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The
visual
statement your gazebo makes rises
out of a broad collection of
decisions.
It's all about the details!
So,
the Gazebo Hardware Guide is here to
help.
It
has lots
of tips
and techniques for your consideration as
your go about choosing, detailing,
assembling and dreaming up your perfect
gazebo.
In the Guide, we look at the best fasteners to hold your gazebo
together.
Next up are framing
connectors.
Do you really need to use
them?
Then we'll peruse hinges, handles, latches and
such.
And sometimes the best
hardware is no hardware.
So,
let's look at some
au-natural ways to dress up your
gazebo, including
lighting and roofing
options.
What are we waiting for?
The metal used to hold
your gazebo parts together is just as important as the
wood.
If you're building the
gazebo yourself or having a pre-built gazebo delivered, the
information in the Gazebo Hardware Guide will help you make the
right choice.
Let's start with the nuts and bolts of
gazebo hardware -- I mean the fasteners -- I mean the nails.
Nails, Screws, Staples, Washers, and
Bolts
Make sure
that only high-quality rust-resistant nails, screws, staples, washers,
and bolts are used to construct your gazebo.
Triple-dipped galvanized,
stainless steal, copper, brass and bronze fasteners are best.
For plastic or metal
roofing materials, use roofing nails with a rubber washer underneath the head.
The rubber seals out moisture giving you a
waterproof installation.
Spiral, threaded, or coated fasteners have the real
holding power.
Coated fasteners are
covered with a transparent resin. The friction caused by driving the fastener
melts the coating and grips the wood
fibers better.
Use screws instead of nails if the fastener
head will show. You can remove screws much easier
than nails, and screws add quality to the gazebo
look that nails just can't match.
Lag screws are heavy-duty
fasteners. And they're your best bet for attaching heavy objects
to wood or masonry. Use lead expansion shields
to drive these fasteners into masonry.
Did you know
that washers can
be decorative as well as functional? This gazebo hardware is used
to keep the screw head from pulling into
or scaring the material being fastened.
Bolts are two-sided fasteners
that give you access to either side of a
joint for easy assembly and disassembly.
A fastener that's too small won't
hold. And one that's too big will split or
poke through the material being connected. So make sure
to use the right size fastener for the project.
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Easy Outdoor Decor
Tip...Get a neat, finished gazebo hardware look and
avoid damaging the wood by hand driving nails into
siding, trim, or any other exposed area at
equal intervals. The nail head should sit flush
with the wood
surface. |
Using the wrong fasteners in the wrong way can loosen or
worse. Over time, they stain your beautiful gazebo and cause
the wood to decay and rot.
Gazebo hardware tools, like
pneumatic nailers save money and make
quick work of any nailing job. But when done wrong, it
looks wrong, too. Especially if the nail placement isn't
precise and symmetrical.
You can easily tell
if a pneumatic framing nailer is used improperly. Just look for
nail heads that are sunken below the surface of the wood.
Looking bad isn't the worst of it. Water
collects in the space between the sunken nail head and the
surface of the wood and will almost certainly promote wood
rot.
Air nailers typically use
plated fasteners. Plated fasteners rust up pretty fast. The rust stains the wood and eventually
rusts through entirely making your gazebo unsafe
to use.
Do you really need framing connectors? I'm glad
you asked!
If the weather's not severe where you
live, you can probably do without this
gazebo hardware.
Framing connectors are
a quick and easy way to add strength to the major structural
parts of your gazebo. So they can speed up your gazebo construction. But they
also have a utilitarian look that you'll
want to disguise.
They have nails or metal prongs
embedded in them that you drive into the wood. And they also
have pre-drilled holes that you drive nails through.
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Easy Outdoor Decor
Tip...Framing connectors come singly, in small
packages, or in bulk. You'll save half the cost of small
packages or single
connectors by choosing the bulk
option. |
Post beam caps are
mounted on top of posts. They have channels that hold beams
of different dimensions. And there are versions of post
beam caps for round as well as
square posts.
Joist hangers
attach joists to beams or
headers and can be used to reinforce almost any
right-angle connection.
Multi-purpose joist hangers
help
to further strengthen joist connectors. They have angled straps
that you nail to the tops of
the boards.
Angled brackets
help to reinforce perpendicular joints. They
come in a variety of styles for different applications. So
make sure you get the right ones for your project.
Hurricane
ties are used to
attach notched rafters to top plates. They're spendy because
they're designed for frames intended to withstand lots of
stress, like hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes.
If you
live where hurricanes, tornadoes, or earthquakes occur, the
money will be well spent.
Hinges, handles, latches
and such are gazebo hardware that are most
often used on partially and completely enclosed gazebos. They
impact a gazebo's appearance, ease of use, and ruggedness.
Building this gazebo yourself? Your
hardware choices are unlimited and almost anything can be
special ordered.
On the other hand, if your gazebo is part of a
package or a complete unit, you may still have several gazebo
hardware options.
Talk to the gazebo
manufacturer and ask what hardware comes in the
package. If the package deal doesn't have the hardware options you're
looking for, ask about upgrades.
Plated gate latches are
considered a little utilitarian or barnyard chic,
depending on your POV. They're very inexpensive, bored for
heavy-duty fasteners, functional, and strong.
Get an extra secure closure
with sliding bolt latches. They allow your door to be
latched at the top and bottom.
Heavy-duty steel vintage-style
hinges make an excellent choice for gazebo doors.
Attach them to door jambs and the thickest part of the
door with big lag screws.
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Easy Outdoor Decor
Tip...Salvage
hardware is fabulous! Especially if the lumber,
windows, doors, or other second-hand materials are
salvage. Just make sure they're robust enough to be long
lasting. |
Gazebo hardware like brass door handles and newel posts
are top-drawer choices that take on a mellow patina over time
enhancing your gazebo's nature feel.
Old but sturdy strap hinges
are plenty strong enough to handle a gazebo door. If the
hinge has a rusty patina, it will easily blend with
recycled barn board. Use gold-tone
screws
to add a gem-like quality to the vintage hardware.
Make wooden hardware from
old scrap lumber. Simple, hand-cut wood latches and handles
can be used
to
open doors and windows, or to keep them shut.
Dated brass cabinet latches
complement weathered siding. This vintage hardware is easily
found at flea markets and junk shops. If installed as is,
they'll accent the character of your
gazebo.
So resist the urge to clean up these finds.
Can't find any vintage
hardware? Make your own. Fashion a gazebo door handle from
an
old leather strap securely attached to the gazebo door.
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