A pavilion should feel comfortable on an ordinary evening, not just look good on a drawing. Maybe that means dinner with the family. Maybe it means a big table, a few lounge chairs, and enough room for everyone to move around without shuffling furniture.
The best starting point is the space you want to enjoy underneath it. Before choosing a timber pavilion kit, think through these five questions.
1. What needs to fit under the roof?
Start with your actual furniture, or the dimensions of pieces you plan to buy. A table’s measurements alone will not tell you how much room the dining area needs. Include chairs when they are pulled out and the paths people will use to reach their seats.
For a lounge area, lay out the sofa, chairs, and coffee table as a group. If dining and relaxing will share the pavilion, give each activity its own space. A serving table or outdoor kitchen can change the layout considerably.
Mark the proposed space with a tape measure and a few cones or chalk marks. Put the furniture in position, pull out the chairs, and walk through it. A few minutes outside can tell you more than square footage alone.
2. Which pavilion size is a good starting point?
These sizes offer useful starting points for a dining layout. They are suggestions rather than seating guarantees: the table shape, chair size, post arrangement, and walking space all matter.
| Post footprint | Nominal area | Dining group to plan around |
|---|---|---|
| 12 × 16 ft | 192 sq ft | About 4–6 people |
| 16 × 20 ft | 320 sq ft | About 6–8 people |
| 20 × 20 ft | 400 sq ft | About 10–12 people |
| 20 × 24 ft | 480 sq ft | About 12–16 people |
If you want separate dining and lounge areas, sketch both before settling on a size. Custom dimensions are also an option when a standard footprint does not suit the space.
3. Are you comparing the same measurements?
Our listed pavilion sizes describe the post footprint. The roof extends beyond the posts, and the clear opening between posts is another measurement. Those three dimensions serve different purposes.
- Post footprint: the starting size used when planning your kit.
- Clear openings: the spaces between posts that affect furniture placement and movement.
- Roof footprint: the overall roof coverage, including overhangs.
For example, a 20 × 20 pavilion has a nominal 400-square-foot post footprint. That does not mean 400 square feet of completely unobstructed floor space. Your project drawings show the post locations, openings, and roof dimensions.
4. Does it fit your patio and surroundings?
Measure the available space, then look beyond the pad itself. Consider nearby doors, paths, trees, gutters, and the view from inside your home. Roof overhangs need room too.
An existing concrete slab also needs a closer look. Its condition, thickness, and suitability for the proposed pavilion and anchors should be reviewed with your local contractor or engineer. Share its dimensions with us early so we can help work through the layout before you commit to a kit.
5. How tall do you want the space to feel?
Post height changes both the appearance and feel of the pavilion. Woodland’s standard height is 8 feet to the underside of the header; other heights are available. That measurement is different from the roof’s peak height.
Tell us if you are planning around a tall doorway, a particular view, or another feature. We can work through the dimensions together.
A simple way to move forward
Bring us your available width and length, a rough furniture sketch, and a few photos of the site. You do not need a polished plan. We will help turn those ideas into a pavilion layout that fits the way you want to live outside.
Your next step
Try a starting size
Bring us your ideas. We’ll help work through the size, materials, and details for your pavilion.
Design & Price →