You’re lounging out in your gazebo on a quiet night with a warm cup of tea. Suddenly, you hear an incessant buzzing sound.
The mosquitos are attacking. Now, this might not be the first time you’ve had bug encounters ruining your relaxing gazebo moments.
It’s likely why you’ve finally decided to screen in your gazebo. Luckily, the process is straightforward.
You only need to prepare your kit and tools, take your measurements, get to cutting, and attach your pieces.
Stick around to learn more about the benefits, considerations, and process of screening in your gazebo.
Why Screen In a Gazebo
Screening in your gazebo reaps multiple benefits. Some of these include:
- No Bug Zone: A screen surrounding your gazebo will keep any pesky pests out, especially during those humid summer days.
- Extra Privacy: Craving a bit of outdoor privacy from neighbors? A screen can provide that.
- Windproofing: If it gets a little windy, you can enclose your gazebo thanks to the barrier a screen provides.
What to Consider Before Screening In Your Gazebo
Before you begin your gazebo screen-in project, you must consider several factors.
With the extensive variety of gazebos available on the market, screen-ins might not always be suitable for every gazebo shape and size.
Here’s what to consider:
Gazebo Shape
If you have a four-sided gazebo, rather than an octagonal structure, building a screen won’t be as challenging.
Remember, you’re going to attach each screen panel to a vertical post. The more vertical posts a gazebo has, the more panels you’ll need to incorporate, costing you more.
Door Build
More often than not, gazebos come with an open entryway plan. Now, you can’t build a screen in for your gazebo and leave it doorless.
Otherwise, you disregard the wind, bug, and privacy benefits offered by adding a screen around the gazebo.
For this reason, you can build a door for your gazebo using the leftover wood from constructing it. We also suggest adding the screen-in material to the door for a more uniform look.
Lower Walls
Take a look at your gazebo’s lower half. Check the lower walls. Are they holed, or do they have balusters and railings? Either way, it complicates things when screening in your gazebo.
The empty spaces on the lower panel defeat the bug and wind protection purpose of using screens.
Consequently, before you build the gazebo with a screen-in in mind, consider a plan with a covered lower wall.
It can have an intricate but tightly-knit design, enough to give a barrier. Alternatively, you can opt for a no-lower-wall plan and cover the entire wall with a screen.
Steps to Screen In a Gazebo
After taking your considerations and formulating a solid plan for your screen-in project, it’s time to get to work.
Step #1: Gather Your Materials
Enclosing your gazebo with a screen will require several materials on hand. You will need:
Screen
The screen is the most critical element in this gazebo project.
You can pick between many materials for a screen, including fiberglass, polypropylene, commercial bronze, stainless steel, and aluminum.
Typically, fiberglass is the most widely used option because it’s budget-friendly and durable. Meanwhile, aluminum is rust-resistant, low-maintenance, and lightweight.
They’re not as popular as fiberglass mesh options because they’re pricier. Polypropylene is an exceptional option all around since it’s affordable, light, and sturdy.
Commercial bronze isn’t a popular option. Nonetheless, it does offer one of the most aesthetically pleasing designs. It’s resilient and ages elegantly over time.
Screen Frames
Screen frames are going to be the borders for your screens. They’ll be nailed to the edges of your gazebo’s posts to secure the screens in place.
They’re usually made out of aluminum since it’s non-corrosive and rust-resistant.
Aside from that, you’ll want to take accurate measurements of your gazebo’s vertical posts to ensure you cut up the correct screen frame size.
Fasteners
Fasteners are going to be like your screen-in project’s glue. They’ll keep your screen attached to its designated frame.
The tool will also keep your screen frames stuck to your gazebo’s posts. Fasteners can be multiple items, like nails, screws, or clips.
We recommend finding fasteners that are non-corrosive and long-lasting, especially since they’ll be exposed to outdoor elements.
If you don’t want to go through the trouble of finding these fasteners, you can always find screen installation kits sold at a hardware store.
Hardware Tools
During the screening-in process, you’ll likely require additional tools, like:
- Measuring tape
- Saw
- Screwdriver
- Drill
- Screw gun
- Utility knife
Step #2: Take In Measurements
With your measuring tape, take down your gazebo’s dimensions. Get the width and height between each post that you’ll add your frames to.
Make sure the measurements align with the mounting style you choose later on. Plus, consider every angle of where the frames will be placed.
Check for any bumps or curves and measure accordingly.
Step #3: Decide on a Mounting Style
Before drilling your frames into the gazebo posts, you need to decide at what angle or position you’ll install them. There are typically four different mounting styles to choose from.
You can opt for a frame installation within or outside the gazebo posts. Within each of the two choices, you can create a butt or mite corner.
Mite corners are diagonal end cuts stuck to each other. Meanwhile, a butt corner is when two square edges stick together.
Step #4: Cut the Material
After getting the measurements from the second step, grab your utility knife and get to cutting the screen material.
You can number each screen to make sure you don’t lose track of their placement. Make sure to cut an inch more in case you need to size up the screen during installation.
Then, cut the screen frames using a saw to the exact measurements from your mounting style choice.
Step #5: Attach the Screens to the Frames
With the fasteners, attach your screen material to each cut frame. You can use a clip, stapler, nail, or screw in this step.
Ensure that the screen is stretched out and wrinkle-free when attaching it to the frame.
Step #6: Screw the Screens to Your Gazebo Posts
After getting your panels all ready, get your drill and screw each one in its designated spot. Make sure the fasteners you use here are durable.
You’ll want to make screw attachments from the insides of the screen frame as well as the top and bottom edges of it for additional security.
Step #7: Attach a Door
Finally, you’ll want to screw a door to your gazebo. Some screen kits come with door attachments. In that case, the tools needed should also come with it.
On the other hand, if you’re getting a new door, make sure you use a latch and hinge with a thick layer of galvanization and powder coating. That way, it’ll stay rust-resistant and durable.
Final Thoughts
How do you screen in a gazebo? Well, it only takes a few steps of preparing your tools, jotting down measurements, making your cuts, and nailing everything together.
A screen for your gazebo will serve more than bug repellent. You’ll also get more comfort from privacy and a barrier from chilly winds.
You’ll finally be able to enjoy some peace and quiet from the outside world while staying outside.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
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