectants, sprays and cleaners will extend the use of the replacement canopy a few more years. If the canopy top will not be used, especially for the winter months, it is suggested that it be removed from the gazebo and stored away. Various cold climates can affect the lifespan of the canopy top, and constant exposure can deteriorate the fabric. Also, should huge rainstorms or snowstorms arise; the collection of water or snow can affect the lifespan of the canopy, as well as compromise the stability of the gazebo frame. Please make sure to clean the replacement canopy thoroughly before putting it away. The canopy should also be dry as well. Any type of moisture may allow mold and mildew to grow and, in essence, dry rot and ruin the canopy. Please make sure to store it in an airtight container or storage box until you are ready to enjoy it again.

Extra steps can be taken to ensure that the metal frame for your gazebo is in tip top shape. In addition to removing the replacement canopy, some people will detach their gazebo frame entirely and store it for the winter. If you do not mind taking down the entire frame and putting it together again when springtime rolls around, then storing the entire gazebo would be ideal. Since most folks are not able to do that every season, they just remove the canopy top, and leave the frame intact in their yard. To prevent the metal frame from exposure to the elements, a can of Rust-Oleum Rust Inhibitor Spray can stop rust from forming. This is a simple, easy to apply, rust/corrosion control product that is effective on metal because it creates a transparent barrier against rust. Not only is the spray great for steel frame gazebos, it also can prevent gardening tools, sporting equipment, and other outdoor metal items, from rusting due to constant exposure to the sun and air.

If you follow these tips you will be sure to keep your replacement canopy top and your gazebo looking like new. In reality, there is no way to beat Mother Nature, but if you are able to enjoy many years of parties, events and relaxing outdoors under your gazebo, then many more memories and moments are created because you took extra special care of your canopy top.

Prepare yourself for the coming months when you are ready to take the canopy down with Garden Winds! Not only does the online retail website provide replacement canopies for your gazebo, they also carry sprays and cleaners that will add more years to your gazebo and canopy top. Visit Garden Winds today!

 

 

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