Floor framing
The proper method for building the floor framing depends on the gazebo kit you buy. The illustrations at bottom show how floor joists can radiate out from a central hub; the gazebo's posts connect to special column base blocks, as shown in the detail below.

With either style, you begin by fastening the structural members to the foundation pier at the center. The octagon's points should be in line with the outer piers.

But before you begin to fasten the joists to the outer piers, site down each joist to make sure that its end lines up straight with the end of the opposite joist.

Floor sections
If your kit has individual joists, the next step is to connect each joist with the skirt boards. For the kit illustrated, each connection is made with a threaded rod, washers and nuts, aluminum skirt brackets, and column base blocks.

Be sure the skirt boards' top edges sit flush with the top of the floor joists. Finger-tighten a nut (with washer) at each end of each threaded rod.

Then, tighten the nuts at the center plate, and, using lag screws, bolt the floor joists to anchors in the concrete piers.

To install the floor sections, line up each section's edges with the centerlines of the floor joists.

If necessary, use a mallet to gently tap the floor sections toward the center until they are tightly together and the outer edges of the floor nailers are even. Then use galvanized screws to fasten the floor sections to the joists.

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