DIY: Car Ports
Having a place to shield your vehicle against the weather is important for making your car last and to help retain its value. If you can't use your garage for this, you may want to consider using a carport. While there are many different kinds of carports that can be purchased, you may want to build your own. Building you own carport will give you flexibility you wouldn't have otherwise.
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Size
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Determine first the size of the carport you want to build. As you can build a carport out of many different materials, the size becomes a critical factor in how you build the carport. Many carports just fit around a driveway as this will usually be enough room to cover the cars that are usually parked there. However, if you don't have a driveway or are using the carport in another area, you will have to build it to the correct size for one or two automobiles. A good guide to go off of is 9-by-12 feet for a single port and 18-by-12 feet for a double port.
Materials
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The material choice is the next big thing you will have to determine. Carports have been made from a variety of materials such as PVC pipe, wood, metal and stone. To determine the materials, decide on how you will use this port to protect your vehicle and what kind of weather your area has. If you are just looking to shade your car, you could build an easy port out of PVC pipe and cover it with a blue tarp. However, moisture will require you to have a bit more protection. Wood is an inexpensive choice for a building material, but without adequate protection for the roof, you run the risk of decay. Metal is a bit stronger than the wood will be, but it is also prone to rust and will cost more to replace should you need to. Stone is by far the strongest material you can use, but you will have to make sure the ground underneath the stone can support the weight.
Other Considerations
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There are a few other factors to think about when putting together a carport. Make sure you have some way of getting rid of any sort of moisture that may accumulate on the top of it. A good way to do this is to build a port that has a slanted roof. Also, make sure the structure is firmly planted in the ground and is put together well. In case of an accident, where the car hits the port, you want it to be stable enough so that it doesn't come apart. Consider placing your support posts in concrete to keep them stable.
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