Collection: Garden Gazebos

Gazebos come with a low flat roof or a traditional gable roof. The flat roof looks modern and sits discreetly. It suits a courtyard or a small yard. It also works where you want the building to stay low in the view from the house. The gable is taller and gives the structure more presence. It throws rain further clear of whatever sits underneath.

You are mostly choosing a look and a rain line, so pick the one that suits the house and the spot. Heights, roof gradients and overhangs are set out on each listing. A product specialist can talk it through with you free of charge.

It helps to think in furniture rather than floor area. A smaller gazebo suits an intimate setting, some loungers, or a sheltered spot for the barbecue. A mid sized one takes a dining table with the chairs pulled out. It also takes a lounge setting with room to walk behind it. The largest are entertaining scale. They have room for a dining setting and a separate seating area, or a spa with space to walk around it.

Allow clearance to the fences and the house as well, for the roof line and for working room while you build. Take the dimensions from the listing. Set them out on your own lawn with a tape and some pegs before you decide.

The range starts with a plain open shelter, a roof on posts with the sides open. From there it runs up to versions supplied with panels and glazing that close part of the building in. What each version includes is set out on its own product page. Compare the inclusions rather than assuming every model is the same shell.

Adding panels afterwards is sometimes possible, so check before you count on it. It comes down to two things. The parts for that model have to be available to buy on their own. The model also has to still be in production when you come back for them. Ask us to check both against the gazebo you are looking at.

They come from the same flat pack timber range. The difference is how much of the structure is closed in. A gazebo is the open shelter, a roof on posts with the sides open or part open. An outdoor bar adds a serving counter and the joinery around it, so you can pour drinks and cook there. A glass garden room closes the whole thing in with glazing. That gives you a room you can sit in through wind and cold weather.

If you want shade and cover rather than a room, the gazebo is the one.

It keeps the sun and straight down rain off whatever sits underneath, which is what most people want it for. Wind driven rain will still come in through an open side. If you want to sit out in poor weather, choose a version with panels on the weather side. Or set the gazebo so the open faces point away from the prevailing wind and the worst of the afternoon sun.

On many models the weatherproof roof covering and the guttering are optional items, so budget for them. Without guttering the roof drops water in a line around the perimeter. That matters if the line lands on a path or a garden bed. Check what is included on the listing.

It needs a level, sufficiently load bearing base, set out square to the kit footprint. The weight comes down through a handful of posts rather than along a whole wall. Each post needs something solid underneath it. Existing paving often works if it is genuinely flat, sound and draining away. A deck can work if the framing and footings carry the load. Get a builder's or engineer's opinion before you commit to that.

A new slab, concrete footings under each post, or pavers on compacted road base are the common choices. If the setout is out of square, the roof will not sit true.

Every kit ships as a complete flat pack with all fixings and an illustrated assembly guide. That covers the timber to timber connections. Holding the building to the ground is a separate decision, and it is the part worth getting right. Each post carries a share of the roof, and an open structure catches wind.

The kits are made to sit on firm, level bearing points. Concrete footings, screw piles or a slab all work, provided every post bears at the same height. On an exposed or windy site, get local advice on the fixing before you build.

Plan on a couple of people for the smaller buildings. The larger ones need an extra pair of hands. The work itself is straightforward. The extra hands are for the beams and roof sections, which are awkward to hold steady and square while someone fixes them. Components arrive cut, numbered and palletised with illustrated instructions, so you work through the sequence rather than measuring and cutting.

Have the base finished and set before delivery. Keep the roof boards covered while you work. Plenty of buyers hire a local carpenter if they would rather not build it themselves.

An open structure has every face exposed, including the underside of the roof and the post bases where they meet the ground. Coat all of it before or during assembly, and coat every cut end too. How well the timber holds up depends on the protection you put on it. Choose a finish made for outdoor use and keep up with it.

Use an exterior finish with UV protection. Refresh the coating in accordance with the manufacturer's recommended schedule. Keep leaves off the roof. Keep the post bases clear of soil and mulch. Check the fixings once a year.

Timber is covered for 5 years. Electrical parts and fit-out items are covered for 1 year. Our warranty conditions set out the detail. Your rights under Australian Consumer Law apply on top and can't be excluded.

Seasonal movement, small knots and colour change are how timber behaves rather than faults, so they are not treated as defects. If you are not sure whether something is covered, call us on 03 6145 0600 or email hello@nordicspa.com.au. We will help you work it out.

It depends on where you live. Approval is set by your state and your local council. It turns on floor area, height, siting and setbacks, and on overlays such as bushfire, heritage, flooding and easements. Many small structures are exempt, but the thresholds differ from one council to the next. Nothing here is legal advice.

We offer a free council permit check by postcode. Confirm the position with your council before you order.

Your gazebo arrives flat-packed on pallets by freight truck. We offer free freight to metro depots in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney. Request a freight quote if you live outside our free delivery zones.

From the depot you can pick up for free, or arrange delivery to your property with the depot. Items held in stock are dispatched within one to four business days. Made to order buildings take roughly eight to fourteen weeks. They're manufactured in Europe and shipped once your order is placed. The listing tells you which applies to the gazebo you're looking at. We confirm the timing with you when you order.