Poolside Cabana Frame

A pool with no shade gets used far less than the owners expect. That was the case at this Avoca Beach property, where the pool sat in full afternoon sun with nothing but a couple of umbrellas for cover. The owners wanted a permanent poolside cabana that felt like part of the house rather than a kit shed dropped in the corner.

We set out and built the cabana frame in structural timber, working within the setback and clearance requirements that apply around a pool fence. Every post was positioned to keep sightlines to the water clear, which matters both for supervision and for the way the space feels. The frame was squared and braced carefully at the outset, because a cabana that is out by a few millimetres at frame stage becomes impossible to line and clad neatly later on.

With the structure standing, the space immediately changed how the family used the pool. Built to handle Avoca Beach salt air and wind, with corrosion-resistant fixings throughout and a frame sized for the roof load it carries.