Canopy

A kit for constructing a canopy comprising:

• a first set of rail members, each of said first set of rail members having first male and female ends, the first female end sized to receive the first male end such that two rail members can be arranged in end-to-end fashion to form a longer rail;
• a set of lower corner brackets, each of said set of lower corner brackets having a lower corner rail with a second male end sized for insertion into the first female end, a second female end sized for receiving the first male end, a first coupling extending generally perpendicular from the lower corner rail, and an extension extending from the lower corner rail at an acute angle relative to the lower corner rail;
• a second set of rail members, each of said second set of rail members having a third male end and a third female end;
• a set of upper corner brackets, each of said set of upper corner brackets having an upper corner rail with a fourth male end sized for insertion into the third female end and a fourth female end sized for receiving the third male end, and a second coupling extending from the upper corner rail at an angle complementary to the obtuse angle of the lower corner bracket;
• a third set of rail members, each of said third set of rail members having fifth male and female ends, the fifth female end sized for receiving the fifth male end such that two rail members can be arranged in end-to-end fashion to form a longer rail and sized for receiving the extension on the lower corner bracket, the fifth male end sized for insertion into the second coupling on the upper corner bracket;
• a set of legs, each leg having a sixth male end sized for insertion into the first coupling of the lower corner bracket;
• and
• a cover member sized to extend over a frame including a lower support frame constructed from the set of lower corner brackets and the first set of rails spaced apart from an upper support frame constructed from the set of upper corner brackets and the second set of rail members by the third set of rail members, wherein the cover member and the upper support frame define a central opening through the canopy.

A method for constructing a canopy comprising the steps of:

• assembling a frame having a plurality of trusses and a plurality of support members by fixing a first end of the trusses to at least one of the support members such that the frame is exterior to a central opening defined by the support members;
• supporting the frame in an elevated configuration by connecting a plurality of vertical support members to the frame;
• connecting at least one cover member to the frame such that the at least one cover member is exterior to the central opening;
• and
• placing the frame over a fire pit, such that the fire pit is vertically aligned with the central opening.