How To Secure A Gazebo From Wind
As a predominantly outdoor structure, a gazebo is ideal for keeping your people and your assets away from the elements – especially on days where the weather isn’t so kind. It doesn’t end there either – by attaching gazebo sides to your tent, you’re adding an extra layer of protection to keep everything safe and dry.
Pop up gazebos are great for a number of reasons. However, heavy winds can often throw a curveball when you’re trying to put up your pop up gazebo and it can be irritating to try to keep your gazebo sides down without any preparation.
In this blog, Sun Leisure will explain how to stop gazebo sides flapping in the wind, so that when you use your gazebo on unpredictable days, it’ll be a much less stressful experience.
Can my gazebo withstand wind?
It’s important to know how to keep a gazebo from blowing away in the wind. Despite being temporary structures, all gazebos made by Sun Leisure are designed to withstand normal-to-strong winds if they are properly secured. As an example, our heavy-duty gazebos can withstand wind speeds of up to 50-55mph.
As previously mentioned, securing your gazebo is essential during windy conditions as otherwise you can expect them to tip over – risking damage to both your gazebo and your wares inside.
How to safely use a gazebo in windy conditions
An adequate set-up process is the key in how to stop gazebo sides flapping during windy conditions. You should always look into the weather forecast before putting up your shelter to determine whether it’s safe to have it up in the first place.
If it is safe despite the wind, you should make sure you have an extra person to help with the set-up. The person helping you should be holding down the gazebo during the process to ensure that it doesn’t get taken by the wind – risking injury and damage.
You will also need to ensure that you have the most appropriate technique to secure your gazebo already prepared.
How to secure gazebo sides on different surfaces
Different types of flooring offer different benefits and drawbacks in adverse weather conditions, so the first consideration you’ll have to make when looking into how to secure a gazebo from wind is what kind of surface you’ll be pitching up on.
Grass and concrete are the two most common options you’ll have, and the methods to secure your gazebo sides on these surfaces are mostly the same, meaning you can use the same tactics from event to event without any hassle.
Ideally, your gazebo will need a surface with a flat, even base to reduce the risk of any further complications. This is why concrete is often preferred. However, despite grass being a less stable surface, its softer texture allows for even more ways to secure your sidewalls.
How to secure gazebo using tools
Common ways to secure gazebos from wind include using leg weights, tie down kits and gazebo connectors.
Using gazebo weights
As one of the most reliable methods to secure your gazebo, leg weights are a great solution during windy conditions and can be used on a number of different surfaces – especially concrete and grass. We recommend using around 15-25 kg in weight on each leg to keep your gazebo sturdy.
Sun Leisure’s cast-iron gazebo weights are available in sizes between 12-30 kg and slide over the legs of the shelter to anchor it to the ground. Similarly, we also offer sets of four and six sandbags – weighing in at 8 kg each – that clip onto each gazebo legs to give off the same effect.
Using tie kits
For usage on strictly grassy surfaces, tie down kits are the way forward. To secure your gazebo using one of these kits, you’ll need to push the galvanised stakes into the ground a couple of metres away from the structure at each corner. You would then need to thread the heavy duty cam lock straps through the stakes, attaching the hook directly to the frame structure in order to secure fully.
At Sun Leisure, we offer tie down kits that offer all the materials you’ll need to keep even the strongest gazebos anchored to the ground. We recommend using multiple tie down kits per gazebo to keep your shelter sturdy.
Connecting to other gazebos
Strength in numbers also applies for gazebos! By connecting two gazebos together, not only are you weighing both structures down, you’re also making the most of the space you have available. Suitable for all types of surfaces, you can either use a frame-to-frame gazebo connector clamp or double gazebo weights – both available at Sun Leisure – to pair the two together.
We recommend using two connector clamps per leg to stabilise both gazebos. With the double weights, the unique ‘H’ shape attaches two side-by-side gazebo legs and holds them both down to the ground.
Choosing a windproof gazebo with Sun Leisure
At Sun Leisure, our mission is to provide you with the highest quality gazebos and structures that offer superior quality and consistent durability, whatever the weather. If you’ve found this article on how to secure a gazebo from wind useful, check out our selection of accessories and spares to help you keep your shelter grounded.
If you’re looking for further advice or information on using your gazebo in different conditions, the team at Sun Leisure are happy to help. Contact us today and we’ll get back to you ASAP!
