Gazebos are a wonderful piece of kit to have in the summer.

They’re a great shield from the elements, whether that is from the sun, shower, or even snow, if the weather has decided to surprise you that day! They are all-weather protection for all seasons.

Well, almost all weather.

If you’re forecast to have strong winds and breezes, you may find that these sorts of conditions aren’t exactly ideal for your gazebo.

This is especially the case for gazebos which are temporary structures that have been erected for a single event, such as a festival or a barbecue.

These structures tend to be made out of some type of pliable or flexible material as well, such as plastic or fabric, which makes them particularly bad when it comes to staying on the ground.

Many of us have seen videos on television and online of these gazebos catching a particularly strong gust and then flying off to who-knows-where (usually the next field, battered and broken).

If this happens to you and your setup, you can kiss that shield goodbye.

This is why we have put together this article. In this quick guide, we are going to show you some of the things you can do to keep your gazebo safe on terra firma, as well as stop the side of your gazebo canopy from flapping in the breeze.

Securing Your Gazebo

So, before you can start to worry about flappy sides getting in the way of a good afternoon or day out, you need to make sure that your gazebo is secure in the first place.

Setting It Up On A Secure Surface

This seems like it should be the first thought that comes to you. Make sure that the surface you are putting your gazebo on is stable enough.

This sounds like an obvious thought, and that is because it kind of is. But many people often forget that putting your gazebo on different surfaces means that you’re going to have to take different measures to keep it fastened down.

For example, concrete is a surface that gives your gazebo a nice flat area to sit on but can be difficult to keep in place if a strong breeze comes by.

Grass, on the other hand, can be a lot less flat than plain old concrete, meaning it has the potential to fall over but is a nice surface that you can secure your gazebo to with some pegs or other tools.

Sand is a similarly decent surface, as the natural weight of sand on a gazebo lightly dug into it can help weigh it down, as well as be nice and easy to flatten out with a little force.

However, if a particularly strong breeze comes by, you may find that a little sand isn’t enough to stop it from flying off.

Weighing Your Gazebo Down Right

Once you have found a good enough surface to put your gazebo on, you need to start figuring out how you are going to keep it there. Fortunately, there are plenty of different securing tools that you can use to do this.

Weights are a great method for securing your gazebo on virtually any surface, but they are particularly good for concrete surfaces, where there are relatively few anchor points to hold it.

Pegs and anchoring kits are another popular method of securing these portable canopies, though they are only really ideal for nice and soft soil.

Polypropylene is a very good option, as it takes a lot of wind to try and pull your gazebo off the ground when they are properly fastened with these.

Stopping Your Gazebo’s Sides From Flapping

So, you finally have your gazebo secured and stuck to the ground.

Congratulations!

However, despite knowing that your gazebo is safe and secure, you may have noticed that the sides of the canopy continue to keep flapping in the breeze.

Not only is it making an annoying noise, but the repeated flapping may accidentally catch a larger breeze, and try and pull itself from your gazebo.

And whilst it may not get free, it could still potentially rip or otherwise damage the fabric or material of your gazebo. If you are worried about this happening, then consider these ideas for keeping your canopy secure.

Make Sure The Straps Are Secure

Most gazebos with these types of covers tend to have some built-in method of fastening them to the gazebo frame.

Whether it is with some type of hook system, or good old-fashioned Velcro, making sure that these are securely fitted from the cover to the frame will help make sure that any loose breezes or gusts will have nothing to get purchased on.

Using Extra Weights

Weights are another effective way to make sure that your gazebo cover doesn’t go flying.

Whilst the larger weights you might use for holding gazebos in place probably aren’t the most appropriate weights to use, fishing weights will also work quite nicely to add a little extra weight.

If you do choose to add fishing weights to your gazebo canopy cover, be careful where you are placing them.

As many people will often accidentally hit their head when in contact with the cover, they may accidentally catch the weight and injure themselves.

Using Washers

If you have noticed that your cover has pockets, or feels handy with a sewing machine, adding some washers as extra weights will also work nicely.

Simply put several of these in any available pockets, and you should see a reduction in flapping.

Once again, be careful where you put them on your cover. You don’t want to hit your head on them, after all!

Final Thoughts

Gazebos can be a bit of a hassle to put up sometimes. But once you have them secure, and you manage to stop the flapping, there isn’t anything as useful as them in the summer!