My scary carport

[ranger_dood]

I have to think twice about parking under this thing when there's snow on it... It bows under its own weight....

From the front...

From the back

Noticible bow. Guess that's what you get with a 10 foot span supported by 2x4's.

We don't need no stinkin' joist hangers!

Not sure what they thought was going on here...

Quite a bit of gap... bet that's holding a lot.

Hey look! A 2x6!

Showing the main "supports"

The metal ones are "okay", I guess.

But what the hell is the 4x4 doing? Nothing!

*sigh*... Just another thing on the to-do list for the house. Do I rebuild the carport, or hold out for a garage? I don't even know that I can build a garage there due to setback lines and such. I don't know what our borough allows.

 

[Beegs]

How many years has that carport been there?

 

[ranger_dood]

How many years has that carport been there?

I honestly don't know. When it was built, it probably wasn't built with permits... so chances are there's no record of it at city hall. I've only been in the house a little under a year.

 

[RAYJAY]

where in PA do you live it looks like your local by the pictures were by Scranton PA

Jeff

 

[5wndwcpe]

How many years has that carport been there?

Look at those rough sawn boards they used for decking. That thing was probably built before Ranger Dood was born.

 

[autoist]

Lay a 2x4 up all along under the ends of those rafters as a wooden 'joist hanger' .....then add new rafters in between every one of the old ones - no smaller than 2x6 naturally

 

[Beegs]

Look at those rough sawn boards they used for decking. That thing was probably built before Ranger Dood was born.

That was my point......it's probably been there forever, looks scary, but hasn't fallen down yet!

 

[Scottz5]

I would not leave my car under there unless i wanted a new one. lol

 

[General Lee]

When I first saw your pics I knew it was Pennsylvania before looking at your location. I just knew it, many moons ago I lived in Warren, PA.

 

[john37]

what was wrong with the person's tape measure when they built that?

 

[aerobb]

When I first saw your pics I knew it was Pennsylvania before looking at your location. I just knew it, many moons ago I lived in Warren, PA.

Writing this reply from Warren Pa

 

[ranger_dood]

When I first saw your pics I knew it was Pennsylvania before looking at your location. I just knew it, many moons ago I lived in Warren, PA.

This area of the planet does have a unique look to it, no? Unfortunately, Berwick has always been a bit more of a lower-income area. I include myself in that description now, though I make a lot more than most, simply because I'm willing to work!

I'm 21, I have no kids, no wife/girlfriend, and I work a full and a part time job. Neither one gets me great amounts of money, but if I watch my extraneous spending, I get by pretty comfortably.

 

[JohnK007]

I built a covered patio back in '91 using 2X4's to span 10' with a shed roof like yours and I didn't get the kind of bowing you're having. Don't remember the pitch as I had to tear it down when we did the house addition in '96. What I'm saying is I wouldn't think using 2X4s for rafters would be an issue for such a small span. Mine were 12 footers as I wanted a 2 foot overhang, 16" on center. They were supported at the wild end with a double 2X4 top plate. I used 4X4 posts about 5 foot on center to support that end. The attached end were toenailed into a 2X6 side plate with a 1X2 ledger running underneath. The snow load here in the Chicago area looks about the same as you're having in PA, and that doesn't look to be a terrible amount of snow on your roof. Like you said, it seems to be the roof's own weight that's making it bow. The only difference I can think between your roof and the one I had was that I used plywood sheeting for the decking. Maybe that helped disperse the weight more evenly?
Whatever the cause, you're going to have to address this problem when the weather gets a little warmer, if the snowgods allow you that long. I'm afraid to say it, but if you tear off the roof decking and install sheet goods, you might as well demo the whole thing and do it right. In that case I'd consider 2X6s for rafters. Given your given your present situation, you'd probably sleep better with the larger dimensional lumber.

 

[PxTx]

Berwick, eh? How about Mocanaqua then? Got some family history from there, and there a nice junkyard just accross the river.

 

[gesoffen]

Look at those rough sawn boards they used for decking. That thing was probably built before Ranger Dood was born.

Considering that odd mix of dimensional lumber and haphazard construction techniques, I wouldn't bet against this being a lumber "recycling" project. If that is the case, it could be any age.

 

[Thumper]

what was wrong with the person's tape measure when they built that?

Maybe it's so old it read out in "cubits".......LOL

 

[ranger_dood]

Considering that odd mix of dimensional lumber and haphazard construction techniques, I wouldn't bet against this being a lumber "recycling" project. If that is the case, it could be any age.

I think you've got a winner there.

If you could see the rest of the house, you'd know why I agree . Much of the wiring was "recycled" in bits and scraps.

There's a point where it goes from "making the most of what you already have" to, "being downright cheap". And this guy... was downright cheap. He didn't want to pay to put new roofing on the back porch, so he just let it go. When I bought it there was water pouring in the back porch every time it rained. $50 worth of rolled roofing later, no more leaks. Unfortunately, the rot damage has already been done and the structure is close to being unsafe.

 

[eljefino]

Snow falling off your main roof and gaining momentum before going splat is probably not doing your pencil-necked structure any favors.

If you can prove that carport was on your house when you bought it, the town basically knows all about it and approves. Especially if it's listed on your deed or anyone ever paid taxes based on its presence. I would call any work on it a "renovation of an existing structure" if you need a permit. Shoot you already have a wall even... so another wall and a door won't be too hard.

21 and owning your own place... rocks!

 

[General Lee]

Writing this reply from Warren Pa

Man, I have some memories from that town. Granted I was only about 14 years old when I left, but I remember a lot from that town.

You know of Beaty Middle School? (I'm pretty sure that was the name) For some reason at the moment my old street name escapes me. I lived on two different streets.... I'll post them up when I remember.

 

[General Lee]

This area of the planet does have a unique look to it, no? Unfortunately, Berwick has always been a bit more of a lower-income area. I include myself in that description now, though I make a lot more than most, simply because I'm willing to work!

I'm 21, I have no kids, no wife/girlfriend, and I work a full and a part time job. Neither one gets me great amounts of money, but if I watch my extraneous spending, I get by pretty comfortably.

I'm not familiar with Berwick, how far is it from Warren?

 

[tonydanzah]

did you ever fix your car port?

 

[tonydanzah]

did you ever fix your car port?

did you ever fix this thing?

 

[Zengineer]

Probably collapsed and crushed him.

 

[m.james]

Since it is as you say not permitted I would try to rebuild it up to code with different materials so that it doesn't bow under the weight. I know the topic got off topic but I think that is the best way so that you can build however you like.

 

[Zengineer]

Bringing it back, can't you run new (larger) roof rafters, tie them to the slab with wall studs cut correctly, and eliminate the sag that way?

 

[tonydanzah]

did it fall over yet?

 

[archirelic]

did it fall over yet?

lol

been wondering when ranger dood would update a lot of his threads myself