Why Do Gazebos Have Holes?

There could be various kinds of backyard structures, but gazebos are one of the best forms of outdoor shelter you might think of. They serve the purpose of covering you from natural and weather elements, leaving an everlasting backyard memory. The soft top gazebos are even so portable that you can fold them in your car’s trunk and have a barbeque at your convenient outdoor place. Now if you using a gazebo, especially the soft toped ones, then you might have noticed a series of holes in its surface. You may be also wondering what are those holes for.

For your information, these holes are not random design elements. Rather they are put to serve you with distinct benefits. In this article, we will give you a vivid image of why your gazebo has holes. Along with that, you will be able to know the types of gazebo holes, what benefits they bring in, the negative impacts they cause, and things to consider for having holes in the gazebo. Read till the end to enrich your knowledge on gazebo holes even better.

Key Takeaways

• Holes in a gazebo isn’t a random thing, rather they serve special purposes for your benefit.
• Gazebos venting roof holes ensure better circulation of air to keep your gazebo cooler in summer.
• Under harsh air breezing, holes in your gazebo can save it from being blown away.
• Holes in the gazebo can attract insects to come and even make your gazebo their home.

6 Purposes of Holes in The Gazebo

There is more than one purpose for your gazebo having holes. In a normal sense, holes often get created if the fabric gets torn. But we are talking about holes that have a special purpose for placing them. Some of the common purposes of holes in the gazebo are:

1. Ventilation

The major reason for holes in the gazebo is proper ventilation. Now you may think that the gazebo is wide open on all sides, which is why it is needed for additional holes. Well, when air circulation happens, the hot air gets lighter and lifts upwards and the cold air takes its place. As the gazebo roof is angled downwards, the hot air can get stuck or slow its ventilation outside. A well-designed hole structure on top of the gazebo can help the hot air to easily pass through and keep your gazebo ventilated.

2. Levelling wind pressure

When it is windy out there, soft top gazebos with fabric roofing and similar curtains can create uneven wind pressure between the inside and outside of the gazebo. Though it is not harmful to the living beings inside the gazebo, wind can put pressure on the outside wall of the gazebo. It can result in the gazebo acting like a sail curtain of a boat and can even flip the gazebo.

3. Drainage for water pooling

Another important purpose of holes in the gazebo is as part of the drainage system. It applies to both soft and hard top gazebos of have holes in them. There could be more than one hole to the slope’s end sides. In most cases, there could be additional PVC or fabric-made pipes adjoined to these holes for the water to pass easily. In alternative scenarios, 2-layer ventilation holes create a high ground and natural slope angle on the gazebo to prevent water pooling.

4. Acts as window

Many gazebos may have holes in their roofs and curtains that work as windows of the gazebo. Usually, these holes are closed by zipping an additional layer of fabric or transparent plastics. You can open these holes by just unzipping the chains and folding them in place. This type of hole is usually seen on camping purpose gazebos which facilitates a camping tent and the user uses it like their on-spot house.

5. Path for fireplace smoke

There could be one or two holes in your gazebo that are specially built to release fireplace smoke. If you have to use your gazebo in places or times when it is snowing, heavy air breezing, or raining outside, you need to keep your gazebo warm. The chimney of the fireplace will be placed through that hole and the inside of your gazebo will remain smoke-free.

6. Anchoring point

One of the main reasons your gazebo has holes is that they are part of your gazebo’s anchoring point. Holes with metal mold in their edges are used to stake your gazebo against wind and rain. Pole and rope go through the holes and ends by an attachment on the soil or with a tree.

Types of Holes in The Gazebo

Depending on the purpose, the hole type in the gazebo can vary. Some of the hole types in the gazebo are:

• Roof vents: They are the primary holes in a gazebo. They aren’t common in all types of gazebos. They are most usually seen on distinct two-layer roofed soft-top gazebos. There is a small secondary roof placed on top of the main roof and a square-shaped hole placed between them.
• Grommets: These are small types of holes, placed in different portions of the soft top gazebos. This hole serves different purposes such as water drainage points, letting wind in and out of the gazebo, and attaching poles, and ropes for better staking the gazebo. These holes are usually tiny in shape and located by the edges of the gazebo.
• Cupola: A cupola is typically a dome-shaped structure on some hard-top gazebos. Depending on their design, they may have designed holes on their surface, these holes ensure better air circulation and prevent water pooling.

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5 Things to Consider for Having Holes in The Gazebo

As you can understand now holes in your gazebo aren’t for random causes, rather they possess some essential benefits. That’s why if are thinking of buying or DYI placing a hole in your gazebo then you need to consider these points:

1. Purpose

Before having such holes in your gazebo, first ask yourself why you need one. If your area has frequent tropical rain then you need holes for water drainage, to prevent water pooling. If you use your gazebo in cold weather, then you need it to release fireplace smoke. If it is windy then you need it for staking your gazebo.

2. Material

Gazebo and the holes on them are heavily influenced by their build materials. Holes materials type needs to be synced with the gazebo itself for better results. They have to be durable in parallel to the gazebo. Soft-top gazebos have a smaller lifespan, so they may not bother you for long. But when it comes to hard top ones, the hole’s material matters as much as the gazebo. The gazebo materials should also be up to mark where they can fulfill the hole’s objectives.

3. Design & Location

The design of the gazebo should be aligned with the hole’s placement. Note that, if the gazebo is not well designed, the user will be in trouble while using it, and the holes in it will also be meaningless. So buy or make your gazebo as per your observation on its placement location, and if the holes are well functioning against the purpose they are placed for. To give you an example, you have holes in the gazebo to keep it cooler, but the gazebo design, its location, and hole placement aren’t well aligned with each other. This way, your desired result from the holes will not be satisfactory.

4. Appearance

The appearance of the gazebo is very important with or without the holes. Because, apart from sheltering you, a gazebo is also a decorative piece in your backyard. That’s why the holes should be well designed and put to match the overall appearance of the gazebo. They should be well capable of doing their intended task yet keeping the aesthetic appearance of the gazebo intake.

5. Maintenance

One last important consideration is the ease of maintenance of the holes and gazebo. The holes should not be in the line where they make the gazebo’s maintenance difficult. Rather the holes should be to the point where they last long, function well, and can be maintained easily.

5 Positives of Having Holes in Gazebo

Holes in the gazebo are ‘special purpose build’. This means a gazebo with no holes can alter your gazebo experience under some circumstances. Some positives of having holes in your gazebo:

1. Less wind damage

holes in the gazebo keep its surrounding air in compliance with the gazebo. If the holes weren’t in place, the air would entirely get stuck on the gazebo’s surface and could lead to damage or tilt of the gazebo. The last thing that you want happening is your gazebo flying in the wind.

2. Proper ventilation

When it is hot out there or oppositely, harsh weather, these ventilator holes will keep the airflow nominal in and outside of the gazebo. This will ensure, comparably cooler temperatures and fresh air breathing.

3. No water pooling

If your gazebo is a soft top one, then water pooling can be a common issue when it is raining heavily. To prevent water from pooling and keep your gazebo well integrated, holes by the edge of the gazebo are very impactful.

4. Easier to set

This is also applicable for soft top gazebos. They are lighter in weight and keeping them steady in your open backyard under heavy breezing can be a hard nut to crack. Having some distinct purposed holes can help you to stake the gazebo with soil or trees and keep it in place.

5. Functionality

It is common for gazebos to place a fireplace inside, have some windows to look through like a tent, etc. If there are no holes, then you can’t avail of these facilities in your gazebo.

3 Downsides of Holes in Gazebo with Solutions

It’s not all bad if your gazebo doesn’t have any holes in it. Rather, having holes can create some minor issues that you may find disturbing. Also, not all the holes come with benefits. Some of the downsides (with solutions) of having holes in your gazebo:

1. Insects Can Come

Insects have the instinct of sipping through holes. They can even make your gazebo their own home by living in the corners. This can be an annoying experience to have insects in your gazebo in great numbers.

Solution: Use fine mesh screens around the air vent. It will prevent the insects from coming while keeping the air or water flow intact. Monitor these holes regularly to see if any insect activity.

2. Higher Maintenance

Holes on your gazebo can increase its maintenance cost. For soft top gazebos, relocating, and storing the gazebos are normal. In this process, these hole joints can get weakened. Tearing or worn out can start from the holes.

Solution: Use well build and higher-quality material gazebo. Ensure the hole’s edges are well secured with grommets and no such breaking is visible. If found, replace or repair them instantly to prevent the crack from growing.

3. Water Can Pour

Faulty holes in your gazebo can cause water to sip through their edges into the gazebo. If the gazebo hole edges lose their integrity for some reason, water can pour in heavy rain.

Solution: Use a repair kit or patches to instantly secure any type of unwanted holes in your gazebo. The hole coverings should be integrated enough to withstand high water flow on them. Use water sealant sprays upon repairing the holes.

FAQs

1. Does the gazebo need a roof vent?

Though it is not mandatory to have roof vents on the gazebos if they are placed well they can certainly provide some benefits. Hot air can vent through this roof vent and keeps the gazebo cooler on summer days.

2. What makes a gazebo permanent?

To be precise, the structure of the gazebo along with its build materials makes a gazebo permanent. They are made using heavy materials such as metal, wood, and concrete. This type of gazebo requires a longer time to build and demolish to relocate them.

3. Can you have a fire under a fabric gazebo?

Yes, you can have a fire under a fabric gazebo but it requires certain criteria to fulfill. The gazebo should be large enough to house a decent-sized fireplace. You can’t certainly create an open fire to burn the gazebo. A closed fire with smoke ventilation is the safest suggestion for gazebo users.

Final Thoughts

Gazebos with holes are purpose-built to help its users gain a better user experience. If not the holes are made from wear and tear, they have distinct benefits such as better air ventilation, preventing water pooling, and leveling the air pressure within the gazebo to allow them to stand in place. Proper air ventilation ensures keeping the gazebo cool in summer and hot in the winter. These holes’ placement can vary depending on their purpose, design, and size. Besides their practical functions, the holes in gazebos also provide an aesthetic touch. They can frame a scenic view and enhance the overall outdoor space. That’s all for the reason your gazebo has holes.

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