The Lifespan of Hardtop, Wooden, Pop-up Gazebos

There are so many different types of a gazebo, therefore, asking how long will a gazebo last can vary from one gazebo to another gazebo?

You can purchase metal gazebos, wooden gazebos, pop-up gazebos, and canopies, as well as event shelters and all, which will last varying amounts of time.

Gazebos can be expected to last between 1 to 15 years and it’s entirely dependant on the type you purchase. 

The difference between how long each type of gazebo will last is mainly down to the purpose of it in the first place.

Pop-up gazebos wouldn’t last as long as a ‘hardtop’ because they’re meant for fast set up, to provide shade and protection against rain, and easy to transport.

Read below where we explain each type in further detail.

How Long do Pop up Gazebos and Instant Canopies Last?

Pop-up gazebos which also include canopies can last anywhere from a single-use to around 5 or 6 years.

This is due to the wide range of quality products that can be bought.

Single-use pop-up gazebos aren’t generally called these when they’re sold but once you get it home you just know it’s not going to last that long.

I would personally class a single-use pop-up gazebo as one that is priced around £35 ($45).

You can expect these cheap shelters to provide shade, a bit of protection against a very slight amount of rain, and should be kept well away from any type of wind if possible.

With pop-up gazebos, the price does play a big factor in the quality of your shelter.  Better quality gazebos cost more to manufacture and therefore retail at a higher price.

See what you think below.

How Long do Cheap Pop up Gazebos Last?

Cheap pop-up gazebos can be expected to last between a single use to a couple of years because they are made from cheaper materials that don’t last as long.

Quite often, it is cheap gazebos that give pop-up gazebos as a whole a bad reputation.

People buy cheaper shelters thinking they’ve got a bargain and then attempt to use their flimsy shelter in bad weather and it collapses at the first sign of a rain cloud.

A lot of these types of shelters are for sale on eBay where they’ve put it up in their backyard realised it isn’t good enough, then sold it to recoup some cash.

A low-priced shelter used in pleasant weather, carefully built using all supporting parts (wind bars, guy ropes, and weights if included) can last for a couple of years.

How Long does a Premium Pop-up Gazebo Last?

Premium pop-up canopies and gazebos are normally around the £200+ mark ($350+) and can be expected to last anywhere from a year to 5 years.

Realistically, you should expect between 2-4 years of use…

They are priced around this point as good quality materials are used to construct them.

You’ll often find a high-level denier (fabric thickness) or ‘gsm’ (fabric weight) for the canopy and sides, as well as wording such as galvanised or reinforced used to describe the frame.

You will receive guy ropes, tent pegs, and gazebo weights to anchor the shelter to the ground in readiness for bad weather.

All these items are packed into a heavy-duty carrying bag for convenience.

How Long do Hardtop Gazebos Last?

If you’re looking for a permanent outdoor and hardwearing gazebo for all seasons then you can rely on this type (hardtop gazebo) can last easily up to 10 years and beyond that too.

You will need to apply basic maintenance to it.

The frame will be powder coated to prevent it from rusting.  The roof is solid and made from polycarbonate sheets (very tough) and has anchor bolts to secure it to the ground (deck or patio).

Inside the package, you can normally expect to receive mosquito nets and curtains and it often comes with attached shelves.

All in all, you can expect to pay anywhere from £1k upwards but quite often they’re seen as good investments as long as they’re treated well.

See these Outsunny Gazebos here…

How Long do Wooden Gazebo Last?

As long as basic maintenance is carried out on your wooden gazebo you can expect 10-15 years of enjoyment from your gazebo.

If they’re well looked after then a wooden gazebo will last the longest time of all the types mentioned above.

Ideally, you would want to position a wood gazebo away from overlying branches and where items could drop on the roof.

Leaves and branches may damage the roof for different reasons over long periods of time.

The timber will generally be pre-treated but ideally, you’ll need to apply a waterproof coating and further treatment to the wood either prior to assembling or once fully assembled.