The materials you use play an equal role to the workmanship in terms of how long something will last.  Or, to be blunt, cut corners anywhere and you’ll live to regret it.

You can see the integrity of the structural framework in the previous Project #8 post.  Every component in this pavilion’s construction is top-notch.  Anthony Power Beams span & connect to the steel columns.  The decorative round columns are fiber-reinforced composite and all the architectural trim is engineered resin & polyurethane materials by Azek.

The roof rafters arrived as preassembled sections that fit together nicely.  I also liked the way the upper construction tied into the steel columns.

The town building dept. required the plans be certified by a licensed structural engineer, which was not a problem albeit the added expense.  (Towns are becoming more & more stringent so triple-check what they require.)  I was there for the inspections during construction and could see the inspector was impressed with “the build”.

Coordinating Inspections

It’s always a challenge to schedule the various inspections so that the project can move along smoothly.  This pavilion had its own unique inspection issues with the upper framing and electric for the paddle fan/light.  Normally, both the building inspector and electrical inspector want to see framing and wiring before the walls and ceilings cover things up.  The problem was the crew wanted to complete the pavilion in 1 day. They traveled from out-of-state and planned on just the one day to finish.

This is where good relations with town offices can help.  If all your previous dealings have been upfront and inline with codes & ordinances, then there’s a good chance they’ll work with you.  After explaining the “1 day build” situation to the construction office, they were willing to make the extra inspections during the day.  The crew was then able to install the cedar ceiling, finish up the soffits and add the trim.

The paddle fan was re-purposed from a porch on the house which was being renovated.  It is rated for a wet location and outdoor use.  We did, however, discover the mounting stem was too short and had to order a longer one from the manufacturer “Fanimation“. The fan actually fits very nicely and the family likes it better in the pavilion than they did in the porch.

All of the electronics in the home including on the outside are tied into a central control. Modules located throughout the home allow you to control everything.  Using a handheld remote the homeowner was able to activate all the outside lights and audio.  A nice, convenient feature.

Sometimes Prefab Is The Way To Go

Although we could have had an architect design a similar structure and then contract to have it built, using Dalton Pavilion and their turn-key approach proved the better way to go.  The architectural detail, quality of materials and workmanship are incomparable.  The fact that this pavilion and Dalton’s similar outdoor garden structures are their area of expertise helped assure us of a professional outcome.  Also, because these structures are prefabricated, it makes them very cost effective.

Have you used prefabricated structures on your property?  If so let us know your experience (good or bad) by commenting below.

In the last post for this project we saw the sonotube footings beneath the four corners of the concrete slab.  When the decorative stone & brickwork is complete, each footing will secure and support a pavilion column.

Within the 12″ wide bluestone border is a row of brick to visually tie-in the surrounding brick patio. The remaining area is finished with “pattern” bluestone.

The 2 X 4″ you see sticking up next to the the stairway marks where a 4″ PVC sleeve is located (see photo left). It should be routine that sleeves are installed whenever hardscape construction causes a barrier from getting future wires and utilities from one side to the next.  Make sure you indicate on the landscape plan where these sleeves are located.  I guarantee sometime in the future you’ll need to find them.  Another little trick is to grind a small mark in the stone where the sleeve is – a mark that will be there forever.

With the patio areas complete it was time for the pavilion construction to begin. Dalton Pavilions, located in PA, sent a crew along with the pavilion components.

Their first task was to locate and square the 4 corners of the pavilion. If the mason contractor did his job well, those 4 points should be directly over the sonotube footings.

To the right you’ll see the electrical conduit and wire to power the paddle fan and light for the pavilion.  This feature was planned from the beginning and was specified in the construction drawings.  The mason had to locate the conduit precisely in the footing to accomodate a predrilled hole in the flange of the steel column.

These 5 X 5″ square steel columns are the essence of the pergola’s strength.  They are responsible for supporting the balance of the structure above them, and to secure the entire structure to the ground.

For each steel column four holes were drilled through the patio and into the sonotube footings.  Threaded steel rods could then be anchored into the holes using Hilti Epoxy.  In a short time the epoxy is hardened enough that the steel columns are set and bolted down securely. With the decorative white columns slid over the steel the true strength of the pavilion is beautifully concealed.

In the next project post we’ll see the pavilion come together as a key focal point and shelter in this landscape.

The homeowners wanted a garden structure that would echo the style of their home and offer cover for those wanting to get out of the sun.

I suggested they consider the Heritage Pavilion by Dalton Pavilions.  They chose a 14 X 18′ model, but with single columns on the corners.  The 3 column corners are pretty, but take up additional space.

These pavilions are beautifully made and extremely strong.  They are engineered to withstand a 110 mph wind and a snow load of 30 lbs./ square foot.

The strength of this structure begins with 24″ wide sonotube footings that go 42″ below grade.  There are 4 footings – one for each of the corner columns.  Beneath the pavilion will be a wet-laid bluestone patio built on a concrete slab.

How The Patio Integrates With The Footings

In the first picture you see 2 X 4 framing by each sonotube. This precisely forms the four corners of the pavilion’s concrete patio slab.  The slab is poured so it bridges over the footings.

The pavilion has 4 white columns.  These columns are decorative and actually slide over 5 X 5″ steel structural columns.  These steel columns are affixed to the concrete footings with threaded steel rod.  You’ll see this construction in upcoming posts on this project.

New Elevations Begin To Show

I can remember in the early planning stages setting up grade stakes with string lines to illustrate proposed elevations for the new hardscape.  The homeowner was amazed that these features would “sit up” at these indicated heights, and quite frankly, I double-checked my elevation measurements just to be sure.  Elevations can be tricky to “eye-up” at times and for this reason I’m a real fan of grade stakes, string lines and markers set with an instrument.

The main portion of the patio will be done in dry-set brick and will come right up to the wet-laid bluestone patio under the pavilion.  To give definition to the bluestone patio and an elegant segue to the brick, mason contractor Lester Szajna has installed a 12″ bluestone coping as a border.

As you can see in the picture there is a perfect coordination of architectural detail & finish with the functional elements required for outdoor exposure. The family gets an extraordinary amount of use from this space both night & day. Proximity to the kitchen has its obvious appeal while the coziness of two closed sides and a ceiling overhead let them enjoy the outdoors even in less than perfect weather. Comfy, casual and durable is the decorative theme and you can easily see why it’s one of their favorite places to “hang out.”