Large 24-foot timber frame gazebo in Early American stain with custom roof detailing and spacious outdoor seating

DIY Gazebo, Pergolas & Timber Swing Set in Provo, Utah

A DIY gazebo was the anchor of this Provo, Utah backyard. The Sybrowsky family started with an open concrete patio below a rocky hillside and turned it into a 24-foot Early American gazebo, timber pergolas that wrap around a fire pit, and a play area with a Western Timber Frame swing set, all within a few steps of each other.

Western Timber Frame™ ships every gazebo and pergola kit pre-cut, pre-drilled, and pre-stained from its shop in Payson, Utah, about 30 minutes from this yard. That’s what let one family build out a whole backyard in stages.

Key Takeaways

A 24-foot Early American gazebo with a shingled roof and built-in outdoor cabinets.
Open timber pergolas wrap around a round fire pit and connect to the gazebo.
Western Timber Frame also built the timber swing set and play fort next to the gathering space.
Years later, the structures still frame the family’s backyard and stream.

Before: An Open Patio With No Shade

The yard had good bones: a curved concrete patio, a stone retaining wall, mature trees, and a mountain view. What it didn’t have was shade or a place to gather out of the sun.

Open curved concrete patio below a rocky hillside with a pine tree and mountains behind, before a timber gazebo was built — Before: the open patio.

Backyard patio with a few chairs, a lawn, and a stone retaining wall in full sun before the timber gazebo and pergolas — Before: chairs in full sun.

The 24-Foot Early American Gazebo

The centerpiece is a 24-foot timber gazebo in the Early American style, with a shingled roof, arched knee braces, and a wood ceiling. Underneath, the rafters meet at a single timber hub, and built-in outdoor cabinets give the space a kitchen-style counter.

Large stained timber gazebo with arched knee braces and a shingled roof over a concrete patio set with outdoor dining chairs — The finished gazebo over the patio.

Looking up through the open timber rafters of a gazebo roof meeting at a central hub before the roof deck went on — Roof framing meeting at the center hub.

Built-in wood outdoor cabinets along one side of a timber gazebo with outdoor dining furniture and a stone wall beyond — Built-in cabinets under the gazebo roof.

Pergolas Around the Fire Pit

Next to the gazebo, open timber pergolas wrap around a round fire pit. The open rafters and shade planks give filtered shade by day and keep the sky open over the fire at night, and the pergolas tie straight into the gazebo so the whole space reads as one design.

Timber pergolas wrapping around a round fire pit patio and connecting to a shingled gazebo below a hillside — Pergolas wrapping the fire pit, joined to the gazebo.

Round fire pit in front of a stained timber pergola with open rafters and outdoor seating underneath on a concrete patio — The fire pit under the open pergola roof.

View from above of timber pergolas and a hip-roof gazebo with a fire pit, landscaped stream, and curving concrete paths — From above: gazebo, pergolas, fire pit, and stream.

A Timber Swing Set for the Kids

Steps from the gazebo, Western Timber Frame also built the kids their own space: a timber play fort with a shingled roof, a slide, a climbing wall, and swings, set in a bed of wood chips where parents can keep an eye on things from the patio.

Timber play fort with a shingled roof, a green slide, a climbing wall, and swings set in wood chips in a backyard — The play fort with slide, climbing wall, and swings.

Timber swing set and play fort with a green slide among young birch trees, beside a curving backyard path — The swing set beside the path.

The Same Backyard Today

Years later, the structures are still the heart of the yard, now with settled landscaping, a stream running beside the gazebo, and furniture arranged for long evenings outside.

Roofed timber gazebo and open timber pergolas over a furnished patio with cushioned outdoor seating and a stone wall — The gazebo and pergolas today.

Timber gazebo with outdoor seating beside a landscaped backyard stream lined with boulders and flowering plants — The gazebo beside the stream.

DIY Gazebo and Pergola FAQs

Can a gazebo and pergolas be connected?

Yes. In this yard, the pergolas run right up to the gazebo, so the covered gazebo and the open pergola space work as one outdoor room. Each structure is designed together so the beams line up.

Do the kits come pre-cut?

Yes. Every Western Timber Frame gazebo and pergola kit ships pre-cut, pre-drilled, and pre-stained with a step-by-step manual. See the install videos for how a kit goes together.

How big is this gazebo?

It’s a 24-foot Early American gazebo. Gazebos are built to the size your space calls for, from small garden gazebos to large gathering spaces like this one.

Western Timber Frame™ — Payson, Utah | Since 2008 | 7,000+ structures in all 50 states
2026 SBA Manufacturing Award | HGTV Design Excellence Award | 28 Best of State Awards

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Marilynn Thompson

Content Writer, Architectural Photographer & Outdoor Living Author, Western Timber Frame

Marilynn Thompson is a content writer, architectural photographer, and outdoor living author at Western Timber Frame™, where she specializes in custom timber pergolas, pavilions, gazebos, and heavy timber construction. Since joining the company, she has helped document thousands of custom projects through technical research, homeowner interviews, jobsite photography, and educational articles that explain complex building concepts in clear, practical language.

Her work combines engineering research with real-world project experience, covering topics such as structural design, building permits, installation, timber species, joinery, maintenance, and outdoor living design. She regularly collaborates with Western Timber Frame's designers, engineers, and project specialists to ensure every article reflects current building practices and accurate technical information.

As the company's architectural photographer, Marilynn has photographed custom timber structures across the United States, documenting how they perform in different climates, landscapes, and architectural styles. Her writing is informed not only by research, but by conversations with homeowners and business owners who have lived with these structures for years.

Her goal is simple: to help homeowners understand the decisions behind a custom timber structure so they can build with confidence, not guesswork.