Virginia Quarry Garden Uses Quonset Roof for Picnic Pavilion

When the Quarry Gardens at Schuyler needed to add a picnic pavilion on their property, they chose a SteelMaster metal roofing system to keep their visitors protected and in the shade.

The decision to build a picnic pavilion was mainly due to an increase in visitors.

“We decided we needed a picnic pavilion that is about the same capacity as our visitor’s center, which turns out to be about 40 people,” said Armand Thieblot, owner of the Quarry Gardens at Schuyler.

The Quarry Gardens opened up in the spring of 2017 with about two miles of walking trail, 30 native plant community galleries, and a visitor center that includes exhibits on native plants, local ecosystems, and the history of the soapstone industry in Schuyler.

Armand chose a prefabricated arch-style roof to match their visitors center building, which is an older Quonset hut made by a company no longer in business.

“I don’t know of another [roof] that is like it, but it’s turned out to be very successful.”

He says he found SteelMaster through an internet search.

When asked why he chose SteelMaster, he said, “Undoubtedly, it had to do with the pictures you already had on the web indicating something that might work for us.”

After purchasing the metal Quonset roof, Armand had it delivered right to the Quarry Gardens.

“The driver that brought it all was very knowledgeable. He was quite helpful because there was the problem of getting the stuff off of his truck and he knew all the ways of doing that and helped a lot.”

Once it was unloaded, the roof was put together by the gardens’ grounds manager.

“He’s a carpenter by trade and a naturalist,” Armand said. “He brought on a couple of friends and the three of them erected it.”

Armand says it took a couple of weeks to assemble the roofing system.

“The hardest part is getting the first arch up, after that, it becomes easier. By the other end of the building, it got to be fairly routine.”

Overall, Armand is pleased with his SteelMaster experience.

“[We’re] delighted. It’s very nice. Everybody comments favorably on it,” he said. “Very happy with the arrangement.”