Anchor a gazebo without drilling into concrete

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I was sitting at a light this morning next to a convenience store and they rent a corner of the parking lot to a farmer during the summer for a farmers market. Yesterday I saw them setting up their framework today they had the canvas cover on. My guess is the tent thing is 16 x 24 and the store must have rules about driving anchors into the parking lot. They have 6 round poured concrete things with eye hooks in the top and straps going to the corners and midway the long side. I was going to take a picture as the light changed but ran out of time. These hold down blocks were 3 foot in diameter and 3 foot tall. I have no idea how they figured that out. But they were not taking any chances.
 
bud16415 said:
I was sitting at a light this morning next to a convenience store and they rent a corner of the parking lot to a farmer during the summer for a farmers market. Yesterday I saw them setting up their framework today they had the canvas cover on. My guess is the tent thing is 16 x 24 and the store must have rules about driving anchors into the parking lot. They have 6 round poured concrete things with eye hooks in the top and straps going to the corners and midway the long side. I was going to take a picture as the light changed but ran out of time. These hold down blocks were 3 foot in diameter and 3 foot tall. I have no idea how they figured that out. But they were not taking any chances.
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This is what happens when the insurance company requests an engineers report.
If a typical leg as four holes for bolts, he might figure the tensile strength of those bolts and figure that is the min. required and go up from there. He is responsible for thirty years so he will make sure if there is a failure it won't be his.
 
nealtw said:
This is what happens when the insurance company requests an engineers report.
If a typical leg as four holes for bolts, he might figure the tensile strength of those bolts and figure that is the min. required and go up from there. He is responsible for thirty years so he will make sure if there is a failure it won't be his.
Click to expand...


I figured the engineer did that and came up with a 1.5’ dia x 1.5’ height block and said you need 3 of them. It then was passed on to the lawyer for approval and he said we better “double” the weight so he said make them 3’ dia x 3’ high and make 6 of them. :help:
 
Look for what other gazebo makers recommend for anchoring.
 
slownsteady said:
Question for the OP: are we talking about a 2 or 3 season garden gazebo (a.k.a. tent) or something more permanent like one of those garage structures?
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This is the Gazebo. Its from Lowes. Steel frame with 3 inch square legs. Its not meant to be a permanent structure, but most people bolt it down and leave it up all year. I've seen some around here where they take the canvas roof off in the winter.

749241414107lg.jpg
 
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"wind speeds up to 27 metres per second [~60 MPH]" but this is for a wooden Gazebo:"
so yours can withstand much less.
 
I think you're worrying too much. Unless you live in a tornado alley. Just make sure to close the curtains so the wind can't get under it.

And maybe get some big planters (pots) at the four corners. Grow something nice in them and utilize the weight.
 
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I think I would leave the curtains open in the event of a storm. Wind getting under the bottoms would have a lot more sail area with them closed.

I do like the idea of planters at each corner though.
 
My gazebo mentioned to keep the curtains closed right in the instructions. Much less air will get under.

Here's a new thought, but not a perfect solution. An anchor for a pool cover is drilled into the concrete with no problems. The good thing about them is that the anchor recedes into the hole when not being used and that covers the hole and prevents water damage. Problem is that they are designed for lateral strength - not the vertical lift that a tent might apply. But some variation on the theme seems like a good idea.

http://www.google.com/search?q=pool...NIsTgsATQ1YCoAg&ved=0CEUQsAQ&biw=1500&bih=899
 
Thanks for the advice! So I ended up letting him have his way. We used HEAVY concrete planters, filled with concrete and topped with river rock. Guessing around 150 pounds on each leg. It stormed the other day - Super storm winds and rain from every direction and hail... I ran out and closed the curtains on the gazebo. With the curtains closed it held. With the curtains open, I believe it would have moved.
All I got to say is, I will never leave the house and forget to zip up that gazebo. It won't be my fault if it moves.
Heres a picture.

20140714_1800542.jpg
 
I'm glad you didn't drill the holes. Most of the tents on the market won't last long. And then next year you try a different design or manufacturer and the holes don't line up.
 
And using 20 gallon containers filled with water would make the setup even more versatile.
 
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