At the moment, a gazebo is not just a garden building for relaxing in the fresh air, but a building structure designed to give a feeling of joy and comfort. A glazed gazebo with a barbecue is a modern solution that allows you to enjoy outdoor recreation and food without leaving your comfort zone. Depending on the size of the structure, you can gather your closest people or a whole group of friends here. By installing a dining area and a couple of small sofas here, you can make the gazebo an indispensable place to relax, both in summer and winter.
What type of glazing suits you: warm or cold?
First, let's figure out what the difference is.
Cold option.
Allows you to use the building while it is warm outside - from mid-spring to mid-autumn. It will be 5 degrees higher inside than outside. You can glaze a “cold” gazebo in the country using a thin aluminum frame or frameless method. These are the most affordable options; they are usually chosen by those who do not travel out of town in winter.
Warm gazebo.
Allows you to maintain an acceptable temperature during the cold season. It does not allow drafts to pass through; if you have a heating device, it can be used in winter. Suitable for this purpose:
- PVC double glazed window;
- high-quality premium wooden windows (ordinary ones do not completely seal the gazebo);
- glazing on an aluminum profile of sufficient thickness.
Step by step instructions
Glazing is usually done on ready-made open gazebos. The simplest solutions can be done with your own hands; more expensive ones will have to be ordered and the work entrusted to an experienced craftsman.
When performing independent work, follow safety regulations.
Let's look at the most popular glazing projects.
Old windows
The most budget-friendly option is to use old window frames, as long as they are enough for the entire gazebo. In this case, you will also need to work:
- fasteners - it is better to use modern self-tapping screws and perforated corners with stiffeners;
- paint – for decorative processing of old wooden frames.
You can use old window frames.
For safety, it is better to remove the glass; empty frames are installed inside the finished frame of the gazebo. Sometimes it is first sheathed with boards, leaving openings of the required size. The frames are attached to the upper and lower frames. If voids remain (rectangular frames come in different sizes), the unfilled space is covered with boards or plywood. The entire structure needs to be reinforced with jumpers.
It is advisable to fasten old frames with perforated plates. They may not adjoin each other tightly; the cracks must be sealed with polyurethane foam, then covered with slats.
When the gazebo is completely covered, all wooden surfaces are painted to improve the appearance.
After the paint has dried, the glass is placed on silicone and installed, securing it in place with new glazing beads.
Soft windows
The material used is the previously described PVC films. This coating lasts about 10 years, light transmittance is 90%. Even doors can be made flexible with a zipper.
The configuration of the windows should be ordered in advance - you need to know the exact dimensions of your gazebo, so it would be better to invite a measuring specialist. You can do the installation yourself:
- There are special metal parts for mounting on the canvases. They need to be inserted into the eyes and secured with straps.
- The eyelets themselves are attached to the upper and lower trim of the gazebo. Fix with dowels or self-tapping screws.
- Soft windows are attached to the finished eyes.
Polycrabonate
It is advisable to choose monolithic plastic with a thickness of 3–4 mm or cellular. As we have already mentioned, it is better to choose the color of the material white so that the room does not become too hot in clear sunny weather.
The sheets are attached to the finished frame of the building. It is best to use a special profile as a frame, for example, aluminum, into the grooves of which polycarbonate panels will be inserted. The required quantity of profile is ordered, measurements are taken in linear meters in relation to a specific gazebo.
If the gazebo is made of wooden beams, the sheets can be attached directly to the tree using self-tapping screws with rubber seals. If cellular polycarbonate was used for cladding, the ends of the sheets will have to be additionally covered with special tapes, otherwise moisture and debris will penetrate into the internal voids.
Aluminum frames
To increase comfort, it would be better to combine the positive aspects of open and closed gazebos. For this purpose, the glazing is made sliding like an accordion. In winter, a tightly closed gazebo retains heat, but in summer, all moving parts are folded together, maximizing the interior space.
Not only windows, but also doors and even the entire wall panel can be made sliding; aluminum is excellent for this purpose. The dimensions of all parts are carefully calculated, so it is better to invite a master measurer. It is recommended to order roller versions (like wardrobe doors).
It is better to entrust the installation of all glazing to specialists; experience is required here.
PVC
Ordering and installation in this case is similar to aluminum glazing:
- Accurate measurements are taken of the openings in the gazebo, taking into account small gaps for polyurethane foam;
- profiles with double-glazed windows are ordered from a company that is trustworthy;
- The order is delivered at the right time, then experienced specialists install the windows and doors in their places.
PVC profile glazing is an expensive, but also the most reliable option. Theoretically, you can simply build a gazebo from such material from scratch - walls are built from ready-made PVC forms on a pre-prepared site, all that remains is to form the floor and cover the gazebo with a roof.
Triple glazing PVC (Eurowindow): reliable and warm, like in the house
This is a solution that will last for many years, if not decades. As a profile, you can take PVC of any shade, not necessarily white. The tone is selected according to the RAL palette to match the design of the gazebo. With windows, unlike doors, you have two options: they can be opened for ventilation or not. It is better to choose a swing type of opening for a warm building, as it is more airtight.
Traditional approach - wooden windows
There are two poles here: very cheap wooden frames made from soft and inexpensive types of wood or premium ones from hard varieties. The former are chosen for a minimum construction budget, the latter for luxury projects. Depending on this, a glazed gazebo will look no worse than one made of PVC or have a relatively simple appearance with glass fastenings in the form of glazing beads.
Dimensions of the room and materials for construction
The dimensions of the future building can be described in several ways. The diameter, if the gazebo is round, does not go beyond 5 meters. Width and length, if the project is planned in the shape of a rectangle or square, typical sizes are from 3 to 6 meters.
On a note!
Sometimes there is a description of the volume of a room in terms of the capacity of people. Large gazebos can simultaneously accommodate up to 25 people.
Gazebos are built from all kinds of materials. The tree is recognized as the leader. It is combined with other types of raw materials. Due to its availability and relatively low price, wood will be a suitable building material for construction. Most often the list of materials includes pine or spruce. The second option is stone or brick, they also claim to be a worthwhile choice. Such gazebos are durable and of high quality; their service life is estimated at 15-17 years.
Panoramic windows: glazing of gazebos with aluminum profiles
If you have dreamed of a gazebo with large windows, this material is for you. Panoramic glass in the floor is installed in a metal frame; it plays the main load-bearing role. As a result, the effect of unity with nature is born.
The profile does not obscure the view, but since it uses one double-glazed window, it remains cool. This is the most successful compromise for those who do not want to overpay for Euro windows because they do not use their country house in winter. Aluminum profile is cheaper, but at the same time it has the proper quality and looks expensive.
Oven options
It was stated above that with cold glazing it is easy to install a stove. There are 4 to choose from:
- Russian stove;
- barbecue;
- potbelly stove;
- B-B-Q;
- fireplace.
A Russian stove is a traditional way to give a pleasant backdrop to a setting. It is practical in everyday life, it is made of brick and stylized according to the original Russian spirit, giving the room charm. The barbecue is considered a common type of gazebo stove. It’s comfortable to cook on it, not to mention how many recipes are written specifically for it.
The barbecue oven is only suitable for open gazebos, it is located in the center and takes up part of the space. A widely accessible method, since you can make the oven yourself. It's easy to find dishes that are cooked on a barbecue: it includes meat, fish, and vegetables. A fireplace is a universally recognized element of comfort. It is needed to create a friendly environment inside the room and year-round heating. There are glazed combined gazebos with a barbecue grill and a stove.
The most beautiful glazed gazebos are frameless
They are also called Finnish or frameless. The last name expresses their essence. The design does not provide for a frame into which the glass sheet is inserted. It is attached to special systems from below and above, creating the effect of a single all-glass composition. Such a gazebo looks weightless and creates a fabulous effect for the person inside that it is not there. At the same time, rain and wind do not interfere with enjoying the view.
The doors can be hinged, sliding or folding. But there are also disadvantages: as a rule, mosquito nets cannot be installed on them. And in early autumn and spring, the temperature in them is no more comfortable than outside.
Sheet acrylic glass
In other words, it is plexiglass, which is a transparent material consisting of thermoplastic resin . Transparent sheets can be different, both light-diffusing and light-transmitting. There are two types of plexiglass for gazebos: extruded and cast.
Both options have excellent characteristics, which include:
- easy processing due to high plasticity;
- increased impact resistance;
- wide range of colors;
- standard dimensions: 2030×2050 mm;
- thickness varies from 2 to 200 mm;
- light transmission is 93%;
- a light weight;
- high resistance to adverse weather conditions;
- resistance to high humidity and bacterial growth;
- environmental material;
- recycling is possible;
- guarantee up to 30 years.
Note. Differences exist in the molecular structure: in cast glass the molecular weight is up to 3,000,000, and in extruded glass up to 150,000. For this reason, the cast material is resistant to cracks and lends itself well to engraving and laser cutting.
Plexiglas gazebos are durable and pleasant to be in.
“Soft glass”: glazing a gazebo at the dacha using PVC film
This method does not apply to the varieties of classic glazing, since it does not involve the use of glass sheets. Instead, a dense wind- and moisture-resistant PVC film is used. This is a very cheap material available, but there are nuances.
- The density of PVC varies, and indoor comfort directly depends on this.
- You should not take a product with an indicator below 640 g/m - it can melt from the sun's rays.
- The aesthetic appearance of the building is not comparable to glass gazebos.
- There are many uncertified products on the market that, when heated, release hazardous substances.
- The film is fragile, it can be damaged by a branch during a storm, cutting objects, or fragments.
Unlike the cheapest gazebo with glass, such structures do not fully protect the structure for the winter. In terms of the reliability of protection of wooden or other wall materials, they are comparable to the conservation of non-residential premises with all the ensuing consequences.
Stained glass glazing
Such gazebos can compete in beauty with a work of applied art. Here everything is limited only by the designer’s imagination. Glaziers decorate sheets using various techniques, from expensive baking to cheaper gluing of films, achieving an amazing play of light.
***
What exactly your gazebo will be is not so important. The main thing is that it fully meets your ideas about beauty, pleases you with comfort and corresponds to your habits. If you need to choose this option, our designers are ready to help.
conclusions
The dacha version of a glazed, closed gazebo is rightfully considered one of the most popular garden outbuildings in the country. Of course, you can order a project from professionals, and entrust the construction to specialists. But it is much more interesting and enjoyable to do such work yourself.
To do this, you need to choose one of the options that you like the most, decide on the shape, size and materials. Then make a drawing and start construction. The recommendations you received in the article will help you bring your planned project to life.
