Hey there

I'm planning to start building a gazebo, and using these plans as a jumping off point.

I was wondering if I could swap the 6x6's used for the 4 main posts with 4x6's, since the cost difference in my area between the two is pretty substantial.

In addition, I wanted to swap the 6x6 beams for 4x4 beams, due to cost, and 4x4's seem like they'd handle the roof load. If not, then I could do double 2x6's, instead.

And lastly, one thing that's always confused me, and I've had a hard time finding definitive threads on is burying posts on top of gravel, pouring concrete around them, or placing them on footings.

In my area- south east US, most of the structures I've seen built/being built are duh out, gravel tamped in the bottom, and buried.

I'm aware this isn't going to last forever, but I've seen structures last for a couple of decades this way, at least.

But, online, I see people saying they need to be duh, placed, and concrete poured around them. But other people say this will actually cause rot, because the concrete acts like a sponge.

And other people recommend pouring formed footings, with anchors, and placing the posts on top.

I know that last option is the most secure, but I don't know what to believe about the second, and the first one is probably the worst, but is it likely to fail in less than 10 years?

I don't really need the structure to outlive me, but I don't want it to fall on my head, either.

I appreciate any tips or suggestions, and I apologize if anything I said is stupid. I mainly just don't have a ton of money to throw into this project, but I have a lot of lumber in storage that I'd like to use for a project like this.