VINYL GAZEBOS

Vinyl gazebos represent the largest segment in the market. Their appeal can be summed up in two words: maintenance free.

More properly stated, vinyl gazebos are minimal maintenance. Periodic cleaning is needed to keep these gazebos looking new. But that’s a far cry from re-staining or painting conventional wood gazebos.

Cost vs. convenience: Vinyl cost more than lumber. The trade off is the maintenance factor.

Appearance: The vinyl industry has made huge strides over the past 10 years. They however have not mastered coloring vinyl. Darker colors absorb energy from the sun and the increase heat make the vinyl unstable. Therefore, color choices for vinyl products is typically limited to ‘white’ or ‘ivory’ (tan). Perhaps sometime soon the industry will develop a stable vinyl product with a genuine wood-like appearance. But until that day, minimum maintenance gazebos will be white or ivory.

Structural stability: Some vinyl gazebos are constructed using hollow vinyl components. These tend to be somewhat flimsy and lack structural stability. A preferred choice are the Amish made kits that feature wooden frames wrapped in virgin vinyl. This gives one the advantages of solid structures with the beauty and convenience of minimal maintenance vinyl. Better systems feature kiln dried treated lumber. Kiln dried treated lumber is dried after being treated. This minimizes potential warping issues.

Wood Gazebos