About Us
At Ontario Outdoor Rooms
We build bold, handcrafted pergolas and pavilions from full-thickness, rough-sawn Douglas Fir timbers. No kits. No shortcuts. Just solid, honest structures built to last a lifetime.
Our work has a natural, beefy presence you won’t find in mass-produced kits. Every post and beam is chosen for its strength, texture, and timeless character.
We don’t use planed, dressed lumber. Most of it is thinner—sometimes by as much as half an inch—and lacks the depth, texture, and natural character that rough-sawn timbers provide. Our full-thickness Douglas Fir has a presence you can see and feel. It’s strong, substantial, and built to last.
Each project is custom-made to suit your space, your style, and the way you live. We don’t believe in cookie-cutter builds—we believe in craftsmanship, quality, and getting it right the first time.
Hi, I’m Jason Kyte—founder of Ontario Outdoor Rooms. I take pride in designing and building each structure with precision, using full-thickness, rough-sawn timbers and the same hands-on craftsmanship I’ve trusted for decades. I’m not a sales team or a franchise — I’m a dedicated builder who still works directly on every project, ensuring quality from start to finish.
My roots go back to Slater Lumber, my family’s sawmill in Vandorf, Ontario. That’s where I learned what real work means: show up, follow through, and take pride in what you build.
In my twenties, I worked as a hardwood lumber inspector in Pennsylvania, where I also spent time with Amish woodworkers crafting baseball bats for Cooper and the Toronto Blue Jays. Later, I founded and operated a successful publishing company in Montreal for 15 years before returning to Ontario in 2013.
That entrepreneurial background helped me launch Timberkits, a line of pergolas and pavilions sold online. The brand grew quickly thanks to my designs and strong online presence. Although I eventually lost that business due to a trusted partner’s betrayal, the experience taught me valuable lessons that I’ve carried into everything I do today.
I launched Ontario Outdoor Rooms in 2020 with a clear mission: to offer beautifully crafted outdoor structures built with integrity, experience, and pride. Each project is personally managed and built with the same care and commitment I’d expect in my own backyard.
If you’re looking for an outdoor structure that’s built to last — and built with care — I’d be happy to talk.
When I’m not building, you’ll often find me out rucking — walking with a weighted backpack. It’s become my go-to way to stay in shape, and I believe in it so strongly that I founded Rucking Canada, a nationwide initiative to help Canadians get fit and be better prepared, one step at a time.
