Five Specs That Matter More Than Price When Choosing a Garden Structure
You compare three garden structures side by side: one gazebo costs 899 €, one 1,199 €, one 1,499 €. All promise a "strong frame" and "all-weather design". The price difference is obvious, but the technical difference is not.
This guide focuses on five specs that matter more than the price tag when you choose a gazebo, pergola or pavilion. They are the lines on a spec sheet that actually influence stability, comfort and lifespan in a real European garden.
Quick verdict: five specs to read before you look at price
If you only have time to read one section, make it this checklist:
1) Interior footprint, not just roof size: look for inside post-to-post dimensions and clear height. A 3 × 3 m roof with only 2.7 × 2.7 m usable floor space feels very different from a full 3.3 × 3.3 m cedar gazebo.
2) Post and frame dimensions: compare post widths (for example 8 × 8 cm steel vs 12 × 12 cm cedar) and wall thickness of beams. That tells you more about stability than a marketing phrase like “extra strong frame”.
3) Wind and snow expectations: when available, use the stated wind speed (e.g. 75–80 km/h) and snow load (e.g. around 100–110 kg/m²) to see whether a structure is designed for occasional summer use or four-season living.
4) Materials and coating system: cedar vs steel vs aluminium, fabric vs hardtop roof, and whether the metal is powder-coated for outdoor use. This decides how much maintenance you will actually need.
5) Everyday features for your lifestyle: double rails for curtains and nets, built-in ceiling hooks, insect screens, ventilated roof designs – these details change how often you really use the space.
We will use a mix of SUNJOY EU garden structures as real-world examples – compact steel gazebos like PASU, cedar hardtop models such as PIRIN, larger four-season designs like RIMO, fabric soft-top options such as LAURO, and cedar hardtops like KAPS and ERNIR – so you can see how the same five specs play out across very different products.
Spec 1: Interior footprint and clear height
Many product titles highlight only the roof size. For daily use, the more important number is the inside area between the posts and the free headroom under the lowest part of the roof.
Inside post-to-post dimensions: a steel gazebo with a 3 × 3 m roof might offer around 2.7 × 2.7 m of usable space between posts, while a cedar gazebo of similar roof size can give you a visibly larger seating area thanks to thicker but more widely spaced posts.
Clear headroom: check the lowest ceiling point where people will walk or sit. A taller structure feels more open, but can also catch more wind, so you want that extra volume matched with a solid frame and proper anchoring.
Example: SUNJOY PASU steel gazebo is compact on paper (3 × 3 m roof), but its roughly 2.7 × 2.7 m interior footprint and tall roof mean you can still fit a dining set plus circulation space, provided you measure your furniture first.
Spec 2: Post size and frame thickness
Price often reflects how much metal or wood is in the frame. Instead of guessing, read the numbers:
Post cross-section: around 8 × 8 cm steel posts can be perfectly fine for a sheltered terrace or smaller gazebo. For larger cedar hardtops around 3.3–3.9 m per side, posts move into double-digit centimetre sizes to handle higher loads.
Beam and rafter thickness: look for information on wall thickness for metal beams or the dimensions of wooden rafters. On cedar gazebos like PIRIN, deeper roof beams and a layered steel and polycarbonate roof add significant stiffness.
If one structure is 200–300 € cheaper but saves material on posts and beams, you may feel that difference in the first stormy night.
Spec 3: Wind and snow numbers (when brands share them)
Not every garden structure lists wind and snow performance, but when those numbers exist they are often more valuable than the price line.
Wind resistance: premium cedar hardtop gazebos in Europe often publish values around 75–80 km/h when correctly assembled and anchored. Steel gazebos like PASU also state similar wind expectations for normal garden conditions.
Snow load: a figure around 100–110 kg/m² indicates a roof that is engineered to carry significant snow before you need to clear it. Cedar models such as PIRIN and larger RIMO are designed as four-season covers when installed on a suitable base.
If you live in a coastal or high-snow area, these numbers say more about long-term value than a small price saving. They indicate whether a structure is closer to a summer shade product or a semi-permanent outdoor room.
Spec 4: Materials and coating – how much care will it need?
The frame and roof materials decide how your garden structure looks after five winters, not just one summer.
Cedar wood frames: models like KAPS, PIRIN, ERNIR or RIMO use solid cedar posts and beams with steel or steel-and-polycarbonate roofs. They feel warm and architectural, and with regular oiling and inspection can stay beautiful for many years.
Powder-coated steel: steel gazebos such as PASU and KALDI rely on a good powder coat to protect the metal. Look for wording around rust-resistant frames and weather-resistant finishes.
Fabric roofs and soft-tops: a fabric gazebo like LAURO can be ideal if you want shade in summer and store the canopy over winter. Here, UV stability of the fabric and the quality of the steel frame finish are more important than extra snow load rating.
No material is “perfect” for every garden. The key is matching cedar, steel, aluminium or fabric to your climate and your willingness to do seasonal maintenance.
Spec 5: Everyday features that change how you use the space
Two gazebos can share similar sizes and materials but feel totally different in daily life because of their small design details.
Ventilated or tiered roofs: two-tier or vented roofs, such as those on KALDI, KAPS or ERNIR, let hot air escape and reduce heat build-up under the canopy.
Nets, curtains and rails: double-rail systems and included insect nets mean you can enjoy summer evenings without mosquitoes. KALDI includes netting; KAPS offers double rails for optional nets and curtains.
Ceiling hooks and accessory points: built-in ceiling hooks, like those on KALDI, KAPS, LAURO and many cedar hardtops, make it easy to hang lights or a small heater.
Before you pay more for design alone, think about which of these details will make you spend more evenings actually sitting under this structure.
FAQ: five specs in everyday buying questions
Is it worth paying 200–300 € more for better specs?
Often yes, if the extra money buys thicker posts, a higher snow figure or a better coating system. Those upgrades directly affect service life, stability and comfort, while a small discount is quickly forgotten once the first winter storm arrives.
Which spec matters most if my garden is windy?
Focus on post and beam dimensions, wind rating and anchoring. A compact steel gazebo like PASU with 8 × 8 cm posts and a stated wind expectation around typical garden storms is a safer benchmark than a very light, wide-open structure with no data at all.
What if I only plan to use it from April to September?
If you remove the canopy in winter, a quality soft-top like LAURO can be perfectly sufficient. In that case, fabric UV resistance, frame coating and ventilation matter more than snow load, and you can spend the budget you save on better furniture or lighting.
How do I use these five specs to compare different models?
Put the key numbers from each product side by side: interior size, post dimensions, materials, any wind/snow info and special features. Then ask which structure offers the most stable frame and the most comfortable daily use for your terrace or garden size. That comparison tells you more than price alone.
Price still matters. But if you choose your garden structure by these five specs first and price second, you are far more likely to end up with a gazebo or pergola you enjoy for many summers – not just the first sale season.
