How to Maintain Your Wooden Gazebo?
Your gazebo most likely takes pride of place in your garden. An oasis of calm where you can relax, unwind and enjoy your outdoor space. However, if you do not properly care for your wooden gazebo, you may find several problems occur that could leave it looking less than its best. C
Here are a few tips to help you to look after your wooden gazebo.
Treating Your Gazebo
Just as with any other wooden structure in your garden, your gazebo needs regular care and attention. To keep the wood protected, it is a good idea to use a paint-on wood treatment. This will help to prevent the wood becoming damp, eliminating the risk from rot.
If your gazebo does not have a solid fountain, you may also want to keep an eye out for signs of rising damp, as this can cause permanent damage to your gazebo's structure. Luckily, there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to treatments for your gazebo.
Wood stains are a popular choice, as these protect your gazebo whilst still preserving the integrity of the wood's colour. However, if you want to transform your gazebo into something a little more eye-catching, you can always opt for a brightly coloured wood treatment instead.
Gazebo Plants and Foliage
Whilst gazebos may look elegant with vines and other plants wrapped around their structure, there are some factors about plants growing near to your gazebo that you need to be aware of.
Too many climbing plants can take hold and can actually risk pulling your gazebo down with it if left to grow out of control. Equally, having an excess of bushes and shrubs growing too close to your gazebo can result in roots damaging the fountains.
The same goes for large trees, which have complex root systems that can also end up destabilising your gazebo's base. Not only can roots of plants cause an issue, but branches can too.
Too much shade can cause a wooden gazebo to not dry out fully after rain, which is one of the key risk factors for rot setting in. Equally, a tree could fall onto your gazebo, leaving it irreparably damaged. So when it comes to plants and foliage, be sure to be vigilant as to what is growing on or near your gazebo.
Gazebo Storage
Unlike other outdoor wooden structures, for example sheds, gazebos do not make a good choice when it comes to being used for storage. This is because piling in items can actually pose a damp risk to the gazebo, especially if these items get wet in bad weather.
Fungi can also start to grow between items and the beams of your gazebo if the two are left touching for prolonged periods of time. If the wood of your gazebo starts to rot, there is very little you can do to repair it and it may need replacing in its entirety instead.
Stay Alert
Just as with any structures present in your garden, it is a good idea to always be alert to any changes. Spotting the signs of damp early can be enough to save your wooden gazebo from being taken over by rot.
Checking the roof for signs of damage is also really important, as any cracks can let in rainwater. It is also a good idea to be vigilant to the state of your gazebo's foundations too, promptly clearing away any excess plants or foliage looking to take hold.