For the most part, garages are designed to house cars; however, using a garage every day is impractical. If you don’t use your garage for your car, then it also frees it up for other uses, like storage or even using it as another room to extend your living space. Building a carport for your vehicles makes a lot more sense, it is far easier than using a garage, and it can also add value to your property. Keep reading to learn more.
What is a Carport?
A carport is a structure that can either stand alone or be attached to the property, and it is used to provide protection to the household’s vehicles. The structure itself tends to consist of beams and a roof, and that is it, although, on some occasions, it might have walls, but this brings it closer to garage territory. The materials used in the construction of a carport do vary; they can be made from a mix of wood, metals, plastic of polycarbonate. The roof is the most important part, and when it comes to carports, it is worthwhile looking into corrugated roofing like the ones available from ClearAmber. They are often very easy to construct and seldom require a professional unless, of course, you don’t have the time or inclination to build it yourself.
Step 1: The Ground
Firstly, you need to begin by preparing the ground; depending on where you live and the size of the structure, you should also double-check whether you need to secure any permissions from the local authority. You should also have all of the materials needed to complete the project. You should start by measuring the space, think about the vehicles that you want the carport to cover and begin to map out the space; some people choose to create a carport by covering their driveway, in which case the measuring will already be done for you.
The space is likely to be rectangular, and if the carport is freestanding, you will need to plot where you plan to post the beams. If you are building a freestanding carport on your property, you will need to make sure that the ground is level; again, if the carport is going over your driveway, then this will already have been done for you. Some people choose to lay concrete; others use gravel. There are a number of options that will work for you.
Step 2: The Beams
Next, the beams. If possible, you will need to dig a hole to stake the posts and support them. If you are building your carport over your driveway or attached to your property, you can skip this step and affix the roofing to the side of your home, negating the need for posts. Each hole should be deep enough to keep the beams steady; this usually means a couple of feet. The posts will need to be cemented into the holes in order to ensure that they are stable and secure.
It makes the most sense to start with the corners first before doing the side beams. The beams should be stable enough in the holes to cement upright properly as they dry; if they start to lean or you aren’t sure, then you can use counterweights or other measures to ensure that they remain upright while they dry. Before you can progress any further, you will need to make sure that they are completely dry.
Step 3: The Roof
The next step when building a carport is to attach the roof. First, the rafters are fitted to the beams to provide support for the roof. There is a couple of different methods used for fastening the rafters, like the notch or the hanger method. The front and back rafters are done first before the middle rafters are done to ensure that they are equidistant from one another. After that, the roof panels, whatever they might be, are then attached to the rafters.
Step 4: The Finishing Touches
The bulk of the work should be done by now. It is all about the finishing touches. You should start by checking that the structure is stable, especially if you frequently experience adverse weather. If you are concerned about the stability of the carport, you can add additional supports. After that, you need to ensure that the seams of the roof are reinforced. You might also want to stain or otherwise weatherproof the wooden elements.
In Summary
A carport, as mentioned above, is far more practical than a garage because it allows you to keep your car covered and protected without the added annoyance of having to get it in and out of the garage for daily use. Building a carport is pretty simple too, and can often be achieved regardless of DIY experience because it only consists of four steps. They can also add value to your property and leave your garage free for other purposes.
Disclosure: This is a featured post.