Compare Fabrics On 10 x 10 Gazebos Before You Buy

After you and your family have enjoyed your 10 x 10 Gazebo for a few years, you might begin to notice that the top is faded from the sun and sagging in a few spots.  It might even have a few rips and tears from withstanding the harsh winds that try to tear it down occasionally. Or perhaps you have a special event coming up and you want everything to look its best. You are in luck, because today it is fairly easy to find a replacement canopy for your exact style of gazebo.

You have invested a great deal of money in your gazebo and you want to continue to use it for a number of years to come, so you should do a little research and learn about the different types of fabrics that are available in replacement canopies. As you begin to read the different web sites, you’ll likely become confused because they all use different words to describe their fabric. They’ll all try to convince you that theirs is the best and that you should spend your money with them.

Before you even get into the type of fabrics used, you should determine whether or not the company you are looking at has a replacement for your exact brand and model. There are numerous “universal” varieties out there, but unless your frame is identical to their idea of “universal”, it is not going to fit well and that can result in bagging and sagging that will hold water and shorten the life of your new replacement canopy.  So if you must go with a universal model, be sure that your frame matches theirs, and also double check your measurements. You don’t want any surprises when you are standing on a ladder trying to fasten a 10 x 10 sheet of canvas 8 feet off the ground.

All you really want out of a gazebo canopy is for it to be made from a fabric that will keep the rain and sun off of you and last forever. Good luck with that. Most of the inexpensive canopies are made of a polyester fabric. The fabric itself will be rated  by denier, a unit of measurement for textiles. The higher the denier, the thicker the fabric. Plain, untreated 150 to 200 denier polyester will last 6 months to a year when exposed to the sun and elements. UV treatment will extend the life to 2-3 years. While they don’t cost as much initially, they are prone to fading, and rips and tears are more likely.

Premium polyester fabrics with denier numbers up to 350 are available. While costing more, they usually feature better construction. They will most likely be stitched with a higher quality thread, and in many cases, double or triple stitched. A higher standard of craftsmanship is applied to the better grades of canopies and their life expectancy is higher, as well.

Olefin is another fabric that is commonly used for replacement gazebo canopies. It is dyed before it is woven, which helps it to resist fading and look great from years, even when exposed to the elements.  It will also resist abrasions, mildewing and stains.
Canvas is one of the most popular fabrics for outdoor use for good reason. It is heavy duty, thicker and more durable than polyester. It is available in an almost unlimited variety of colors and patterns. It has been around for years, so it is widely available. It is also a cotton based fabric, if being environmentally friendly is important to you.

Sunbrella® is a brand of high quality canvas that has become increasing popular in the last few years do to its fade resistance and extreme durability. It also resists hardening and cracking and is available in many colors. Sunbrella® has been used in the marine industry for many years and holds up well to the harsh elements.

Besides the fabric itself, you’ll also want to check which type of treatments, if any, have been applied to the fabric. Some will have a waterproofing product applied.  There are UV inhibitors available that will help the fabric resist fading. Sometimes an SPF treatment is applied if the fabric is thin enough that the sun’s rays can penetrate it. Anti-fungal treatments are also available to help retard molding.

Pay attention to the grommets; you don’t want them to rust on you. Check for reinforced stitching, reinforced corners. Determine how the canopy attaches to the frame. These simple things will be most helpful in determining the quality of the replacement canopy you are considering for your 10 x 10 Gazebo.