Eenie, Meanie, Miney, Mo, How to Choose the Right Gazebo!

There is definitely something special about gazebos. While nearly everyone has a sense of the beauty of nature and the outside world, the harsh realities of rain and chills, or clouds of mosquitoes, often make it very difficult for the common person to accept the artistic view of the outside world. Gazebos are a great solution for these problems. Aside from being beautiful, and often adding value to any property they are built on, gazebos give the best of both worlds. You can sit in a gazebo and watch the beauty of the world around you without having to suffer from the chills that come with a cold rain, the harsh sun, or the clouds of little bloodsuckers. With a gazebo, you have the ability to sit outside and enjoy everything that nature has to offer while staying comfortably insulated from the little realities that often rain on your parade.

Even if watching the rain or an incoming storm isn't your idea of fun, don't scrap the idea of having a gazebo. Gazebos make staying outside more comfortable, and therefore more relaxing. The hard decision shouldn't be whether or not to get a gazebo, but which type to pick out. Gazebos don't come in a one size fits all package. In fact, gazebos come in a variety of different shapes, sizes, and appearances.

That being said, choosing the right gazebo for you is not nearly as difficult as it might sound. The first step, as with any major purchase you look at, is to figure out exactly how your gazebo will be used. You don't by a $2,000 computer loaded with graphics enhancers and video cards if all you want to do is type and send an occasional e-mail. Same with gazebos. There are some very small gazebos, and there are very large gazebos. Most of these structures are somewhere between 5 to 20 feet in diameter. Some have open sides that are completely open, some are screened in, and others are walled and can even be used as a guest house. There are very basic structures that look like they are designed for say an outdoor barbeque, and there are some very fancy gazebos, complete with extra moldings, special tiered roofs, and various designs and colors.

Do you want a portable gazebo, or a permanent structure? Cedar wood looks great, but if you want a gazebo you can put up or take down, then you most likely should be looking for a metal or PVC gazebo, since these are the most common that can be easily put up and taken back down and moved. In fact, many gazebo owners actually do prefer a canopy gazebo to a permanent structure, because a canopy gazebo is portable. If you are looking for a permanent structure, then the wood is definitely a good consideration. In addition, metal can still be acceptable, it just depends on your needs. There is no shortage of gazebo web sites on the internet, look around for pictures. These companies don't expect you to make a blind purchase, they want you to love your gazebo because that reflects well on them.

Decide what you need your gazebo for, search for the style that really speaks to you, and in the end go with your gut because in the end this purchase is for you, and you are the one who needs to be happy with it.