How to Build Car Ports
Car ports are much simpler than garages. Their sole purpose is to keep rain and snow off your car--sparing you the need to dig out the vehicle after every snowfall, and keeping it dry during the rainy months. You can build a car port by connecting it to the side of an existing structure, such as a house or a barn. It requires good building timber and some basic carpentry, but can otherwise be accomplished with a minimum of fuss. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Shovel
- Measuring tape
- Twine
- Concrete
- Stirrup brackets
- Plywood
- Support posts
- String line
- Hacksaw
- Bearing beams
- Coach bolts
- Coach screws or dynabolts
- Joist hangers
- Rafters
- Galvanized nails
- Hammer
- Screwdriver
- Ladder
- Sheet roofing
- Roofing screws
- Rubber washers
Instructions
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1
Check with the local civic authorities and utility companies to ensure that your proposed car port meets regulations. In addition to meeting building safety codes, the car port needs to be built without disrupting any sewage or electrical lines beneath it. Mark those locations on your property using wooden stakes and twine so you know where they are.
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2
Measure out the space for your carport along the side of your house. The measurements need to be precise, and the sides of the car port should come together at right angles. The car port needs to be big enough to comfortably fit your vehicle, and to allow both drivers and passengers to enter with ease.
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3
Dig a hole for each of the support posts at the proposed corners of the car port. The holes should be at least 1 foot wide by 1 foot long by 1 foot deep. A deeper hole will provide greater stability, but is not necessary.
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4
Pour concrete into the holes and set a stirrup bracket into the center of the pad. You'll want at least 3 inches worth of clearance between the ground and the bottom of the post.
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5
Lay a piece of plywood over the concrete and allow it to dry for at least 2 days. Use a carpenter's level to ensure that the post will be level with the ground before the concrete has time to set.
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6
Set a support post made of wood into the stirrup bracket once the concrete is dry. Stabilize it with stones or wooden braces to keep it secure while you are working. The support posts shouldn't wobble or twist whatsoever.
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7
Use a string line to measure the height of the posts and cut off any excess material with a hacksaw. People usually want the support posts to be of a perfectly equal height, but you may want the one supporting the back of the car port to be slightly lower than the one supporting the front. This will allow rain and snow to drain off the roof of the car port, and will prevent puddles from forming in front of your vehicle.
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8
Cut out a rebate in the top of each post facing the house. The rebate should be 2 inches deep and run 5 inches down from the top of the post.
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9
Measure a bearing beam to the length of your car port and fit it into the rebates you have just cut. Bolt the pieces of wood together using galvanized 4-1/2-inch coach bolts.
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10
Measure a second bearing beam and bolt it to the side of your house, parallel to the first bearing beam. If the house has a wooden wall, you can use coach screws. For a masonry wall, use dynabolts.
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11
Cut a set of rafters to size and hang them between the two bearing beams using joist hangers. The rafters should be equidistant and about 35 inches apart. Secure the beams and the rafters together with galvanized nails to make sure they are stable.
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12
Measure and cut a piece of roofing to the size of your car port and lay it in position on top of the rafters. Fit a series of roofing screws with rubber washers, then screw them into the rafters through the roof. The washers should be on the external side of the roof (they will help prevent leaks).
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13
Remove the stones or struts from the support posts.
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Tips & Warnings
With corrugated roofing, you should install the roofing screws on the top of the grooves, not the bottom. For particularly wet areas, you may wish to install a rain gutter and spout on the back of the car port. They will collect water and keep it from making puddles on the ground.
As with all projects of this nature, safety is paramount. Never build a car port alone, and make sure there is always someone nearby who knows what you are doing, in case of an accident.
