Can You Put Gazebo on Deck?

Before purchasing a gazebo, homeowners typically ask, ” Can you put a gazebo on deck? How do you secure a gazebo on deck? Are there any specific requirements for a gazebo set on deck? This blog post will help you explore the feasibility, types of gazebos, and how to anchor a gazebo on deck.

It’s essential to consider the foundation of your gazebo; we have placed gazebos on concrete slab foundations, pavers or bricks foundations, gravel foundations, wooden deck foundations, and pier or post foundations; however, the majority of our gazebos are on wooden decks, as they are easy to build and maintains, visually appealing and budget-friendly, and in some cases, clients want to install their gazebo on existing decks.

Can you put a Gazebo on Deck?

Yes, you can put up lean-to gazebos, hardtop gazebos, and pop-up gazebos on deck without damaging your deck; however, it’s essential to make sure your decking material can withstand the weight of the gazebo; we recommend installing gazebos on concrete, composite and metallic decks.

It’s essential to factor in how much weight your deck can handle; there are two types of weights to consider that are related to gazebos, the first one is the live weight (how many people you plan on hosting in your gazebo) and the second one is the dead weight (which consist of the gazebo, gazebo furniture, gazebo décor and other elements such as snow) this are the deck weights you should consider to determine the weight your deck can handle.

You should also consider your deck design and construction, the types and sizes of joists used, the spacing of the joists, the kind of material used to make your deck which might be concrete, composite, or metallic deck materials, the span of your deck and the footings used to support your deck.

Based on the above factors and residential decks we have worked on, traditional wood framed decks are designed to hold loads of 50 pounds per square foot (PSF), composite decks can hold approximately 100 pounds per square foot, concrete decks can hold 145-155 pounds per square foot, and metallic decks can hold up to 400 pounds per square foot depending on the metal used and the footing structure.

A gazebo on a wooden deck, demonstrating the possibility of placing a gazebo on a deck. The image showcases a beautifully designed gazebo surrounded by lush greenery, providing an inviting outdoor space. The gazebo's presence on the deck exemplifies the question, 'Can You Put Gazebo on Deck?'"

What Are the Best Types of Gazebos for My Deck?

The standard or average size of decks in the United States is between 300 and 400 square feet; we also suggest that your deck should be able to be equal to or less than 20% of your house’s total square foot if you want to build a deck it’s important to make sure your read HOA local regulations on the size of a deck because HOA of your city regulations can restrict how large of a deck you can build. You might need local permits and covenants to ensure you have created an allowable deck size.

It’s essential to factor in the weight of the gazebo to be installed in your deck; the weight of a gazebo is dependent on the size of the gazebo and the materials used to construct the gazebo, typically a gazebo of 8x4ft weighs 220.5 lbs. while a small gazebo of 1.5ft x 1.5ft weighs around 28.7 lbs., this is the dead load, its essential also to factor in additional dead loads you want to include in your gazebo such as furniture’s, and décor.

Here is a list of the Best Gazebo Kits Curaed for Our Readers.

The live load of the gazebo is also a factor that you will need to consider; if a gazebo can accommodate six people with an average weight of 197.9 pounds, the live weight of your gazebo will be 1,187.4 pounds.

Now that you understand the weight loads that can be put on your deck, the weight of pre-built gazebos, and the typical size of decks in the United States, we will use this information to let you know the best types of gazebos that are suitable for concrete decks, metallic decks, composite decks and also for homeowners who don’t have a deck. Still, their backyard or garden has grass, and they want to purchase a deck for outdoor activities.

Best Gazebos for Wooden Deck.

We will start with the best gazebos for wooden decks because, in most Americans’ homes, a wooden deck is the first deck idea that you will come across; its also a fact that most homeowners already have a wooden deck in their home, and they are looking for a gazebo to install on their existing deck.

If you don’t have a deck in place and looking for a budget-friendly deck, we recommend considering a wooden deck; materials and the labor of installing a wooden deck are inexpensive, its also easy to customize and work on wooden decks when it comes to anchoring and placing a gazebo on wooden decks.

A stable wooden deck with sound footings, ledgers, joists, and skirt boards will be able to handle at least 50 pounds per square foot (PSF); the standard size of wooden decks is between 300- and 400-pounds square feet; this means such a wooden deck you can support a maximum weight of 15,000 to 20,000 pounds.

The best gazebo for wooden decks is a wooden framed gazebo; this is because it’s easy to fix a wooden gazebo to a wooden deck using brackets, and also, a wooden gazebo will match the aesthetics of the wooden deck; our number one recommended gazebo for wooden decks is the Sunjoy cedar framed wood gazebo with a double hard top roof.

We recommend the Sunjoy cedar framed wood gazebo kit because it’s a permanent gazebo; considering you want to install a gazebo on a deck, depending on your wooden deck size, Sunjoy cedar framed wood gazebo has various sizes of wooden decks. Their decks can be installed on decks measuring between 300- and 400-pound square feet of wooden decks.

We also recommend the Sunjoy cedar framed wood gazebo because of its double-top design; considering a wooden deck can support up to 50 pounds per square foot (PSF), a double-top roof will help decrease the uplift weight due to airflow into the gazebo by directing circulating air from the gazebo by creating an escape root for air.

Best Gazebo for Concrete Decks.

For concrete decks, we recommend considering metallic gazebos; this is because you will need to mount a gazebo to the concrete deck foundation, and you usually will be provided with bolt-on brackets that will be drilled or fixed on the concrete deck; concrete is one of the strongest foundations decks that you install a gazebo on.

For 3-4 inches of the concrete deck, we recommend installing a metal gazebo that will have its footing secured to the deck; our number consideration for metal gazebos that can be installed on a concrete deck is the Kozyard Alexander Permanent Hardtop Gazebo.

The Kozyard Alexander Permanent Hardtop Gazebo offers the best anchor points for mounting it on a concrete Deck using brackets; when installed on strong-held brackets, the metal gazebo kit will not be easily moved by wind or external forces; you can use additional concrete screws and expansion anchors to secure the gazebo kit to the Concrete Deck.

Best Gazebo for Composite Deck.

For composite decks made from Trex, a blend of plastic film and reclaimed wood fibers, we recommend installing a lightweight gazebo and making sure you place the composite deck on a concrete footing; concrete footings will create a shear bond between the composite deck ad the concrete creating a stable foundation for your deck since a composite deck will be subject to uplift from the gazebo.

If you have a composite deck installed, we recommend the EROMMY Permanent Hardtop Gazebo just because of the design of its stand poles, which have pre-drilled holes that make it easy to install the gazebo on composite decks.

The EROMMY Permanent Hardtop Gazebo is also lightweight. It includes a double-top roof that helps direct wind out of the gazebo to prevent an uplift to your composite deck and the gazebo itself.

Best Gazebo for Grass Foundations.

If you don’t have the budget for building a wooden deck, concrete deck, or composite deck, and your garden or backyard has a grass top, you can comfortably put a gazebo on grass; however, you will need concrete footings to help support your gazebo if you are considering installing a permanent gazebo, for the temporary gazebo you will need a gazebo that is lightweight and also use gazebo weights to anchor the gazebo to the ground.

Last update on 2024-07-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Blake Nudell

Author: Blake Nudell

Blake is an expert in residential construction with a passion for gazebos. Licensed contractor with a BS in Construction Management. Certified Outdoor Professional & Concrete Paver Installer. Founder of Gazebo Haven. Married to Joanna, a trusted interior designer. Dedicated to top-quality outdoor craftsmanship.

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