Metal carports

dtuuri

dtuuri

Final Approach
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dtuuri
They all look like the same manufacturer makes them. Anybody ever buy one? Advice?


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dtuuri
 

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Many of the cheaper ones have the roof sheet ribs running in the wrong direction; across the roof instead of up/down it.

This traps water and debris. It looks nasty and will rust out the sheets far quicker than if the ribs were properly oriented.
 
timwinters said:
Many of the cheaper ones have the roof sheet ribs running in the wrong direction; across the roof instead of up/down it.

This traps water and debris. It looks nasty and will rust out the sheets far quicker than if the ribs were properly oriented.
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Yup....

Just like the one pictured above....:rolleyes:...

Also.... If the wind blows hard and it snows alot....... A cheap one will be a bad idea....:idea:
 
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Yep, had one built tall and long enough to park my little Airstream in. No metal sides. Used tarps stretched top to bottom for sides - sounds red-necky , but looks good and has held up for fifteen years.
Amazing the stuff one accumulates under such a structure - lumber, lawn equipment, my boat, hay and straw for our llama, etc, etc.
 
If you live somewhere with a good amount of snow fall I'd just build one yourself, that one in the picture would be a pancake right now up here.
 
wrbix said:
Yep, had one built tall and long enough to park my little Airstream in. No metal sides. Used tarps stretched top to bottom for sides - sounds red-necky , but looks good and has held up for fifteen years.
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I have a neighbor who collects cars and rents garage space from other neighbors. He has one near his driveway for two of them--says he loves it. It's the kind with rounded eaves, the sheet metal roof goes the wrong way and it's sitting on a slope (which probably helps drain the water off, come to think of it) with no sides. Had it for six or seven years and it cost $700. We've had plenty of snow in that time, but I share the concern for snow load.

I have two tarps with plastic windows which were sewn for a carport my parents had attached to their double-wide retirement home for a couple years. Was thinking I could use them like you did. It made a nice cozy windbreak for getting out of the car and into their house. If I put it in my driveway, though, I'm concerned about ruining the view from my sunroom of my neighbors well-maintained and landscaped extra lots next door--that's why the openness of a carport appeals to me. I could use the tarps in winter and see through it (hopefully) in summer. It's a question of how much view the roofline blocks.

Who manufactured yours? What gauge metals for the frame and roof?

dtuuri
 
Have had one for about 10 years now. Held up well. Would definitely put some sides as the rain and snow blow in. It does sweat in the summer though so it's always dripping condensation over everything.
 
tree96 said:
Have had one for about 10 years now. Held up well. Would definitely put some sides as the rain and snow blow in. It does sweat in the summer though so it's always dripping condensation over everything.
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Ah, that must be why one dealer recommends a "solar" bubble wrap foil between the frame and roof. Pricey at $1.10/sq ft.

dtuuri
 
N801BH said:
Yup....

Just like the one pictured above....:rolleyes:...

Also.... If the wind blows hard and it snows alot....... A cheap one will be a bad idea....:idea:
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Even an expensive one is a bad idea with enough snow load. I had a steel back porch awning on the last house that came smashing down in March '03 after days of heavy wet snow that couldn't be safely removed from it visited the neighborhood.

Nope nope nope. I want a real structure if I'm building anything now out here on the prairie.
 
dtuuri said:
I have a neighbor who collects cars and rents garage space from other neighbors. He has one near his driveway for two of them--says he loves it. It's the kind with rounded eaves, the sheet metal roof goes the wrong way and it's sitting on a slope (which probably helps drain the water off, come to think of it) with no sides. Had it for six or seven years and it cost $700. We've had plenty of snow in that time, but I share the concern for snow load.

I have two tarps with plastic windows which were sewn for a carport my parents had attached to their double-wide retirement home for a couple years. Was thinking I could use them like you did. It made a nice cozy windbreak for getting out of the car and into their house. If I put it in my driveway, though, I'm concerned about ruining the view from my sunroom of my neighbors well-maintained and landscaped extra lots next door--that's why the openness of a carport appeals to me. I could use the tarps in winter and see through it (hopefully) in summer. It's a question of how much view the roofline blocks.

Who manufactured yours? What gauge metals for the frame and roof?

dtuuri
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Don't recall manufacturers and no label on it. Gauge likewise unknown. Sorry been too long ago.
Mine never sweats but gets good end to end ventilation
Not much snow here in SC
 
wrbix said:
Yep, had one built tall and long enough to park my little Airstream in. No metal sides. Used tarps stretched top to bottom for sides - sounds red-necky , but looks good and has held up for fifteen years.
Amazing the stuff one accumulates under such a structure - lumber, lawn equipment, my boat, hay and straw for our llama, etc, etc.
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:yes: my wife and I have been in big fights about where to put the llama straw.
 
rbridges said:
:yes: my wife and I have been in big fights about where to put the llama straw.
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In the llama barn!

Which of you takes that position? ;)

 
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We have a 2 - car carport with the ribs "running the wrong way", but it has held up perfectly in the 5 years we've owned the house, and it has been with the house for at least 10 years. It was leveled to have a slight slope toward the front, so it drains well and doesn't leak. It never sees more than 6-8" of snow at any one time here in NE Oklahoma, but it had never showed signs of stress. It does have u - channel braces on each corner of the roof and fully boxed frame all over. It's fairly well protected from extreme winds due to our location on the south side of a hill, but it's seen plenty of 65mph thunderstorm winds with no damage.

We're saving up for a 2-story garage add-on to the house, but we'll likely keep the carport behind it just for extra covered storage space. I'm pretty impressed with it so far.
 
SoonerAviator said:
I'm pretty impressed with it so far.
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My thought too when I looked at the one I mentioned above. The corners seemed well braced. They come in certified and non-certified, but I think that's just for the paperwork for a building permit. Supposedly able to withstand high winds and snowloads of 20-40 psf, depending on gauge. It's odd they all look like they come from the same blueprints.

dtuuri
 
dtuuri said:
My thought too when I looked at the one I mentioned above. The corners seemed well braced. They come in certified and non-certified, but I think that's just for the paperwork for a building permit. Supposedly able to withstand high winds and snowloads of 20-40 psf, depending on gauge. It's odd they all look like they come from the same blueprints.



dtuuri
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If you're looking for something a little more modern, you could go with stuff from these guys: www.JETofTexas.com

I've never had any experience with them, but they're definitely a bit different on the design.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
FastEddieB said:
Actually took a little time-lapse video of ours going up!
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Pretty cool! Boy, though, that doesn't look like level ground to me. How much did it cost? Dimensions? Manufacturer? You been happy with it?

dtuuri
 
SoonerAviator said:
If you're looking for something a little more modern, you could go with stuff from these guys: www.JETofTexas.com
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I didn't study the website closely but at first blush those didn't look like they're built to handle a snow load. Texas, sure. Mansfield, OH (OP's location) maybe not so much.

Anything can be beefed up though.
 
timwinters said:
I didn't study the website closely but at first blush those didn't look like they're built to handle a snow load. Texas, sure. Mansfield, OH (OP's location) maybe not so much.
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Yeah, they looked like you need an oil well to afford one too. Pretty though.

dtuuri
 
timwinters said:
I didn't study the website closely but at first blush those didn't look like they're built to handle a snow load. Texas, sure. Mansfield, OH (OP's location) maybe not so much.

Anything can be beefed up though.
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The way those car ports are built I'd make sure the base was level. They won't resist a bending load well at all. A diagonal brace or three would be a real good idea.
 
dtuuri said:
Pretty cool! Boy, though, that doesn't look like level ground to me. How much did it cost? Dimensions? Manufacturer? You been happy with it?

dtuuri
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It was, in fact, pretty level ground - we had had the area leveled just prior. I had the GoPro strapped to a tree, so it may have been a bit off.

I was impressed with the time they spent with leveling strings to square everything up.

I think the manufacturer was Carolina Carport.

http://www.carolinacarportsinc.com/

They have a cost calculator page with all sorts of options available.

I recall it was around $800 - Karen thinks it may have been a bit more.

Since shipping/delivery is likely a large factor, probably want to look for sources nearby to where you live.

Not sure of the size - here it is today:

24953570881_7c1ce3bdb7_z.jpg


Seems to be doing its job and is holding up well.
 
timwinters said:
I didn't study the website closely but at first blush those didn't look like they're built to handle a snow load. Texas, sure. Mansfield, OH (OP's location) maybe not so much.

Anything can be beefed up though.
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I have a feeling the snow-load isn't going to be too spectacular, they only list everything being certified to 600N/m2, which can't translate into much on a lbs/ft2 basis. I would guess it's not even 15lbs/sq ft, but I don't know the conversion.
 
SoonerAviator said:
I have a feeling the snow-load isn't going to be too spectacular, they only list everything being certified to 600N/m2, which can't translate into much on a lbs/ft2 basis. I would guess it's not even 15lbs/sq ft, but I don't know the conversion.
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being in Georgia, snow didn't even cross my mind. I thought it might slide off the metal with a little help, but the roof doesn't have much of a pitch.
 
SoonerAviator said:
I have a feeling the snow-load isn't going to be too spectacular, they only list everything being certified to 600N/m2, which can't translate into much on a lbs/ft2 basis. I would guess it's not even 15lbs/sq ft, but I don't know the conversion.
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Geez.....

House I built for a customer last year needed to meet Teton County Wy regs..

140 lbs snow load ( live load) and 25 lbs dead load... = 165 lbs per sq foot total load.:mad2::mad2::mad2:..

I " think" the guvmint is getting a bit out of control...:idea::idea:
 
SoonerAviator said:
I have a feeling the snow-load isn't going to be too spectacular, they only list everything being certified to 600N/m2, which can't translate into much on a lbs/ft2 basis. I would guess it's not even 15lbs/sq ft, but I don't know the conversion.
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I had a dealer tell me his "certified" and non-certified models were both warranted for 20 psf and 120 mph regardless of the gauge steel used. Legs were 4' on center vs. 5' for non-certified.

dtuuri
 
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SoonerAviator said:
Looks identical to mine (bracing and all) other than the tin color.
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We went with that shade of red to kinda match the metal roof on our house and our redwood-stained siding.

No heavy snows since installation. 8" is the most we've had in the last 10 years or so - I assume it can handle at least that much.
 
dtuuri said:
I had a dealer tell me his "certified" and non-certified models were both warranted for 20 psf and 120 mph regardless of the gauge steel used. Legs were 4' on center vs. 5' for non-certified.

dtuuri
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20 PSF live load doesn't get you past southern missouri. By the time you get into Iowa, you're up to 30.

But amazingly, Mansfield, OH is listed as only being a 20 PSF area. You must not get much snow there, or the website I found was fubar.

I've seen roughly 40# on roofs in the Cape Girardeau area. 28" of a wet, heavy snow. It was brutal on buildings in this area which are typically designed for 20, brought many of them down.
 
timwinters said:
But amazingly, Mansfield, OH is listed as only being a 20 PSF area. You must not get much snow there, or the website I found was fubar.
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Actually, the carport would be northeast of Cleveland--right in the snow belt. Believe me, we get plenty of snow there and it can be heavy. Mansfield can get plenty too, just not as often. Some dealers say 40 psf for the same style carports. Maybe that's with the heavier gauge metal. :dunno: I'm not jumping into this without doing my homework.

dtuuri
 
dtuuri said:
Actually, the carport would be northeast of Cleveland--right in the snow belt. Believe me, we get plenty of snow there and it can be heavy.
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Boy howdy!

I spent a few years working in the Clevelnd area and I was amazed at the difference in average annual snowfall from Sandusky to Ashtabula!
 
timwinters said:
Boy howdy!

I spent a few years working in the Clevelnd area and I was amazed at the difference in average annual snowfall from Sandusky to Ashtabula!
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Ashtabula's only 15 miles away. I'm about six houses from the lake and can hear it roaring all night when it's angry. Big difference in snowfall just between Rt 20 (Northridge Rd.) and I-90. The other night coming back from Mansfield I drove the lower elevations through downtown Cleveland to skirt a bad snow storm that had traffic stopped on I-271 and I-90. Along Rt 2 where I went it was pretty normal (for winter). Even still, my 8 hp snow thrower could hardly chuck it two feet. Shoulda sprayed the augers with PAM--just never gave it a thought. :(

dtuuri
 
N801BH said:
Geez.....

House I built for a customer last year needed to meet Teton County Wy regs..

140 lbs snow load ( live load) and 25 lbs dead load... = 165 lbs per sq foot total load.:mad2::mad2::mad2:..

I " think" the guvmint is getting a bit out of control...:idea::idea:
Click to expand...


The fun one is when they forget to account for a first floor extension that sticks out past the upper floor, and when the snow melts a little after the storm and all comes sliding off at once, hammering the roof of the lower extension...

Essentially that's what happened to my steel awning. Snow fell from the second floor roof and slammed into an already overloaded structure... Broke its back instantly.

Glad I wasn't under it when the two or three feet of snow that had piled on the roof came down on it in free fall. Wham!
 
The gage (or gauge, depending on the person) is important, but so are the depth of the corrugations and the spacing of the rafters and columns under the roof. Just be sure whatever you decide to buy is actually designed for the loading you will have. You should be able to call your county building department and find out what the design requirements are. Then buy from someone who can certify to the requirements. Also, be sure it is anchored properly so it won't blow away. The old saying about a chain is only as strong as its weakest link applies here.
 
FastEddieB said:
We went with that shade of red to kinda match the metal roof on our house and our redwood-stained siding.

No heavy snows since installation. 8" is the most we've had in the last 10 years or so - I assume it can handle at least that much.
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From Mari's post...

8" -41 lbs PSF... snow load...

Your carport looks to be 20' X 20'.....= 400 sq feet X 41 lbs = 16,400 LBS..

Hard to believe it can support 3 full sized pick up trucks parked on top of it..:rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
N801BH said:
From Mari's post...

8" -41 lbs PSF... snow load...

Your carport looks to be 20' X 20'.....= 400 sq feet X 41 lbs = 16,400 LBS..

Hard to believe it can support 3 full sized pick up trucks parked on top of it..:rolleyes::rolleyes:
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But the 8" is the equivalent water content. So you would need to melt the snow to find out what that number is. You can't just go by inches of snow since snow is not all the same weight by volume.
 
Everskyward said:
But the 8" is the equivalent water content. So you would need to melt the snow to find out what that number is. You can't just go by inches of snow since snow is not all the same weight by volume.
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Agreed......
But... unless you live in the rocky mountain region where snow is light and fluffy ( most of the time), then moisture equivalent does play a factor... Our snow averages 1" of water to about 11" of snow... Back East it can get down to one in three.....

That stuff is HEAVY....:yikes:
 
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