Structure Types & Terminology
Subject: Is it a pergola, a pavilion, or something else entirely?
Preview: The terms everyone uses interchangeably — and why the differences matter for your project.
Hi [First Name],
One of the first things we hear from people exploring outdoor structures is some version of: “I want a pergola — or maybe a pavilion? What is a gazebo exactly?”
The terms get used interchangeably all over the internet. That is fine for browsing Pinterest. It becomes important when you are comparing quotes because the structure type changes the engineering, the materials, and the cost. If two builders are quoting different things and calling them the same name, you may be comparing two very different solutions.
Here is a straightforward guide to what each term actually means.
01
The Big Four: Pergola, Pavilion, Gazebo, Cabana
These are the four structure types people confuse most often — and they are genuinely different.
Open Roof
Pergola
Vertical posts supporting an open-roof system of beams and rafters. The roof is not solid — it creates filtered light and partial shade through spaced rafters, shade planks, or lattice.
Solid Roof
Pavilion
A freestanding structure with a solid, fully enclosed roof and open sides. Full shade, full weather protection. The roof adds significant engineering — it must handle snow loads, wind uplift, and water drainage.
Solid Roof • Polygonal
Gazebo
A freestanding structure with a solid roof, open sides, and a polygonal footprint — most commonly six-sided or eight-sided. The angled geometry adds engineering complexity to every connection point.
Solid Roof • Enclosed
Cabana
An enclosed or semi-enclosed structure typically associated with pool areas. Solid roof, often with curtains, screens, or partial walls for privacy and shade.
The structure type determines the engineering. The engineering determines the cost. If you are not clear on what you are quoting, you are not clear on what you are paying for.
02
The Rest of the Family
These show up in conversations almost as often — and each one has its own engineering profile.
Arbor
A smaller overhead structure, typically arched or flat, designed to frame an entrance or garden passage. Think of it as a pergola’s smaller sibling — a focal point, not a living space.
Porte-Cochère
A covered structure extending from a building entrance over a driveway to shelter passengers entering or exiting vehicles. Heavy engineering — these span wide and carry significant loads.
Breezeway
A covered, open-sided passageway connecting two structures — typically a home to a garage or outbuilding. Functions as both a walkway and an architectural connector.
Carport
A covered structure with a solid roof and open sides designed to shelter vehicles. Same engineering as a pavilion — but sized and positioned for cars, trucks, boats, or RVs rather than outdoor living.
Ramada
A freestanding structure with a solid roof and open sides, similar to a pavilion. The term is most common in the American Southwest and often refers to structures placed over outdoor kitchens, fire features, or seating areas. Some landscape professionals use “ramada” and “pavilion” interchangeably.
Awning
A secondary roof-like covering attached to a building wall, extending outward to provide shade or weather protection over a window, door, or walkway. Can be fixed-frame timber or retractable fabric — the fixed versions share the same structural principles as a patio cover.
Trellis
A flat or angled lattice framework designed to support climbing plants, vines, or greenery. Can stand alone as a garden feature or attach to a wall, fence, or existing structure to add vertical interest and natural screening.
Bridge
A timber-framed spanning structure designed to cross a waterway, ravine, or landscape feature. Same post-and-beam engineering as our overhead structures — applied horizontally to carry foot traffic, golf carts, or light vehicles.
03
How It All Connects: Joinery
The way timbers connect to each other is not a detail — it is the engineering. Two structures built from the same wood, with the same dimensions, can have very different structural performance depending on the joints.
Mortise and tenon is the foundation — a cavity cut into one timber receives a shaped projection from the joining timber. Dovetail joints interlock so the timbers resist pulling apart. A butt joint is two square-cut ends placed against each other — the simplest and weakest connection.
Our Dovetail Difference® is a patented precision joinery system that combines heritage architectural principles with CNC-cut accuracy. It is the reason our structures go together in an afternoon — and the reason they stay together for decades.
04
Why Getting the Name Right Matters
This is not about being pedantic with vocabulary. It is about making sure you and your builder are talking about the same thing.
A “pergola quote” and a “pavilion quote” can look similar on paper — until you realize one includes a solid roof with full snow-load engineering, waterproofing, and drainage, and the other does not. If the builder calls it one thing and you are picturing another, the gap shows up on delivery day.
The name determines the roof. The roof determines the engineering. The engineering determines the cost. Get the name right first — everything else follows.
The Questions to Ask Your Builder
“Is this an open-roof pergola or a solid-roof pavilion? What type of joinery connects the beams to the posts? Are the connections engineered for the specific load path of my structure?”
A builder who knows their terminology will answer these clearly. If the terms are vague or interchangeable in the quote, the engineering behind them might be too.
We publish a complete glossary on our website with every structure type, component, and joinery term we use — because we believe the more you understand, the better decisions you make.
We spend a lot of time thinking about timber, engineering, and outdoor living, so from time to time we like to share things that people often find interesting once they start exploring outdoor structures.
I hope this cleared up a few terms — and helps you ask sharper questions the next time you are comparing quotes.
To great outdoor living,
[Name]
Western Timber Frame
[Phone] | [Email] | westerntimberframe.com
Western Timber Frame, Inc.
2026 U.S. Small Business Administration
Utah Manufacturing Small Business of the Year
