The bigger the better. However the bigger costs more. The rule of thumb is for fully enclosed gazebo you need a size that can fit your spa plus there is a walkway with width 24″ minimum. For example, if your spa is 7’x7′, you’d better choose a 10’x10′ spa enclosure. If you consider to have a area for change and other activities, the 10’x12′ is better. For lattice style, you can choose a size just fit your spa or a size large enough for party

Any structure is only as good as it has foundation. We suggest that the gazebo be installed on a wood deck or a poured cement pad. The key factor is how LEVEL the surface is. The footing cannot have a “crown” or high spot.  The whole pad can be tilted several degrees for drainage, as long as the tilt is all in one plane. The smallest gazebo weighs about 1000 lbs. If there is going to be a spa inside, the weight is significant. So the foundation needs to be able to support these combined weights.   

This depends upon the size of the gazebo. The most important measurement is the outside dimensions of the gazebo. This information can be found on each of the gazebo page under the specifications. Once you find your model size and the wall outside dimensions, simply add about 4″ ~ 12″ all the way around. This is the size for the foundation. 

Yes. The roof design is quite strong and can be walked upon easily. But the roof or skylight cannot support high snow loads of a couple feet or more. Most people who live in high snow areas have to be aware of the dangers that high snow loads create. It is the customers responsibilities to judge if you are in the high snow load area and upon high snow winter to clean the snow off the roofs when it is required, and also to reinforce the roof structure of the gazebo with extra hardware or supports. 

Our Pacific, Atlantic and Hawaii gazebos have hip roofs with skylights made with tinted 3mm acrylic glass or polycarbonate sheet. The skylight sizes are about 3’x3′ for 8’x8′ models, 3’x6′ for 8’x11′ models, 4’x4′ for 10’x10′ and 12’x12′ models, and 4’x6′ for 10’x12′ and 12’x14′ models. Our Islander gazebos have no roof skylight, but have gable windows to let up light in.

Similar to our house roofing, we apply wood truss and rafter system, plywood roof sheathing, tarpaper, mahogany ceiling and selected roof top materials to build the gazebo roofs. The roof top materials include cedar shingles, cedar solid wood and profiled steel metal sheets in colors of dark brown, green or blue.

All of them are good roofing materials. The benefits of cedar wood roofs are the warmth and match to the whole cedar gazebo. The cedar roofs are more expensive than a metal roof. The benefits of the metal roofs are greater durability and low maintenance. So it is depending on individual’s favorite and preferences.

Like any wood product, it does require a certain amount of regular maintenance. We recommend that in a good weather to stain the gazebo exterior as soon as possible with a quality semi-transparent stain of cedar tone (or favored color) in oil base or waterbase or apply with an oil based clear preservative coat. Once a year or two after, you can re-stain the gazebo. In areas with high U.V. concentrations (high altitudes), the stain with U.V. protection and sealing properties is better. The goal is to keep it protected from U.V. and water saturation, as these both will severely damage the wood grain over time.