Okay, here's what I accomplished on the re-purposing of the broken free gazebo today: See picture:

{{gwi:50989}}

I screwed the corners into some (free) 2x6's. Now I'm working on connecting the tops all around.

Does anyone have any whiz-kid ideas for the top? It would be fun to have a framework of some kind up there to throw a blanket over shade in the summer, or to grow vines on, for the kids to play in.

Thanks!

---Katy

Funny, I'm doing some of the same stuff with my gazebo that got thrashed in the wind.

As for frugal ideas for your top:

Palm fronds in a sort of thatch
Parallel lengths of bamboo across the top
Pre-made lattice
Metal-wire livestock fencing panels

I'll think of more.

Ooh, I like the pre-made lattice idea. I had some of that (given to me free, of course, haha) but I gave it away. I myself had the cattle fencing panels idea, as a framwork.

Yesterday I drug the thing to a more permanent place. I only want it to be permanent if it looks decent. I need to level the ground under it I guess, then. Not much with me is permanent; I'm always changing stuff around.

Thanks for the great ideas, guys!!

-Katy

Try going to a craft store get the bamboo and then tepee it and use sheer fabric to the top, tie it to each base bottom and then use the same fabric to come down the sides.

laura

How about a small tent from a thrift store or yard sale for the top? I got one for my daughter a couple years ago for $10. You might have to make some kind of air release so it doesn't blow away. Or maybe just the frame and cover it with something else?

I just saw a pic of a gazebo with a papasan chair roof! Even better than my tent idea cuz its prettier and people often give those chairs away.

I didn't know there was a "garden junk" forum at GardenWeb! There is a link there about papasan chairs as roofs:

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/junk/msg0417152423278.html?6

I don't know if it would work for you, but I saw somewhere (maybe the dave's garden website where someone used an old satellilte dish as a gazebo roof. It actually looked pretty good.

I like the ideas mentioned. What do you think about combining them? Use a papasan chair for the roof and have an old tent (salvation army, craigslist, scouts, etc) cut to size on hand for uber-hot or rainy days that you can stretch across.