Gazebo advice

[Simon Lewis]

Folks,

 

I know there's quite a few here who spend their lives with these things..... I'm looking around for something like a 3mx3m gazebo - for occasional outdoor FOH shelter use, but also for the family to cook in on the rare times we get to go camping etc...

Although it'll travel in the van, I don't want it to weigh more than is needed. It'll need four sides and be relatively simple to erect.

 

I'm discounting the Argos specials which bend under their own weight and am looking at such suppliers as Gala Tent and Easy Gazebos.

 

Is there much difference at this end of the market? Any other makes I should be considering? Any preferred models or vendors?

 

Thanks!

 

Simon

[smalljoshua]

We've got a couple of these and they really are great. Bomb proof too!

 

http://www.sun-leisure.com/categories/Instant-Shelters/

 

Josh

[revbobuk]

We're just buying the Gala Pro-40 3x4.5m, and it's an excellent product. I guess two things. It's 10 times the cost of the Argh-os special, so you could go for one of those and treat it as a disposable. And even a good gazebo like the Gala won't stay up in strong winds. Make sure you budget for tie-downs, leg weights or whatever as well.

[kerry davies]

Wrong time of year but keep an eye on Curlew Marquees site because they don't just do second-hand kit but new.

 

You might want to check out Coleman Event Shelters for the more aesthetic/family angle.

 

City B in Stoke sometimes have "surplus stock" but once you get into these things it is worth shopping around at Instant Shelters, Instant Marquees, SurfTurf and a heap of others selling virtually identical kit.

[sandall]

I bought this (steel legs & waterproof) 2.5m x 2.5m a few years ago for £79 , have used it for FoH in all weathers & can't fault it. Still £79, but now comes with wind-bars & weight bags as well -. https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1 They claim it goes up in 60" - I would say nearer 5' with 4 people, 10' with 1 or 2.

 

My 3m B&Q special, which cost about the same by the time I'd bought the sides, might well be waterproof (I haven't risked it), but has push-together legs, so might disintegrate in a high wind.

[ImagineerTom]

Somewhere on here I've written a long post on this but in a nutshell around £100-150 is the sweet spot. Cheaper ones don't last, more expensive ones are stronger but not proportionate to the extra cost.

 

A set of wind bracing bars & a set of guy ropes and decent stakes (i.e. Webbing straps and a stake you need a tool to install) will be considerably better than the string-and-bent-coat-hanger supplied with them and increase the life of your gazebo dramatically.

 

Leg weights (of any type) have zero effect

 

Side panels are useful cosmetically but once the wind gets up they are the first thing you need to remove.

[sandall]

Side panels are useful cosmetically but once the wind gets up they are the first thing you need to remove.

Last time I used it in bad weather (drenching rain & wind strong enough to blow K & M mic stands right off the stage) we had to ratchet-strap the legs to trees, lengths of truss, etc, as all 4 feet were lifting off the ground, but I managed to keep 3 side panels on, & all the gear stayed dry.

[Junior8]

Buy a UK made product look at City B, Instant of Camelford are two excellent suppliers.

[Paul_R]

Hi Simon,

If you have access to Costco, was looking at this in store the other day and seems to be fairly well made; bolts rather than rivets, may be worth a look?

http://www.costco.co.uk/view/p/activa-10ft-x-10ft-3-x-3-m-instant-canopy-966761

 

Paul

[Simon Lewis]

Thanks, Paul - but that Costco one is not suitable for cooking in...

[sandall]

Are any, unless covered in flame-resistant canvas?

[ImagineerTom]

Last time I used it in bad weather (drenching rain & wind strong enough to blow K & M mic stands right off the stage) we had to ratchet-strap the legs to trees, lengths of truss, etc, as all 4 feet were lifting off the ground, but I managed to keep 3 side panels on, & all the gear stayed dry.

That would have been a very bad idea and in future you should release sides so that your gazebo isn't acting like a giant sail - these structures aren't designed to be used as refuge (you'll find that written in the instructions or terms and conditions) and if you've got wind that strong your gazebo is more likely to increase the risks and cause more injury/damage if you leave the sides on as it will either be pushed laterally across the site or be torn to pieces and send bits of gazebo flying across the site. In a 30mph wind (which would class as "a breeze") there's over 100kg of horizontal force pushing against a 3x3m flat gazebo wall, 50mph wind (which would fit your description of the situation) there's over 400kg of horizontal force - these number are all far far in excess of the loadings any pop-up gazebo you can buy has been designed to withstand which is why all guidance notes and official advice about them (as well as insurers covering the event) will specifically advise against using them as refuge.

Every major festival and event you can think of will have multiple examples of outside contractors/punters turning up with pop-up gazebos of all makes and models and at some point those structures going for walks across the site and ultimately ending up a mangled twisted mess. For an occasional FOH position to provide some shade and protection from light rain they are of use but if you are wanting something that can protect you from fairly day-to-day weather conditions then you absolutely cannot consider this type of structure and should be looking at something more durable.

Are any, unless covered in flame-resistant canvas?

nope - by definition if they're sold in the uk then the material must have some sort of fire-retardancy but even the most expensive model imaginable isn't even remotely heat-proof. You will see caterers that use these structures will often have only a low BBQ / griddle in there either shielded in by metal panel or against an open side of the structure; occasionally you see people who've forgotten this and by the end of the first day's use they have a wall that's all black and melty.

[Simon Lewis]

I'm not expecting to find a "fire proof" material, but some vendors quote an Australian fire retardancy standard, some state "Fire retardant to: BS7837" and some simply don't mention fire retardancy at all...

 

I had assumed that there were degrees of difference between makes?

[ImagineerTom]

that "Australian" standard you mention is a British standard number...

 

No, no gazebo has a fire rating relevant to deliberately cooking inside it - whether they're made from a plastic/synthetic material or old-school canvas none of them will survive prolonged exposure to heat as you would get with cooking; you might get away with a griddle/burner against an open side but if you are wanting to BBQ then at the very least you need to expect smoke damage and low-level melting no matter what brand you choose.

[kerry davies]

Nearly all tents prohibit cooking inside and fire is not the biggest safety hazard. Carbon monoxide is the beast. It isn't frequent and is most often the result of those charcoal barbie trays but people, mostly kids, do die. If the cooking is important then an awning or an extended fly-sheet is better.

 

Not disagreeing that 25-30 mph is a "strong breeze" but iTom is speaking from a circus tent man perspective. 25MPH is the point at which umbrellas turn inside out and I start taking down pop-ups while keeping careful watch on stage covers. Theoretically the wind limits for clearspan marquees go up to 50-60 mph roughly but that is 40 foot waves at sea and trees being snapped/uprooted. Not the sort of weather to go camping with the kids.