Timber Frame Gazebos

Timber frame gazebos remain popular because of the natural look they inspire.  While PVC, aluminum, and steel may last longer, a truly good timber frame gazebo is no slouch itself.  These gazebos generally last anywhere from ten to twenty years before needing serious maintenance, and offer a rustic feeling that simply can not be matched by more modern conventions. 

Nothing says "graceful living from another time" quite as much as a Victorian gazebo.  These are extremely picturesque little structures that do far more than merely keep the sun and rain off: they are also a lure to strollers in a garden or landscape to pause, sit down, and contemplate a particularly beautiful area.  Steel may last longer, but even if the steel is well decorated and not an eye sore, it just can not match up.

Timber frame gazebos will generally be made of cedar.  Cedar is the most common type of lumber used for gazebos because it has been proven for generations to not only be impressively resistant to rot, but it also enjoys a well earned reputation for strength and durability unparalleled by most other species of lumber.  It has been a popular choice for builders and construction workers for decades, and so it should be no surprise that cedar would also be a popular wood for an outdoor building like a gazebo. 

Cedar is also a very beautiful wood with nice coloration and a very distinctive, pleasant smell.  These types of gazebo will sometimes actually be simply referred to as cedar gazebos, or cedar gazebo kits.  The normal life span of a timber frame gazebo is eight to ten years, assuming no work or maintenance is done.  If the word is treated, coated, and protected, you can add many more years to its natural life.

Many of the larger timber frames will rely on an interesting combination of joints including mortise and tenon joints, half lap joints with pins on crossed knee braces, and a dragon brace and beam to capture or support the lower end of a hip rafter in each corner of the gazebo.  Sound complicated?  If not, you are probably already in great shape if you are considering a gazebo.  If this all seems a little technical and heady, do not worry, and do not let this scare you off.  Almost all gazebos are sold in kits that have detailed instructions, and none of these gazebos require specialized tools.  This is one of those rare cases where the job is actually easier than it sounds.

The gazebo's invitation to meditate upon scenes of nature is part of the reason why timber frame gazebos remain more popular with many handymen than the metal or PVC, because the timber induces one into feeling almost like an appropriate part of nature.  These gazebos were originally part of a spiritual movement to help get in touch with nature, and though today's gazebos are usually more ornamental than spiritual, some traces of that previous influence remains.  For the natural beauty, and the highest value improvement on the property, go with the timber frame gazebo.  It is a choice you are not likely to forget.