Elaine’s top tips for covered seating areas
Try sitting in gazebos, pavilions and summerhouses before you buy. I always wanted a summerhouse with windows and doors until I sat in one, and found it limited the view of the garden. An open-sided gazebo, with three sides of trellis, provides shelter, but we do not feel enclosed. Choose a sunny spot facing a view of the garden that you really enjoy – we wanted ours to look at the borders.
If the structure is selfassembly, first treat all the wood with a preservative and paint everything before you put it up it – I steeped the uprights in wood preservative for three days and then applied four coats of Cuprinol’s exterior paint before assembling (cuprinol.co.uk).
We prepared a base from 60cm x 60cm paving slabs laid on a level, 10cm-deep concrete base.
We paid extra to have felt roof tiles – worthwhile because they protect the wooden roof, and give the building a really traditional feel.
Every year we use a wire brush to brush out cobwebs, and then give it a coat of fresh paint.