Free Standing Carport

[WaterBoyz]

I need a 2-car-wide outdoor carport. I've seen some discussions many years ago here, but looking for current information. Lots of people sell them, but it seems there are really only 2-3 actual manufacturers.

Brand to get?
Brand to avoid?
What would you do differently next time?

Depending on how much beer is in the beer-fridge, I'll be doing a self-install.

Thanks.........

 

[Uncle murph]

I need a 2-car-wide outdoor carport. I've seen some discussions many years ago here, but looking for current information. Lots of people sell them, but it seems there are really only 2-3 actual manufacturers.

Brand to get?
Brand to avoid?
What would you do differently next time?

Depending on how much beer is in the beer-fridge, I'll be doing a self-install.

Thanks.........

No opinion on manufacturers but a lot of them around and I’ve yet to see one rolled up into a ball after some pretty nasty storms despite their flimsy looking construction.

 

[TriumphFan]

They are pretty sturdy. If I had to do it again, I'd pour a slab first. You can do it with the carport up but it's a bit tricky. Oh and if you don't want a slab, you may be dealing with ground moisture leading to rust and corrosion.

 

[Firebrick43]

I need a 2-car-wide outdoor carport. I've seen some discussions many years ago here, but looking for current information. Lots of people sell them, but it seems there are really only 2-3 actual manufacturers.

Brand to get?
Brand to avoid?
What would you do differently next time?

Depending on how much beer is in the beer-fridge, I'll be doing a self-install.

Thanks.........

When you say car port do you mean just a roof and that’s it? Or do you want sides? If you want side is there any chance in the future you will want to turn it into something akin to a garage? Better to flesh out those things before hand instead instead of down the road

 

[KenC]

Compare the dimensions and gauge of the materials. Bigger and Heavier is better. And galvanized tubing, not painted. Brand doesn't matter as that is just the assembler. JMHO

I have two of these 'carport' buildings. One roof only 20x20 and another RV sized, 42x20 with 13' sidewalls open on one end only. Both survived a close brush with tornadic activity that dropped two oak trees about 32" diameter just 100ft away as well as a dozen other trees. Both are anchored to concrete with expansion anchors bolted through the lower horizontal tube. Some trim blew off when the screws pulled out but no loss of sheeting or structural damage.

 

[PWC Repair]

Also look for a collar tie in the peak. Some DON"T have one.

 

[TerryH]

Our RV cover is from Carolina Carports. It's been good. The vertical roof style is by far the best. 26 gauge metal also a good upgrade. 1 or 2 rows of metal on the sides provides better coverage. They look much better if you get the J trim if that's not standard. If you're not on a slab I strongly suggest getting mobile home anchors and plenty of them. Opt for 12 gauge structural members. Don't trust that they are bringing you what you ordered. Be prepared to check the gauge of the metal. You can masure the size of the structure itself. The 12 gauge is actually smaller than the 14 gauge. All these manufacturers ar pretty much all the same. Much of this depends on the dealer and the crew putting them up not the actual manufacturer. Some of these dealers are terrible and some are great. Same with the crews. Pretty much all these install crews are subcontractors independent of the manufacturer and the dealer. Check the reviews. Good dealers will know the good crews. EDIT: I didn't se you were installing it yourself. Might want to price it both ways. The good crews that do this stuff every day are super efficient at it.

 

[WaterBoyz]

They are pretty sturdy. If I had to do it again, I'd pour a slab first. You can do it with the carport up but it's a bit tricky. Oh and if you don't want a slab, you may be dealing with ground moisture leading to rust and corrosion.

I plan to use millings. Low maintenance and economical.

 

[WaterBoyz]

When you say car port do you mean just a roof and that’s it? Or do you want sides? If you want side is there any chance in the future you will want to turn it into something akin to a garage? Better to flesh out those things before hand instead instead of down the road

The initial plan is just the roof and maybe one panel down horizontally. I'm too old to look much further down the road. I'm tempted to stop buying green bananas.

Ok, you got me thinking.........darnit.

 

[WaterBoyz]

Compare the dimensions and gauge of the materials. Bigger and Heavier is better. And galvanized tubing, not painted. Brand doesn't matter as that is just the assembler. JMHO

I have two of these 'carport' buildings. One roof only 20x20 and another RV sized, 42x20 with 13' sidewalls open on one end only. Both survived a close brush with tornadic activity that dropped two oak trees about 32" diameter just 100ft away as well as a dozen other trees. Both are anchored to concrete with expansion anchors bolted through the lower horizontal tube. Some trim blew off when the screws pulled out but no loss of sheeting or structural damage.

Good to know that anchoring is very important.

When you say gauge, do you mean the tubing or the sheet?

 

[Firebrick43]

The initial plan is just the roof and maybe one panel down horizontally. I'm too old to look much further down the road. I'm tempted to stop buying green bananas.

Ok, you got me thinking.........darnit.

If you think you might down the road at least upgrade to purlins on the roof. This allows the R Panel to be laid in its correct orientation with the slope instead of the cheap way across the slope

 

[WaterBoyz]

Our RV cover is from Carolina Carports. It's been good. The vertical roof style is by far the best. 26 gauge metal also a good upgrade. 1 or 2 rows of metal on the sides provides better coverage. They look much better if you get the J trim if that's not standard. If you're not on a slab I strongly suggest getting mobile home anchors and plenty of them. Opt for 12 gauge structural members. Don't trust that they are bringing you what you ordered. Be prepared to check the gauge of the metal. You can masure the size of the structure itself. The 12 gauge is actually smaller than the 14 gauge. All these manufacturers ar pretty much all the same. Much of this depends on the dealer and the crew putting them up not the actual manufacturer. Some of these dealers are terrible and some are great. Same with the crews. Pretty much all these install crews are subcontractors independent of the manufacturer and the dealer. Check the reviews. Good dealers will know the good crews. EDIT: I didn't se you were installing it yourself. Might want to price it both ways. The good crews that do this stuff every day are super efficient at it.

I checked the website for Carolina Carports. Saw the 12ga upgrade. Didn't see anything for the roof panel upgrade. Yep, the vertical is the style I'm favoring. Did you get color-matched screws? Where does the J-Trim go?

Many moons ago, I was looking at carports and viewed videos of the crews putting them up in one day easy. Yeah, I will have to consider the installation price vs beer.

Thanks..........

 

[TerryH]

I checked the website for Carolina Carports. Saw the 12ga upgrade. Didn't see anything for the roof panel upgrade. Yep, the vertical is the style I'm favoring. Did you get color-matched screws? Where does the J-Trim go?

Many moons ago, I was looking at carports and viewed videos of the crews putting them up in one day easy. Yeah, I will have to consider the installation price vs beer.

Thanks..........

The choice in sheetmetal gauge is the next choice past the framing gauge. I did not do color matched screws. Ours is 90% roof so almost impossible to see the screws with the tall legs. The J trim goes around the edges of the side panels to finish them out. I would strongly suggest letting a crew build it. These guys barely even spoke to each other. They just bailed out of their truck and went to work. Each did their part. The put the main structure and one lean to up in one day and they didn't start until 3:00 in the afternoon. I added the second lean to for the dually later.

Here's a shot of the mobile home anchors going in. You definitely want these if you are using millings for the surface. The included pins that they drive in to secure the structure are a joke.



Enclosed gables add a bunch of strength as well. You can see the green J trim in this pic also.

 

[WaterBoyz]

Also look for a collar tie in the peak. Some DON"T have one.

Can you expand a little on "collar tie" ?

Thanks........

 

[racecougar]

Can you expand a little on "collar tie" ?

Thanks........

 

[racecougar]

Agreed with the others on getting the mobile home anchors. This one survived a EF2 tornado last March, right after I had enclosed 2-1/4 sides of it; I attribute the mobile home anchors to its survival, as the structure is a pretty big sail. I just use this one for trailer storage.


The day it was erected:




After adding some framing and reclaimed tin:

 

[mike93lx]

Can you expand a little on "collar tie" ?

Thanks........

Collar ties prevent the roof from spreading at the peak due to wind lift. I'm no engineer, but I'd think it would be very important on these open sided structures

 

[TriumphFan]

I plan to use millings. Low maintenance and economical.

Is that anything like crusher run? That is what I used, and the moisture was really bad for the vehicles I had in there.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Is that anything like crusher run? That is what I used, and the moisture was really bad for the vehicles I had in there.

Millings are generally ground up asphalt roadways, AKA "millings" from the process where the road/street/highway is milled before repaving.

 

[WaterBoyz]

The choice in sheetmetal gauge is the next choice past the framing gauge. I did not do color matched screws. Ours is 90% roof so almost impossible to see the screws with the tall legs. The J trim goes around the edges of the side panels to finish them out. I would strongly suggest letting a crew build it. These guys barely even spoke to each other. They just bailed out of their truck and went to work. Each did their part. The put the main structure and one lean to up in one day and they didn't start until 3:00 in the afternoon. I added the second lean to for the dually later.

Here's a shot of the mobile home anchors going in. You definitely want these if you are using millings for the surface. The included pins that they drive in to secure the structure are a joke.



Enclosed gables add a bunch of strength as well. You can see the green J trim in this pic also.

Thanks for the extra pics and video. I watched some older videos and yeah, let them install it is my new plan.

When my "Amish" shed was installed, the County required it to be anchored. The installer used the screw-driven anchors and tied them to the shed. Will use the same style.

 

[WaterBoyz]

Thanks for the visual ! !

 

[WaterBoyz]

Agreed with the others on getting the mobile home anchors. This one survived a EF2 tornado last March, right after I had enclosed 2-1/4 sides of it; I attribute the mobile home anchors to its survival, as the structure is a pretty big sail. I just use this one for trailer storage.


The day it was erected:




After adding some framing and reclaimed tin:

Thanks. Yep, screw-in anchors will be done.

 

[WaterBoyz]

Collar ties prevent the roof from spreading at the peak due to wind lift. I'm no engineer, but I'd think it would be very important on these open sided structures

Thanks.

I'm in Stafford County next to King George.

 

[WaterBoyz]

Is that anything like crusher run? That is what I used, and the moisture was really bad for the vehicles I had in there.

Another poster did the explaining of millings.

I would like to use crushed slate, but they don't have that around here. I used that stuff when I was living in Woodstock and Canton.

 

[KenC]

Good to know that anchoring is very important.

When you say gauge, do you mean the tubing or the sheet?

Both, tubing is most important. Sheet can fail without the whole thing collapsing, not so with tubing.

 

[WaterBoyz]

Both, tubing is most important. Sheet can fail without the whole thing collapsing, not so with tubing.

Gotcha