Easily Choose The Correct Deck Size For a Bell Tent

Bell Tent Deck Size

In this post, we take a look at the choices that affect your choosing of the correct deck size for a bell tent. Once all of these choices are considered, you will be well on your way to getting the size right and can move on to building the deck.

Tent Size

We’ve already looked at tent sizes and the pro and cons to the two front runners (5m and 6m) in our post The Perfect Bell Tent Size. The size of tent you go for will largely dictate the size of the deck relating to the tent’s footprint, but the following choices will affect this too.

correct deck size for a bell tent - size matters!

Available Space

If you’re pushed for space on your site you will likely select a smaller tent and so require a smaller deck. Do you really want to fill the entirety of the available space with decking, just so you can have a bigger tent?

Budget

Of course, a bigger deck is more expensive to build.

Space Required

When selecting the correct deck size for a bell tent, consider also how much extra deck space you wish to afford your glampers. Maybe you wish for the deck to provide extra outdoor space for your guests housing extras such as a hammock, b-b-q and tarp. Or maybe you wish to only build decks big enough to accommodate the tent.

Flush or Raised

Will you choose to build decks that are flush with the ground (and so pitch the tent with the guy ropes protruding out from the decks and going straight into the ground? Or will you choose to build raised decks (and so pitch the tent with the guy ropes fixed onto posts along the deck’s edges? If you’re building decks on a slope, you might have no choice but to build a raised deck in part. If building flush to the ground the deck need only equal the size of the tents footprint, but if building raised you will need some distance between the footprint of the tent and the posts onto which you will attach the guy ropes.

Always purchase, pitch and measure one tent before committing to building decks

The information below is a guide only, to help you to put a cost to the price of building the correct deck size for a bell tent. It does not account for manufacturer tolerances and variances, miss-described tents or the extra space required for guy ropes at the tents entrance (to name a few). Always check with your supplier first, and even then it is still better to check one of their tents ‘in the flesh’ before getting your tools out.

Minimum Deck Size If Pitching Flush To The Ground

In this case, the guy ropes will go straight into the ground and extend out from the deck itself. As a minimum, the deck should be built just slightly bigger than the tent’s footprint.

Bell Tent SizeDeck Size
3 metre Bell Tent3.5m x 3.5m
4 metre Bell Tent4.5m x 4.5m
5 metre Bell Tent5.5m x 5.5m
6 metre Bell Tent6.5m x 6.5m

Minimum Deck Size If Pitching Raised With Guy Ropes Fixed to Posts

For this add a minimum additional distance as below, to each length. This will allow the guy ropes to function normally, given the size of the tent. Besides, it would look really odd to have the post directly next to the bell tent, without a small gap.

Bell Tent SizeDeck Size
3 metre Bell Tent3.5m x 3.5m
4 metre Bell Tent4.7m x 4.7m
5 metre Bell Tent6m x 6m
6 metre Bell Tent8m x 8m


Minimum Deck Size If Pitching Raised With Guy Ropes Fixed Onto The Deck

This is the biggest deck option of all three. The deck would need to be bigger still, if you are hoping to include extras on the deck such as hammocks and b-b-qs.

Bell Tent SizeDeck Size
3 metre Bell Tent6m x 6m
4 metre Bell Tent8m x 8m
5 metre Bell Tent9m x 9m
6 metre Bell Tent11m x 11m

Further Reading

https://glampshire.com/how-to-pitch-a-bell-tent-on-a-wooden-deck/

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