Carports

      If you don’t have a brick-and-mortar garage, where will you shelter your car? Protecting a car from the elements is particularly important in harsh weather, such as snow or rain, and one common option for protecting a car is by using a carport. A carport, however, is a general term for any type of shelter that protects a car, and this can mean portable carports, also known as freestanding carports, or attached carports that are part of a building. In addition, the materials used for carports varies, but the most common designs for carports now are portable carports made from metal or metal with a polyethylene canopy.

      While all carports essentially do the same thing and are used for the same purpose, whether you need to protect a single car or multiple vehicles, they can be made of various combinations of materials. So, how do you know which one to choose? Metal carports are common structures, especially as portable carports. These structures are made entirely of galvanized steel and, in terms of design, have a peaked roof. Polyethylene carports, another common option, have an identical frame of galvanized steel but the canopy roof is made of heavy-duty polyethylene. The polyethylene canopy carports are always portable, and the heavy-duty polyethylene canopy is treated to be rip resistant, UV and rot resistant and waterproof – all of the same properties as a metal roof on a carport. The structure for both is a peaked roof, although some RV carports – or carports for longer or larger vehicles – may have a rounded roof with a polyethylene canopy stretched over both sides. Both protect vehicles equally well, but a polyethylene canopy is considered an economical option for portable carports. Other options for carports include build-in carports which are part of a building directly, and these can be metal, mortar, or wood carports.

      Carports protect a car from the elements, and, aside from ordinary carports, RV carports can protect larger vehicles for several months at a time. A carport needs to protect a vehicle from UV ray exposure and from rain or snow. UV rays can fade the paint on a vehicle or cause the surface – or even internal parts – to crack, while snow or rain, especially when it builds up on a flat surface, can cause mildew or rot. The roof of a carport is either naturally water and UV resistant or treated to have those properties. In addition, as a carport is an open air structure, unless sides are added, air circulates inside to prevent mildew and dry rot from building up on the vehicle.