DIY Carports Sydney

Don’t want wooden carports? You want a carport which is reasonable in price and yet high quality? You wish your carport to be highly weather resistant with easy maintenance? The answer to these questions is “Aluminum Carports.” In fact, this metal is abundantly found in combination with other minerals. And that’s why it is a reasonable metal.

Aluminum is preferred metal in the aircraft & automobile industry. Firstly, it is non-corrosive and secondly, its strength to weight ratio is good. Thus it’s a preferred metal for making sleek & structural carports.

Aluminum Carports are best suited for free standing carport designs. So in case you don’t have a lawn with a patch of trees to shade your car and wish to spend the least bit of money, always choose Aluminum Carports.

Carports made of Aluminum are quick to mold and prepare in comparison to other metal types used for the same purpose.

Simply choose a wall of your house close to the backyard or the side and have a simple aluminum carport installed there. Such type of a carport would only require the roof portion and pillars to support the roof which will be attached to the wall.

A lot of people use dining tents for the purpose of carports. I would always advise to use Aluminum type carport instead as that protects your car from weather and can double as a dining tent. You will not have to dismantle this carport like you would in case of a dining tent in harsh weather.

Be assured that the Aluminum Carports have a good aesthetic look contrary to metal carports which can look rather odd at times.

One of my friends actually uses aluminum carports for shade for animals in his country home. He simply added 2 walls on either side made of aluminum that can be easily installed & dismantled from the carport structure.

Though I found it amusing, however a business acquaintance has a dog shed included in the carport using aluminum. So that doubles as protection for his vehicle as well. He simply installed a wall on one end of the carport and made a kennel for his canine. Simple!

So in case you’re picking up an Aluminum Carport installation kit, go for a bigger size as it can help with this purpose as well.

Though wooden carports always have an upper hand due to better aesthetic sense, I feel metal carports to be a better choice as they are more durable and sturdy.

If you live in an area with extreme climate conditions like strong winds or heavy rainfall prefer to choose metal carports. In fact, metal carports with closed enclosure walls on either side (door side of the vehicle) are a good option.

So before you begin the work with the professionals, always first enquire about the depth required for the pillars to go in the ground. Metal carports will never fall if the depth taken is appropriate. The roof of the carport needs to be chosen carefully as heavy metal could put a lot of pressure on the pillars.

The installation of carport pillars require usage of sledgehammer or electric jackhammer which drives them into the ground until the flared end meets the base rail. Be very sure about the length, height and width of the metal carport. Once the pieces have been caste the metal is a waste in case the measurements are taken incorrectly.

Considering the procedure & precision needed to construct a metal carport, always use professional contractors rather than laboring yourself.

Metal carports usually score over wooden carports if you shelter your car along with some heavy equipment. Also, if you have more than one vehicle, metal carports are a more viable option.

Furthermore, for commercial purposes metal carports are better and sensible alternative like for small industrial setups, ranches, schools & libraries.

When developing an idea for your metal carport, always enquire about certain extra elements that will help improve the aesthetic look. I would always suggest to you “Metal Trims.” Metal trims make the carport edges neater and if painted in a contrasting color gives it a better face value. The builders need to ensure the right size of the trim else a bigger size can always result in debris getting collected on the carport roof.

Metal is always exposed to corrosion due to weather conditions like moisture, snow and rains. Thus paint is a very important aspect of metal carport. Ensure to check 3 factors:

• Standard galvanized coating
• Film integrity warranty for walls and roofs
• Warranty against fade and chalk for walls and roofs

A professional carport builder will always ensure the above.

If you are a person who goes by earthy, conventional looks, the wooden carports are the best thing for your car. And in case you wish to make your carport right next to a garden or lawn, then it’s a double advantage as they end up complimenting each other.

A simple wooden carport looks as much part of the home, even if built much later. This is where wooden carports score over metal carports. It’s usually difficult to match metal carport structures to the look of the lawn/garden and the house. To increase the aesthetic sense of the wooden carport you may choose either asphalt or gravel flooring depending on the surrounds. I choose gravel as I had cobbled stone pathway leading to the main entrance of the house.

I would always suggest a wooden carport to all those people who have Trailer Vans, RVs or boats. They are easily detachable and convenient to pack and carry around or stock in the attic. Metal carports that way can be heavy and rather unmanageable.

In case you are aware of basic skills of being a carpenter, then it shouldn’t be hard for you to be build a wooden carport with an extra hand. Purchase a wooden carport kit in case you aren’t sure about the quality, strength, thickness or dimensions that would be needed depending on your vehicle or area available. Wooden carports with flat roofs are the easiest to build.

However be aware that frequent maintenance is required for wooden carports than metal/aluminum carports. Regular scraping of the surface, painting and staining is very important depending on the climate of your area else the wooden carport can suffer quick damage and make it look very old.

I don’t mind the hassle of frequent maintenance, considering that every time I redo my wooden carport, I get to change the color which matches the look of my home and lawn without making it look very industrial as in the case of metal carports.

So in case you’re fine with spending the extra bit of money, choose wooden carports instead of metal or aluminum carports.

Maintaining a carport is very important, because once they start looking old, they look “very old”. One might say that’s where a garage has an advantage over carports. Let’s keep in mind that carports made of wood or wood & metal need more maintenance. Yet, carports are relatively easy to maintain if you are cautious from the beginning.

Here are some pointers that will help you maintain your carport:

Paint: Ensure you paint your carport regularly, especially if the area you live in has strong sun or salty/humid air. Always ensure to scrub the metal, wood surface well before applying fresh paint on the carport. So it is better to keep a can of paint handy for such purpose. Carports hardly have surface area, thus doing this yourself is quick and not much of a hassle.

Cleaning The Shed: The carport’s rooftop or shed can accumulate dust or mildew very easily in a short period of time. You must clean the rooftop on regular intervals. In a large bucket of water mix approx 15 ml of bleach. Scrub every portion of the roof of the carport using brush with stiff bristles. Wipe the area dry and don’t let the water solution dry by itself. The solution, if left to dry can further stain the carport roof.

In case you have fiber-glass panels added to the design of the carport rooftop, then ensure to mix any mild soap solution in water to clean the glass portion. Thereafter use the bleach water solution to clean the rest of the carport.

Power Washer: This is the most important equipment you would need to clean your carport, particular the flooring. Power washer can easily wash away debris from all nooks & corners without you having to do any manual labor.

In case you live in areas with mild climate, cleaning your carport with the Power Washer is more than sufficient.

You can always refer to the owner’s manual to follow instructions about cleaning your carport. Make sure you take the manual from the installer when they are assembling your carport.

We often learn things only when we personally experience something. One such experience was when I wanted to get a Carport made and conveniently mistook that the “word’ garage is a synonym and means the same. On seeking some professional help did I realize that Carport and Garage are two rather different structures.

The difference is fairly simple. Carports are compact, rather minimal structures which can be easily dismantled or removed. Garages are solid structure made out of brick, mortar. They can’t be dismantled and need to be demolished. I honestly confess I didn’t know this.

Second point of education was to check with authorities for rules to make a carport. One can’t just build a carport per their choice & fashion. While most garages are attached to the structure of a home, carports usually are rather detached. Calculate the space you have, how close the “likely space” to the road is and check with the authorities. With land turning more expensive along with building material, carport is a smarter choice.

Further more carports allow you more choices of building material which you can match with your house or garden. I took a round of my neighboring areas looking at the carports to get a better idea of what I would like. My choice is wood as my carport was placed right next to the garden area. A friend chose a steel structure for the carport matching his macho Land Cruiser pairing it with solid dark grey cemented flooring.

The best part is the flooring area. I chose thick gravel for my carport which is rather easy to maintain considering it doesn’t need washing and mopping. Spray water and it looks just fine. I like the rustic look it gives to the entire structure. Ensure you think of the flooring before buying the structure material for the carport.

I think it’s a smart idea to have a carport because of their minimal and compact design structure. Particularly if you’re making a new house, choose to make a carport as its quick to install and easy to maintain.

Article from IBspot blog: http://www.ibspot.com.au/blog/carports-garage-know-the-difference/2010/02/

As a buyer you can decide by yourself what sort of Carport would you want. The next concern to address is the price of a carport. Be sure that you have questions ready and not blindly purchase the ready made kit or hire professionals thinking only of the final product: your carport.

Carport type & their prices: Wood and metal carports are expensive in comparison to Alumiwood carports. So in case you have the option to choose from either because the weather and allow, then ask the builder to quote you the price of all 3. This will help you decide better. Mostly, the installation of the carport takes the same time irrespective of the type of material used.

Carport Design: A lot of customers like to get carports made as per the standard designs the builder will show from a carport catalog. In many instances, you might want to modify the design and or built of the carport to suit your requirement. It will always mean a change in the price of the carport. Ask the builder to provide you with an exact and time taken to install the same.

Carport Extra Equipment: For better safety a lot of builders advise to use certain materials to be used to build a carport. Especially when you live in an area with harsh climate, additions in certain building equipment is required.

Always enquire the price as per the Gauge framing. Prices for carports differ as per the number of gable ends that will be fixed. In case a side panel has been chosen for the carport, it considerably increases the price of the carport.

Carport Size: Every builder has a set of standard carport sizes. Based on the type of vehicle(s) you need to build a carport, ensure if the standard carport size is sufficient or not. In many case you might need to get it customized. Customizing a carport means a change in price. Always enquire.

Extra Charges: Shipping & freight is applied in case your carport builder is in a different state. Enquire if the cost of carport would include the same or not. Furthermore, always enquire of the Sales tax applicable. In case of carports for cars, vans etc, it is mostly including however carports made for a RV Shed or car canopy, the sales tax is not included in the price.

It’s always a wise idea to look at certain factors before deciding how you would like your carport to be built. Money isn’t the only consideration though carports are reasonable alternatives to a garage.

Space Measurement: Simple measuring the area that will be covered for the carport isn’t enough. Act smart! Always leave extra space of 2 feet if possible so later, you can always either convert your carport to a garage or add columns to build strong columns for storing equipments etc.

In case you are building a carport for an RV or a boat, then be sure to measure the height of the RV or boat which we often overlook. Prefer to always leave extra space within the length & breadth of the carport for future use in case you switch over to a bigger car or RV etc.

Smart Designing: When you have a carport & wish to extend it, ensure you leave the four pillars intact and build a detachable addition unless you wish to convert the carport into a garage. This helps in case you wish to switch back to a carport the entire structure won’t have to be demolished.

Try building the carport using one large wall of the house. This ensures the roof is stronger as its support for carport is doubled. That way one can match the carport roof with the color and façade of the house.

Choosing Materials: Keep in mind the climate & landscape when choosing the material to build a carport. Beach side residences can prefer wood as the salt-heavy air can rust metal structures. One can prefer solid metal structures to build carports for areas with heavy rains or harsh sun.

The latest trend for carport material is Alumiwood which actually is metal however is made to look like wood.

Professional Help: In case you wish to make a carport yourself, read the kit details properly before purchasing. Not all carport material types are easy to install. Enclosed carports are a good example where one needs to install 3 side walls. It’s good to have an experienced extra hand to help build a carport.

In case you aren’t a person good with measurements and calculations, then consider engaging professionals who know the process than making a carport that might not be sturdy and well built.