Eartheasy assembly
Stain the parts before you assemble them. Once the cupola is on, you cannot reach them.
It is in the manual as a suggestion and owners who followed it are glad they did. The panels are flat, light and reachable on the ground for exactly one day, and after that the undersides of the roof and the inside of the cupola are behind a finished structure.
Panelized, which changes what the hard part is
These are Western Red cedar kits built as panels. The walls and roof sections arrive made up and pre-drilled, all the hardware is included, and Eartheasy points out that only minimal tools are needed and no dangerous cutting is required. So the finicky, error-prone part of building a gazebo, cutting compound angles on an octagon, has already been done.
What is left is a lifting and sequencing job, and the roof is where it concentrates. One owner of the 10 foot octagon reported three men and two days, and said the roof was more challenging than expected while still being pleased with the result. Eartheasy quotes about two days with a helper for the 12 foot, plus site preparation.
Because the panels are the finished surfaces and they are only accessible while flat, the finishing decision comes first rather than last. That is the reverse of how almost every other outdoor build works, and it is the single thing worth knowing before the pallets are opened.
What it actually takes
Eartheasy’s own figures and owner-reported builds. Site prep is separate from all of these.
| Model | Time | People |
|---|---|---|
| 12 ft cedar panelized octagonEartheasy’s own estimate, plus site prep. | 2 days | 2 |
| 10 ft cedar panelized octagonOwner-reported. The roof took the longest. | 2 days | 3 |
| 8 x 5 grill gazeboCedar frame, black metal roof, two shelves. | a few hours | 2 |
| Pre-staining the panelsDo it first. It cannot be done afterwards. | most of a day | 1 |
| Leveling and laying a foundationPatio stones, wooden beam, or a concrete slab. | 1 to 2 days | 2 |
| Fitting the screen kitFramed screens per wall, cupola screen, and a door. | half a day | 2 |
The realistic plan is stain, then foundation, then build, spread across more than one weekend. Compressing it is what makes people skip the staining.
What goes wrong, specifically
The staining has to happen before assembly, and there is no second chance
Eartheasy’s manual suggests pre-staining, and an owner who did it reported it worked out very well. The reason it matters so much on this particular design is the octagon roof and the decorative cupola. Flat on sawhorses, every face of every panel is a few minutes with a brush. Assembled, the undersides of the roof panels and the interior of the cupola are up in the air behind fixed lumber, and no amount of patience gets a brush properly into them. Cedar left unfinished weathers to a light gray, which some people want, but choosing that should be a decision rather than the consequence of building first.
It is made to order, so it cannot be returned or cancelled once shipped
Eartheasy states this directly for the octagon kits, and it changes the order of operations. Everything you would normally sort out when the delivery arrives has to be settled beforehand: the size, whether you want the screen kit, whether the site can actually take it, and whether you have the people to build it. Their advice is to ask any questions before purchase, and on a made-to-order cedar kit that is not a formality.
The foundation is strongly recommended and it is not in the kit
For the 12 foot octagon, Eartheasy says the area should be leveled and a foundation is strongly recommended, naming patio stones, a wooden beam foundation, or a concrete slab. None of that ships with the gazebo. It is separate material, separate cost, and often a separate weekend, and on an octagon an out-of-level base shows up immediately in panel joints that will not close cleanly.
Freight is curbside and needs two people at the house
The octagons ship on pallets by standard motor freight, the carrier calls ahead to schedule, and the shipment is unloaded curbside. Eartheasy notes you may need two people present to take it off the truck. The 12 foot standard kit is two pallets at about 1,880 pounds total, and with the screen kit about 2,110 pounds. Being one person at home on delivery day is the version of this that goes wrong.
No benches, and they are not sold separately
The octagon kit is the floor or base and the structure. Benches are not included and Eartheasy does not sell them separately for that model, so seating is something you source or build yourself. Worth knowing while you are still picturing the finished thing, because it affects both budget and the internal dimensions you plan around.
Decide on the screen kit up front
The screen option is not just netting. It includes heavy duty landscape fabric for the floor, framed screens for each wall and for the cupola, and a screen door, and it ships on its own pallets. Because the kit is made to order, adding it later is a new order rather than an accessory, so it is a decision that belongs at purchase.
Before the pallets arrive
Settle the specification completely before ordering, since the kit is made to order and cannot be returned or cancelled once it ships. Size, screen kit, and whether the site works are all pre-purchase questions.
Level the area and get the foundation in first. Patio stones, a beam foundation or a slab, and it wants to be done and settled before the panels turn up.
Clear a covered, dry space big enough to lay panels out flat for staining, a garage or a barn, and buy the finish before delivery so staining can start immediately.
Arrange two people and a way to move pallets on delivery day, and expect the shipment to be left at the curb.
Plan the roof day around having a third person available, since that is where owners consistently say the difficulty is.
Who this is really for
Somebody who wants a real cedar gazebo with a cupola rather than a metal-roofed kit, and who would rather not cut compound angles on an octagon. The panelized design removes most of the skill from the build and leaves the parts that are about care and lifting.
It suits people who are willing to work in the right order. This is a project where the finishing comes first, the foundation comes second, and the enjoyable part comes third, and treating it that way produces a much better result than doing it in the obvious sequence.
And it suits somebody who knows what they want at the moment they order, because the kit is built for them and the decision is final once it ships. If you are still unsure between sizes or about the screen kit, resolve that before you buy rather than after the freight is booked.
What an installer does
- Stains or seals every panel face while the parts are still flat and reachable, including roof undersides and the cupola interior.
- Levels the site and lays the recommended foundation, whether that is patio stones, a beam foundation or a slab.
- Handles the curbside freight delivery and moves two pallets into place.
- Assembles the panels in sequence and brings enough hands for the roof and cupola, which is the part owners find hardest.
- Fits the screen kit where specified, including the floor fabric, the wall and cupola screens and the door.
- Checks the finished structure sits true on its foundation, so the panel joints stay closed as the cedar moves.
- Clears the pallets and packaging away.
Get it built by someone who has built one before.
Tell us your ZIP and what you bought. Installers near you will quote you directly, and you deal with them, not with us.
Questions people ask
Should I stain an Eartheasy gazebo before or after assembly?
Before. Their manual suggests pre-staining the parts, and an owner who did reported it worked out very well. On an octagon with a cupola the undersides of the roof panels and the inside of the cupola cannot be reached properly once the structure is up, so it is genuinely a one-time opportunity.
How long does an Eartheasy cedar gazebo take to build?
Eartheasy quotes about two days with a helper for the 12 foot octagon, plus site preparation. An owner of the 10 foot reported three men and two days and found the roof the most demanding part. The 8 by 5 grill gazebo is much smaller, at a few hours with a helper.
Can I return it if it does not fit my yard?
No. The octagon kits are made to order and are not eligible to be returned or cancelled once they have shipped. Eartheasy asks that you raise any questions before purchase, so confirm the footprint, the foundation and the size before ordering rather than after delivery.
Do I need a foundation?
It is strongly recommended. Eartheasy says the area should be leveled and suggests patio stones, a wooden beam foundation, or a concrete slab. None of that is included in the kit, so budget it as separate material and separate time.
How does it ship, and what does it weigh?
On pallets by standard motor freight, unloaded curbside, with the carrier calling ahead to schedule. The 12 foot standard kit ships on two pallets at roughly 1,880 pounds total, and about 2,110 pounds with the screen kit. Eartheasy notes you may need two people present to unload.
Are benches included?
No. The kit includes the floor or base and the gazebo structure. Benches are not included and are not sold separately for the octagon models, so seating has to be sourced or built.
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