Today, wooden gazebos are still a perennial architectural favorite. Modern wood gazebo ideas come in different sizes and designs, and they are often times utilized as a hot tub shade, an outdoor living room, and an alfresco entertainment area.

What's the best wooden gazebo design?

The wooden gazebo can be very versatile yet it still exudes that whimsical old world feel. Whatever style you choose, make sure your wooden gazebo design also meets your personal comfort.

The Victorian gazebo

This typical gazebo is the most romantic of all. The Victorian style gazebo is a perfect venue for a garden wedding. This type of lawn gazebo is ideal for houses with quaint architectural details. The Victorian gazebo is often times capped with a cupola, a small dome-like structure atop the roof. Shingles (overlapping sheets of wood, asbestos, or metal) is commonly used for roofing.

The Bali wood gazebo

The typical Balinese gazebo is open and breezy. They are mostly made with coconut lumber and thatched roofing - the building materials suitable for tropical climes. A Bali design gazebo gives an exotic vibe to your garden or pool area. It looks alluring to lounge in when it is draped with mosquito nets or sheer fabrics.

The wooden modern gazebo

Contemporary wood gazebo designs are known for their simple yet elegant lines. Compared to the traditional Victorian gazebo that has intricate details and carving, the modern wooden gazebo has an edgier and urban feel. The most important feature of a modern wood gazebo is its functionality. Often times, a contemporary wooden gazebo has unusual designs but nonetheless, it has been ergonomically engineered.

The hot tub wooden gazebo

It has been a fad lately to cover a hot tub bath with a gazebo. Sometimes called a spa gazebo, it incorporates wellness into your lifestyle since a hot tub in your home is a great way to relax and have fun while being healthy. Soak in your wooden hot tub gazebo while having hydrotherapy or a soothing water massage.


The wooden closed gazebo

The practicality of the closed wooden gazebo is endless. From the outside, its charming wood exteriors look inviting. The wooden closed gazebo can be used as a pool house, a home office, and many other possibilities. Closed wood gazebos can also be installed with an air cooling system to keep you cool in the summer.  

The wooden deck gazebo

A gazebo does not need to be in a garden or a patio –it can be on a deck, too. A deck is an unroofed porch, commonly made of wood, attached to a house. A wooden gazebo is the perfect complement to a sunny deck. The wooden deck gazebo provides a little shade when you host barbecue parties or for cover if you do not want to bask under the sun when you stay outdoors.

The sandbox wood gazebo

Every kid and kid-at-heart will truly enjoy playing under the roof of a sandbox gazebo. Your little tots can now make mud pies and build the sandcastle of their fantasy under the shade and protection from UV rays. A wooden sandbox gazebo is just like an all-weather playpen.

Wooden gazebo kit vs. custom-made wood gazebo

If you are an excellent woodcrafter and you have the power tools to make a wooden gazebo, it is always fun to make your gazebo by yourself. Not only is it rewarding, you can modify your wood gazebo according to your personal taste.

However, if you are not handy in cutting wood with an electric saw by yourself, you may opt to order a wooden gazebo kit.

A DIY (do-it-yourself) wood gazebo kit contains pre-cut pieces. Assembling your gazebo kit is pretty much like piecing a puzzle together. All you need is a hammer and a handful of nails. However, the downside of a DIY gazebo plan is that you cannot have it personalized since the parts are already prepared.

On the other hand, when you are no handyman, you can always order a pre-fabricated wood gazebo. Custom-made wood gazebos

What kind of wood should I use for my gazebo?

Since your wooden gazebo is an outdoor structure, your materials should stand the wear and tear of the outside elements.  Solid wood like teak, pine, oak, mahogany, cedar, among others is ideal to use for your gazebo structure.

However, wood is organic so it will always be susceptible to rot, termites, cracking and fading. Cedar, though it produces a natural oil that wards off insects, is prone brown-yellow discolorations through time. Likewise, pine wood also turns yellowish as its ages.

There are plenty of do-it-yourself wooden gazebo kits in the market with various wood gazebo designs. But some of them are made from substandard materials. Remember, using quality materials will make your gazebo last longer.

How can I make my wood gazebo last the wear and tear?

Weathering on your wooden gazebo can be prevented by using a pressure treated wood which is often called the “wood for all seasons.”

Pressure treated wood has undergone an intensive treating process wherein a chemical preservative is infused into the wood. After chemical infusion, the wood is depressurized to remove air. Pressure treated wood can withstand pests and fungus for up to 20 years.

Garden gazebos using natural wood may require little maintenance. However you can preserve the wood's natural beauty by applying a coat of water-repellant sealer every two to four years. You may also use a tainted sealer to give the wood a dark stain.

Some gazebo wood is painted. It may require a little more maintenance since paint cracks or fades through time so you may have to repaint your wood gazebo every now and then.