Gazebo Buying Guide

If you're new to buying gazebos, then we at Oxnorth can help you out! We've created a gazebo-buying guide to make purchasing the perfect gazebo, marquee or instant shelter effortless.

Our gazebos and marquees are the ultimate alfresco experience, with an almost endless array of purposes and uses. The variety of individuals and businesses that need gazebos is surprisingly large, but we cater to them all. Read on to find out more!

Why do you need a gazebo?

Consider why you're looking for gazebos. Some of the most common reasons people buy gazebos include:

  • Commercial retail use, such as for market stalls, trade shows, exhibitions and other corporate events
  • Commercial hospitality use, such as when providing a shelter at weddings or for outdoor seating areas at bars and restaurants
  • Fetes and festivals, including music festivals, food festivals and fairgrounds 
  • Events, such as sports events, business events and carnivals
  • Personal use - perhaps you'd like a gazebo for a garden relaxation area, or to shelter outdoor furniture as part of a pleasant and comfortable dining area. You might even want to combine personal and commercial use by creating your own outdoor office space, allowing you to work outside when working-from-home!

Commercial vs Personal Gazebos

Typically, when people buy marquees and instant shelters for commercial use, one of our heavy duty gazebos is best. You'll want one of our lightweight gazebos with strong waterproofing and a strong, anodised aluminium frame, such as our OX60 3x3 Hex PVC marquee. It's still a good idea to consider a heavy-duty option if you're buying a gazebo for personal or residential use, of course - these options typically have a thicker canopy, but might be a little heavier to move around when compared with their more lightweight options.

How large should your gazebo be?

How much space do you need for your new gazebo? At Oxnorth, we have gazebos in a wide range of sizes, with our smallest 3x3m marquees and our largest 4x8m gazebos, plus plenty of intermediary sizes available,

If you're expecting just you to be using the gazebo, or maybe you and a couple of colleagues, then a 3x3m option or one of our other smaller gazebos should be perfect. If you imagine a pop-up shelter, 3x3m is probably the standard size you think of. These marquees are ideal for market stalls and for many other commercial uses.

You might want to invite prospective clients in from the cold and offer them some space to sit and wait, or to have a snack and a bite to eat. In this case, you could double the size and opt for one of our 3x6m gazebos, and separate your working space from the customer area with a half wall! 

We have even larger gazebos available that are well-suited to larger outdoor stalls and stores where customers and clients might be moving around and perusing through your products, or where you and your staff might be talking to multiple prospects one-on-one at once. You could even set up round wooden tables or other eating areas in our gazebos to create a pop-up restaurant.

If you choose the right gazebo size, nobody will be left in the cold! Read our gazebo size guide for more information.

Do you have enough outdoor space?

You'll need to ensure that there's enough space for your gazebo in its intended location! At Oxnorth, we specialise in instant shelters that can be set up and taken down effortlessly, and thanks to their small size when disassembled and our range of easy-carry-bag options, access isn't a problem with these gazebos; they can fit in any area that an average human can walk into. This makes our gazebos and marquees well-suited to relocation, ensuring they're suitable for trade shows, conferences and other temporary events.

However, you might intend to site your gazebo in one location for the medium to long-term, or you might have particular space requirements at your next event. Please ensure that you choose a gazebo that fits in the available space to avoid disappointment.

You'll also want to make sure people can access the gazebo itself! Make sure that there is enough space at the doors for people to comfortably enter - and you might also want to check that you have a nice view out of the window!

What colour scheme and design do you want?

Perhaps you'd like your gazebo to blend seamlessly into the background, so it doesn't detract from the ambience of a garden or any other relaxing area, or maybe you're looking for a marquee that pops out and that stands out from the crowd, using bright primary colours such as red and blue. You might even want a bespoke marquee with your business' name, logo and unique design on it through one of our custom printed canopies

Do you want side panels, gazebo tables, lighting or other accessories?

There's a huge number of gazebo accessories that might appeal to you, all depending on what functions you want your gazebo to have. Consider investing in some of the following!

  • Gazebo gutters: If you're keeping your marquee outside, gutters will help to improve the weather-resistance of it by providing rainwater with a fast, low-friction route away from your gazebo roof. 
  • Marquee lighting: You might intend to use your gazebo during the winter months, or in the evening, and natural sunlight won't be enough for you to get all the use out of your shelter. LED marquee lighting clips on to the frames of your gazebo to provide effortless illumination. 
  • Gazebo tables: If you're intending to create an outdoor stall area, if your business is going to sell products from a marquee, or if you'd simply like the perfectly-positioned table to go inside your gazebo, then you'll want a specially-made table, at the ideal position for the perfect view out of the side.
  • Half wall kits: Choose these kits to turn one side of the gazebo into a half-wall, adding to the stall ambience of your new gazebo. 
  • Gazebo heaters: Although our gazebos are made with thick, weatherproof canopies, you'll still need a heater to keep warm in the colder weather or when the sun goes down. Unlike patio heaters, these gazebo heaters are made for indoor use, providing hazard-free heat that's perfect for marquees.

How to buy a gazebo from Oxnorth 

Buying a gazebo is simple! Check out any of our range of gazebos for sale, including both hex-frames and box-frames, and then use our online shopping system to choose your style and design. You can also add all of the gazebo accessories you need to your basket, and when you're ready, just make payment to confirm.

If you have any questions or would like further advice, simply contact us! Call info@oxnorth.co.uk or give us a call 02870 512512