When I started researching carports, over and over again I seemed to keep finding information about aluminum carports. This seems to be a very popular choice, and although it may not be the ultimate in durability or style, I found that it has several specific advantages over other types of carports, such as wooden or steel.
One of the biggest advantages to constructing an aluminum carport is the portability factor. Even though you require some sort of substantial weather protection, you many not want to install a totally permanent structure. Whether you are planning to move and want to take your carport with you, or you plan to install a more permanant building later, constructing an aluminum carport is a relatively simple matter, and gives you the option to fairly easily disassemble your building later and sell it or move it to a different location.
Which brings up another feature you might appreciate from aluminum carports - they can be assembled and finished very quickly. If you are one of those last minute type planners, and you need to figure out your winter storage sooner rather than later, ordering and assembling an aluminum carport kit is one of the quickest and easiest ways to provide a solid structure to protect your vehicles or other items that you want stored away. To prepare for a weekend installation you just need to decide on and install the base that you wish to use as the platform for your carport. Some will install concrete slabs, whereas others simply pack the ground and use gravel as a base. Whichever you decide, you should make sure that there is a good path for proper drainage away from the carport, and make sure there will be some method of solidly anchoring the carport supports to the ground.
Another reason that many people opt for installing metal carports is the flexibility that is available with styles, colors, sizes and configurations. If you do some research online you will find an endless number of options when it comes to designing and ordering carport kits. You can choose from very simple, to totally custom, and they will essentially still be the simplest and quickest type of carport to build and install.
For many homeowners, the portable aspect of aluminum carports is very appealing. For others, the speed with which you can construct them, and the flexibility of styles and options available are the determining factor in the choice between wood, steel or aluminum. Whatever I end up deciding on, adding a carport for extra permanent or temporary storage is certain to be a good decision.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Aluminum Carports
Well I've been researching what kind of carport I might eventually get, and I wanted to find out what the pros and cons were for an aluminum carport. There is a ton of information on the internet for just about any kind of carport that you might want to get, but it does take a while to sift through it and decide whether a particular type has all the features you want, but is still an affordable option.
Aluminum carports have been around for ages. This makes sense, since it is a great material to build with if you want a metal structure that won't oxidize or rust within the first 5 years of its life. The other great thing about it is that it is very lightweight, but for its weight it is also very strong. This makes it easy for smaller projects where a homeowner might want to do the installation them self, and heavy equipment is just not available. You might want to note that aluminum is typically only used for the carport cover part - the legs are generally made of painted or coated steel, so there is a chance for rust with some parts of an aluminum carport.
When I started looking into the specs on a few models, it looks like you need to be careful to take your location into account. Aluminum carports that are designed for southern locations can't just be shipped to Canada (for example) and necessarily withstand a winter of heavy snow. The structural engineering required to withstand sun, no matter how strong those sun rays are, is just not the same as designing for an ice-storm or blizzard. This shouldn't be a problem though, since you will most likely source your carport kit from a company close by, so the carports they are designing will take the local weather and seasons into account. One thing that they will not survive very well are hail storms or chunks of ice falling from another building. Although aluminum is very strong, it will dent easily and impacts will show their damage.
The look of an aluminum carport is not for everyone - I can figure that out without needing a certificate in aesthetic design from my local college. There is something about metal carports though that is retro or contemporary with clean design lines. Conversely, it is also a style of building that many people just find outdated and not attractive at all. Add to that the fact that it is hard to create a good design chemistry between a metal building and any type of residential house.
Depending on the style of detail and proportions of the carport model you find, you could easily go one of two ways - increasing the value of your home by adding decent looking functional storage space - or decreasing your home value by creating a white elephant of a building that new owners would see as a liability rather than useful storage. That's just my opinion. You should be careful about honestly evaluating how an aluminum carport will look once it is in place beside your house. Don't overlook it's ugly duckling tendency just because it has a swan-like price tag and ease of installation.
If you really do like the look of them, or can not find any other options in your price range, then lets look at the pros. Despite the lacking in design aesthetics, they really do have some redeeming qualities. Maintenance is going to be a breeze - unless you run into it with your truck and dent up the metal, aluminum carports will look good for years without any maintenance what so ever. The non rusting feature is one of it's biggest advantages, both for structural and 'looks-like-new' longevity. Models have evolved as well, so there are in fact a lot of different styles and colors to choose from.
Another advantage is the fact that you can get a really good aluminum carport in a kit, and install it yourself. The cost is reasonable and you completely save any labour costs to install the carport. Assembly is easy given the lightweight factor of the material. The only thing you need to be concerned about if you get a kit, whether it is an open carport or a closed carport, is preparing the pad if you want one, and the footings or anchors for the legs.
I think I've covered a lot of points you should be thinking about when considering an aluminum as a material choice. Regardless of the style, lean to carport (or sloped roof carport), freestanding carport, temporary carport, or carport garage, if you are trying to narrow down the material, then an aluminum carport is a good choice in the right circumstances.
Aluminum carports have been around for ages. This makes sense, since it is a great material to build with if you want a metal structure that won't oxidize or rust within the first 5 years of its life. The other great thing about it is that it is very lightweight, but for its weight it is also very strong. This makes it easy for smaller projects where a homeowner might want to do the installation them self, and heavy equipment is just not available. You might want to note that aluminum is typically only used for the carport cover part - the legs are generally made of painted or coated steel, so there is a chance for rust with some parts of an aluminum carport.
When I started looking into the specs on a few models, it looks like you need to be careful to take your location into account. Aluminum carports that are designed for southern locations can't just be shipped to Canada (for example) and necessarily withstand a winter of heavy snow. The structural engineering required to withstand sun, no matter how strong those sun rays are, is just not the same as designing for an ice-storm or blizzard. This shouldn't be a problem though, since you will most likely source your carport kit from a company close by, so the carports they are designing will take the local weather and seasons into account. One thing that they will not survive very well are hail storms or chunks of ice falling from another building. Although aluminum is very strong, it will dent easily and impacts will show their damage.
The look of an aluminum carport is not for everyone - I can figure that out without needing a certificate in aesthetic design from my local college. There is something about metal carports though that is retro or contemporary with clean design lines. Conversely, it is also a style of building that many people just find outdated and not attractive at all. Add to that the fact that it is hard to create a good design chemistry between a metal building and any type of residential house.
Depending on the style of detail and proportions of the carport model you find, you could easily go one of two ways - increasing the value of your home by adding decent looking functional storage space - or decreasing your home value by creating a white elephant of a building that new owners would see as a liability rather than useful storage. That's just my opinion. You should be careful about honestly evaluating how an aluminum carport will look once it is in place beside your house. Don't overlook it's ugly duckling tendency just because it has a swan-like price tag and ease of installation.
If you really do like the look of them, or can not find any other options in your price range, then lets look at the pros. Despite the lacking in design aesthetics, they really do have some redeeming qualities. Maintenance is going to be a breeze - unless you run into it with your truck and dent up the metal, aluminum carports will look good for years without any maintenance what so ever. The non rusting feature is one of it's biggest advantages, both for structural and 'looks-like-new' longevity. Models have evolved as well, so there are in fact a lot of different styles and colors to choose from.
Another advantage is the fact that you can get a really good aluminum carport in a kit, and install it yourself. The cost is reasonable and you completely save any labour costs to install the carport. Assembly is easy given the lightweight factor of the material. The only thing you need to be concerned about if you get a kit, whether it is an open carport or a closed carport, is preparing the pad if you want one, and the footings or anchors for the legs.
I think I've covered a lot of points you should be thinking about when considering an aluminum as a material choice. Regardless of the style, lean to carport (or sloped roof carport), freestanding carport, temporary carport, or carport garage, if you are trying to narrow down the material, then an aluminum carport is a good choice in the right circumstances.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Sloped Roof Carports
If you want to build a carport that is attached to your house you might need to build a lean to carport which is also called a single slope carport. These types of carports allow for rain drainage and will allow ice and snow to melt and runoff evenly. Carports that need to fit in a small space generally can only be a lean to carport (single slope carport) or a flat roof carport.
Sometimes multi slope carports don't work for many reasons. A major reason is appearances. The delineation between house and carport should not be clearly marked or it will look like the carport is not an integral part of your house. You want your home and carport to look as though they blend together as one. A carport that looks glued to the side of your house will not bring any long term satisfaction. Another reason related to functionality of the roof line. If you live in an area that has a great deal of annual snow fall you will want to make sure that the snow or ice will not gather between your house and the carport. In the spring thaw, the runoff melted snow and water will need a clear and direct path to escape to the ground. You do not want the water from the melted ice to puddle against your home. Exposing your masonry work to standing water is an expensive mistake.
Single slope car carports or lean to carports tend to look much more integral to the home than a flat roof carport. The same roofing material can be used for these carports and the pitch of the roof can be matched exactly. Matching the pitch between the two roofs is critical. A slightly different pitch can look off and can detract from the appearance of your home. If you are considering adding a carport that has a roof at a different pitch than the pitch of the roof on your home, take a picture of your current home and make two copies. Make an illustration of a carport addition with the same pitch roof and a carport addition with a different pitch. You will see a difference.
Flat roof carports have one advantage over the other types of carports. Using the flat roof as a base for a second story addition be it a deck or screened in porch or fully fledged extra bedroom is a great idea. It is made even easier if there is a pre-existing window that would over-look the new carport. Changing this window into a doorway is an easy and inexpensive proposition. In order to support a deck the supporting posts in the carport would need to carry extra load.
You don't need to build a door to allow access to the deck right away. With advanced planning this decision can wait a few years or more. However, if you think you might consider utilizing the top of the flat roof then you need to calculate the increased load and plan accordingly.
Think seriously about what type of carport roof is suitable for your purposes, suitable for your location, and suitable for the existing house. A little forethought will make your decision even better. You may be happiest with a lean to carport or a single slope carport.
Sometimes multi slope carports don't work for many reasons. A major reason is appearances. The delineation between house and carport should not be clearly marked or it will look like the carport is not an integral part of your house. You want your home and carport to look as though they blend together as one. A carport that looks glued to the side of your house will not bring any long term satisfaction. Another reason related to functionality of the roof line. If you live in an area that has a great deal of annual snow fall you will want to make sure that the snow or ice will not gather between your house and the carport. In the spring thaw, the runoff melted snow and water will need a clear and direct path to escape to the ground. You do not want the water from the melted ice to puddle against your home. Exposing your masonry work to standing water is an expensive mistake.
Single slope car carports or lean to carports tend to look much more integral to the home than a flat roof carport. The same roofing material can be used for these carports and the pitch of the roof can be matched exactly. Matching the pitch between the two roofs is critical. A slightly different pitch can look off and can detract from the appearance of your home. If you are considering adding a carport that has a roof at a different pitch than the pitch of the roof on your home, take a picture of your current home and make two copies. Make an illustration of a carport addition with the same pitch roof and a carport addition with a different pitch. You will see a difference.
Flat roof carports have one advantage over the other types of carports. Using the flat roof as a base for a second story addition be it a deck or screened in porch or fully fledged extra bedroom is a great idea. It is made even easier if there is a pre-existing window that would over-look the new carport. Changing this window into a doorway is an easy and inexpensive proposition. In order to support a deck the supporting posts in the carport would need to carry extra load.
You don't need to build a door to allow access to the deck right away. With advanced planning this decision can wait a few years or more. However, if you think you might consider utilizing the top of the flat roof then you need to calculate the increased load and plan accordingly.
Think seriously about what type of carport roof is suitable for your purposes, suitable for your location, and suitable for the existing house. A little forethought will make your decision even better. You may be happiest with a lean to carport or a single slope carport.
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