Choosing the right marquee can feel like a minefield of GSM weights and pipe diameters. Whether you are hosting a one-off family garden party or launching a professional event hire business, the “right” choice depends entirely on your specific needs.
At DIY Marquees, we’ve streamlined our range into five clear categories. Here is our expert guide to finding the perfect fit for your next event.
1. The Classic Range: Best for Occasional Home Use
If you’re looking for a step up from the flimsy “pop-up” gazebos found at local hardware stores, the Classic Range is your starting point.
- The Build: Features a 38mm/42mm galvanized steel frame and 380gsm/500gsm PVC.
- The Vibe: Ideal for birthday parties, anniversaries, or a temporary garden extension. It’s lightweight enough for two people to handle but far more durable than budget alternatives.
- Best For: The “few-times-a-year” entertainer.
2. The Premium Range: The “Classic with thicker PVC”
Our Premium Range is our most popular choice for marquee owners who want heavier duty 650gsm PVC on a lightweight frame.
- The Build: Uses the same framework as the Classic but upgrades the covers to 650gsm PVC.
- Why choose it? The heavier PVC is more tear-resistant and handles the British weather with much more confidence.
- Best For: Frequent garden use or small community groups.
3. The Commercial & Professional Ranges: The Hire Industry Standard
If you are looking to start a marquee hire business, these are your “bread and butter.”
- The Build: Both ranges feature interchangeable panels, allowing you to create different entrance points around the marquee.
- The Difference: The Commercial uses 500gsm PVC, while the Professional uses the heavy-duty 650gsm. Both include eave braces, ground bars and gable uprights—extra legs that reinforce the end of the marquee and help prevent billowing the wind.
- Best For: Marquee hire start-ups and hospitality venues or people who want all of the extra components.
4. The Deluxe Range: The Heavyweight Champion
When size and strength are the only things that matter, you move into the Deluxe Range.
- The Build: We swap the standard 38mm pipes for a massive 50mm/54mm framework.
- Why choose it? This range is designed for to stay up longer and with stand worse conditions than any other steel frame structure on the market.
- Height: The side height increases from 2.05m to 2.35m
- Best For: Large-scale weddings, corporate events, and permanent installations.
5. Traditional vs. Modular Traditional
Beyond the standard frame shapes, we offer two specialist designs:
- Traditional Marquees: These offer that “English Country Garden” look with peaked roofs and curved Georgian windows. They are aesthetically stunning for weddings but use modern PVC covers and steel legs.
- Modular traditional: Built for strength with 84x48mm aluminium keder legs rather than parties. These use covers that can be Dutch laced together for flexibility so the marquee can be used as multiple sizes.
Quick Comparison Table
| Range | Framework | PVC Weight | Best For |
| Classic | 38/42mm Standard Plus Frame | 380-500gsm | Domestic Parties |
| Premium | 38/42mm Standard Plus Frame | 650gsm | Frequent Home Use |
| Commercial/Professional | 38/42mm Advanced Frame | 500/650gsm | Professional Hire |
| Deluxe | 50/54mm Ultimate Frame | 650gsm | Large Events / Semi-Permanent Structure |
Final Thought: Why PVC?
You’ll notice we don’t sell “PE” (Polyethylene) tents. While PE is cheap, it is essentially the same material as a blue tarpaulin—it’s noisy in the wind and prone to cracking. Every marquee in our range uses Duracoretex™ PVC, which is flame retardant, easy to clean, and designed to last for years, not just one weekend.