Though we know that aluminum carport doesn’t last as long as the steel counterpart but I still prefer using aluminum carports than any other carport types. Why, because they are better looking than the steel carports sold anywhere. Most aluminum carports don’t require painting unlike the steel carport, and most have this elegant design fitting to most modern homes. Deductively, properties of aluminum makes it more malleable than steel, therefore carport manufacturers find it easy to design attractive aluminum carports than steel. Aluminum also has a somewhat glazed characteristic, further enhancing the look and eliminating the need for painting.

With that in mind, I decided to do a little project on my own. Coincidentally, I am in need of a cheap but durable and elegant carport. Since winter is fast approaching, I need it fast. Of course I prefer to have an Aluminum Carport. I need it to be durable, cheap but nice looking too. Scouring the internet for aluminum carports I have found these several nice choices:

Single Aluminum Carport at http://www.homeimprovementkits.com

These free standing Mason brand aluminum carport has 10′ x 20′ flat pan panels which nicely resemble a ceiling look. The gutters along all four sides with down spout next to post provide a path for the accumulated rain.

Aluminum Carports by Amerimax Building Products at: http://www.amerimaxbp.com

This carport can be freestanding or attached to a side. The roof panels come with an easy clean-out gutter. The baked enamel application provides rugged durability.

Alumawood Carports at http://www.try-tech.com

The benefits of both aluminum and wood can be provided only with Alumawood aluminum carport. This aluminum carport is made to stimulate the look and feel of wood; the often preferred aesthetics, but also providing the natural durability of metal.

There is this one site selling superb aluminum carport, Shikoku Corp. Too bad I can’t seem to contact them; maybe they exclusively sell their aluminum carport models in Japan, I really don’t know. Their website lack product ordering features besides that vague ‘contact us’ page. Just too bad really, because I really love those modern aluminum carport they have on display.

Do you want to check them out? Here’s the direct link on that page:

http://www.shikoku.co.jp/eng/product/mw/car/main.html

Compared to the price of your vehicle, a carport is an inexpensive cost to provide protection for your vehicles. Garages can be pricey and eat too much space besides. But yet you cannot forgo vehicle shelter, since vehicles themselves are seldom cheap also. The best solution therefore is carports.

Metal carport options have 3 different choices which are aluminum, steel or prefabricated insulated polystyrene foam core panels wrapped in steel or aluminum. The strongest is steel but is not too aesthetic in a sense. Steel is also the least inexpensive. Aluminum costs more, is weaker but looks better compared to steel carports.

Steel carport therefore is best suited to ranch and farms and rugged places in need for shelter. These situations necessitates more on sturdiness and durability and lesser or none at all in terms of aesthetics.

That’s why a majority of steel carports are often sold in large sizes to facilitate more on these need types. Some steel carports have rather large dimension, suited to house several vehicles with ample room for other activities besides.

There are several steel carport manufacturers available, but the best of them are a handful. They are the best because they manufacture their own and they a factory direct, so no additional charges by middlemen. Here are a handful of them,

Carolina Carports Inc. is one such company that excels in building steel carports. Carolina Carports Inc. is a renowned carport manufacturer and supplier; also one of the leading steel structure suppliers in the United States. If you are interested in checking their brochure, clink on this link:

http://www.carolina-carports.com/cci_brochure.pdf

Alternately, you can visit their site:

http://www.carolina-carports.com

Carolina Carports has a number of pre-designed carports for those who don’t want to be involved in the hassle of planning and designing. Of course, those designs are to be considered if they would fit with the purchaser’s needs. Also, the option to custom tailor the carport is available.

Shade Specialist is also another major carport manufacturer. They are ‘design and build’ company of steel carports with each shelter custom designed for each application. So instead of designing standardized carports, this Texas carport manufacturer builds it to suit the purpose. Check on the site gallery and see how beautifully and superiorly the Texas carport manufacturer Shade Specialist make their carport.

If you want a peek on their site, click on this link: http://www.shadespecialist.com
Or you could give them a call: 1-88-742-3348

Eagle Carport, Inc was founded in1997 in North Carolina. Mostly a local distributor of steel carports, excellent business practices enabled it to grow into a huge corporation dealing with various metal products throughout the United States.

To view their site, click on this link: http://www.eaglecarports.com
Contact by Phone: 800-579-8589 276-755-2030
FAX: 276-755-2031 276-755-9017

Carports don’t go off manufacturing plants cheap. And when retailers get hold on them they become even the more costly. Wise players look around. Wise players know where to look for factory direct carports and wise players avoid the middlemen.

I am with your league. I avoid middlemen if I can. There’s so much you can save by getting factory direct carports. Now you can afford to pay those shipping fees and additional installations because you will save big from factory direct carports.

I have been looking for factory direct carports on the internet and surprisingly I found a few of them. Here’s a listing of their site and products you should take notice.

Absolute Steel & Storage

Absolute Storage LLC, the parent company of Absolute Steel & Storage, is a privately owned Arizona Limited Liability Company which is headquartered in Phoenix. The company owns the entire property where its facility is located. So it is safe to think that when you purchase a carport from Absolute Steel & Storage, you are dealing with a company that also provides its own brand of carports. Not just websites drop-shipping carports from another factory.

Mailing Address:PO Box 11744 Tempe, AZ 85284-0030
Toll Free: 877-833-3237
Local: 480-768-1618
Fax: 480-768-1514
Website: http://www.absoluterv.com
Single Slope Carport by Absolute Steel
Price: $1595 including shipping
Phone orders: 1-877-833-3237

I strongly recommend Absolute Steel’s Single Slope Carport. It is real sturdy. It brags of a 30 lb. snow load capability and can withstand 90MPH winds. It is very easy to assemble too, and the entire carport kit consists of only 33 parts.

* Two-car single-slope carport
* 18′W x 20′L x 8′T * Ground Mount Clearance: 7’11″
* Concrete Mount Clearance: 9’8″
* 30 lb snow load / 90 mph wind
* Concrete base mount plates available
* Easy assembly

Carolina Carports Inc.

Since Carolina Carport produces its own line of carports, it is factory direct carport. Carolina Carports is a known manufacturer and supplier of carports. With manufacturing facilities in TX, MO, MS, GA, PA, Carolina Carports has established itself as one of the largest manufacturers of metal structures in the United States.

All products offered at Carolina Carports also have the standard delivery package which is included in the price. Normal delivery and installation is within 2 to 4 weeks from the date of order.

Contact Nos.
NC Corp. Office: 1-800-670-4262
Missouri: 1-800-905-2721
California: 1-800-908-0774
Pennsylvania: 1-866-849-0938
Texas: 1-888-248-1025
Georgia: 1-888-242-5022
Mississippi: 1-866-313-8008
Website: http://www.carolina-carports.com

Eagle Carports, Inc

The Eagle Carport, Inc was founded in1997 in North Carolina. Mostly a local distributor of steel carports, excellent business practices enabled it to grow into a huge corporation dealing with various metal products throughout the United States.

16398 Fancy Gap Highway
Cana, Virginia 24317
Contact by Phone:
800-579-8589
276-755-2030
FAX: 276-755-2031 276-755-9017
Website: http://www.eaglecarports.com

Free standing carports have been a major appeal nowadays. One problem though, free standing carports cost a fortune. This free standing carport plan will show you how to make your own free standing flat roof carport. The materials to be used are quite cheap. And you could probably finish this in two days, depending on your speed. So save those bucks. Check on the highlighted materials. They don’t cost as much as the carports sold over the internet.

This carport plan produces a structure 20ft long and 10ft wide. The design is pretty basic since this carport plan only serves to show casual readers with interest in carports how to make own. Before engaging into this activity, check with your Local Authority to see if any permit or consent is required.

Summarizing the materials needed

Posts 4×4
Beams 2×8
End rafters 2×8
Rafters 2×6
Noggings 2×6
Galvanized bolts
Joist Hangers
Galvanized Angle Bracket

The roof slope should be at least 2″. In this project the slope is 4″. If using a clear PVC roof, then a steeper slope is advisable, as a steeper fall means faster water run-off, and therefore a cleaner roof.

Mark out the carport (20ft x 10ft rectangle) and erect timber profiles out from each corner and also out from the middle to take in the two center posts. Set the timber profiles back at least 2′-O” from the building line (carport perimeter) to allow room for hole digging etc. Attach stringline to indicate the center of the six posts 4″ in from the side edges and 13″ in from the front and back edges.

Dig holes 1″square 2″ deep. Place 4″ of concrete into the bottom of every hole. Now put the posts in the holes and check that the post is plumb (vertical) and almost, but not quite, touching the stringline.

Fill the hole with concrete to within 2″ of the finished ground level. Check again that the post is plumb and not quite touching the stringline. Because of the depth of the hole, the concrete will support the post without the need for bracing. Continue until all posts are concreted in.

Mark the rear posts a minimum of 7′-8″ above the slab, or finished ground level. Ensure the height marks on both rear posts are level. Use a spirit-level on a straight edge to achieve this or the water level method. Mark the front two posts 4″ higher than the rear posts. Fix a stringline between the front and back posts to mark the height of the middle posts. Cut the tops of the posts off at these marks.

Cut the two beams 20ft long with 45degree angle cuts each end and clamp in place to the posts so that the tops of the beams are flush with the tops of the posts and protrude past both the front and rear posts by 1′-0″. Drill and bolt the beams to the posts with 1/2″ Galvanized bolts, two bolts at each at each meeting.

Cut the two end rafters 10ft long with 45degree angle cuts each end and fix in place to the beams with 3″ jolthead Galvanized nails and then with Galvanized angle brackets, each bracket fixed with four 1/2″ Galvanized bolts, two through the beam and two through the rafter.

Cut the six intermediate rafters 9′-8″ long and fix in place to the beams with Galvanized metal joist hangers. Space the rafters at 3′-0″ center.

Finish off with a longitudinal row of noggings down the middle and in between the rafters.

If the posts are concreted into the ground, and the posts are bolted to the beams with two bolts at each meeting, then no further bracing should be required. If, however, the posts are not in-ground, but supported by Galvanized post brackets, then additional bracing is required. One such scenario is to fix upper post diagonal bracing two to each post, each about 3′-0″ long (more or less), and fixed to the post with nailplates and fixed to the beam/rafter with bolts. You may now attach your choice of roof.

This free carport plan is taken from:

http://www.buildeazy.com/carport.html

Do you know how uncomfortable it is to ride your car after its being park under the sun? Have you been pissed off for having made to shovel a pile of snow accumulated on the top of your car when your 30 minutes late?

Cars are made to withstand grueling elements. Since the earlier cars that where released in the pre-war era, cars have evolve to become more endurable and withstanding. Still, they are not built like tanks to survive even the harshest elements. Protection is still needed.

Garages were conceived to address this problem. After all, what could provide a better protection than a four walled structure? Garages also plays somewhat significant role in homes: it doubles as an attic, storage space, or bodega. Consequently more houses that own a car own a garage. But what about those homes that doesn’t have a garage. They do the next best thing. They leave their cars in the open.

So when the radical American architect Frank Lloyd Wright conceptualizes the Usonian Homes, garage-less homeowners did lots of thanking. Frank Lloyd Wright’s creations, the “Usonian Homes”, were typically small, single story dwellings without garage. In place were large cantilevered overhangs that act as a protection for vehicles. And Frank Lloyd Wright called this overhang “Carport”.

Garage-less homeowners absorbed this concept swiftly. They copied the ‘carport’ and integrated it into their homes, even those who did have garage. In a metropolitan area where space is a big factor and posh, neat and elegant homes were warmly received, garage no longer was the most welcoming house improvement. The glory days of garages were coming to an end and in place were cool looking and snug Carports. And carports seeded a number of uses, thanks to its versatile build, it also doubles as a veranda, a tea house, or just a place where one can laze on a sunny day. But they still continue to call it carport.

To date, carports come in several constructs: wood, steel, aluminum, or prefabricated insulated polystyrene foam core panels wrapped in steel or aluminum. Each has its own pros and cons. Though the weakest is wood since it is predisposed to wood warping, chipping and rot, it is by far the most versatile since it can easily match the homes and can be fitted with installations rather easily. Steel is the cheapest and the strongest by far but doesn’t come with designs. Most uses of steel carports are on barns and ranches where decorations are negligible.

A carport is an effective and cost friendly solution for storing or protecting any vehicles. It also cost only a fraction of the price needed for a garage. It provides more ventilation and takes considerably less space. And what more, most carports sold, especially online are do-it-yourself projects that takes only a couple of days to complete.

If our looking for experts on steel carports, garages and storage buildings, then you don’t need to look further. For those of you that are looking to find the perfect solution to protect your vehicle, equipment, or simply to create additional storage, then look no further because you have found the right place. There are more products with Eagle Carports than just carports.

Eagle Carport, Inc was founded in1997 in North Carolina. Mostly a local distributor of steel carports, excellent business practices enabled it to grow into a huge corporation dealing with various metal products throughout the United States.

Eagle Carports, Inc offers a wide selection of standard design carports which are suitable for most customers, though they also create custom design carports. With their carports, they offer two primary roof design: the Standard Rolled Corner and the A-Frame with a Boxed Eave. These designs can be constructed with 12 gauges and 14 gauges. On both the standard type and the A-frame type, Eagle Carport comes with a Standard Horizontal Roof. The roof panels run parallel to the side of the carport. With the A-frame with Boxed Eave products, the panels can be installed vertically at an additional charge.

The option to attach additional panels to the side of the carport to keep the blowing rain off vehicles and equipment is available. Likewise an option to add gable ends to the carport, especially if the carport is near the home is also available. It makes the carport stronger and it has a much nicer curb appeal.

To view their gallery, click on this link:

http://www.eaglecarports.com/standardcarportphotos.html

Eagle Carports, Incorporated
16398 Fancy Gap Highway
Cana, Virginia 24317
Contact by Phone:
800-579-8589
276-755-2030
FAX: 276-755-2031 276-755-9017
Website: http://www.eaglecarports.com
E-mail: Customer Service: customerservice@eaglecarports.com
Sales: sales@eaglecarports.com

Carolina Carport Inc. is the largest manufacturer and supplier of carports. A family owned business, Carolina Carports Inc. began operations in October 1997 producing carports, utility carports, RV covers, and garages for residential use. The booming business allowed Carolina Carports to expand summarily, setting up branches and exploring new prospects. By 2001, Carolina Carports’ manufacturing facilities have moved towards automation, further acceleration their growth.

Carolina Carports have manufacturing facilities in TX, MO, MS, GA, PA, and CA but the corporate office still remains in North Carolina. Through the established network of dealers and installers, Carolina Carports has established itself as one of the largest manufacturers of metal structures in the United States.

Carolina Carports has a number of pre-designed carports for those who don’t want to be involved in the hassle of planning and designing. Of course, those designs are to be considered if they would fit with the purchaser’s needs. Also, the option to custom tailor the carport is always available.

All products offered at Carolina Carports also have the standard delivery package which is included in the price. Normal delivery and installation is within 2 to 4 weeks from the date of order.

Utility Carports

Utility carport is really what the name suggests, for utility. It is not much different from a utility shed except that it has a parking space for motored vehicles. Usually at the back portion is where the enclosed tool room is located. A carport dedicated to storing utilities, heavy equipment, and motored equipment, utility carports have become a common house improvement nowadays.

Carolina Carports is a known distributor for utility carports. Most of their utility carports are designed with steel with a simple but elegant look. Most utility carports on sale don’t require having a cemented floor so installation is pretty quick and hassle free.

If you are interested in checking their brochure, clink on this link:

http://www.carolina-carports.com/cci_brochure.pdf

Alternately, you can visit their site:

http://www.carolina-carports.com

Here’s also another sample of Utility Carport I found floating over the internet.

Deluxe Utility Storage Shed

This 26′W x 12′H Deluxe Utility Carport is made with a 1.90″ OD Galvanized Steel Frame. No cheap lightweight Powder Coated Versions. The 4′ rafter spacing in 7 arches and the 3′ rafter spacing in 9 arches in the frame should provide extra strength. The 12.5 oz. / 24 mm Rip stop P.E. is all weather with UVI protected cover expected to last 20 years.

Price: $2899

View product:

www.sheltersofamerica.com/products/product0e517691b7c2f36a121681d0b5a8f908.jpg

It’s not everyday you can have protection for all your vehicles. Normally the car that gets more uses stays in the driveway, and those that don’t goes to the garage. Because most of the times, garages just couldn’t get any larger. So when the next winter comes you should panic? Not really.

Portable Carports is useful in a number of ways. If you need an instant protection for your car every time you are away from home, why not pack a portable carport kit in your trunk. If you disdain a permanent structure in your lot such as a carport but sometimes you just need to protect your car from the weather, a portable carport should do the trick. If you are always on the go, and an unusually heavy snowstorm is on the way. Be sure to pack a portable carport kit and protect your car from serious damage. So don’t worry about your classy ride during the two weeks countryside stay at your in-laws even its in the middle of winter. Just make sure the portable carport kits are stored in your trunk.

There are several online retailers that sell high class portable carport. Pickup Specialties is one of them. Here are some samples of their portable carport products.

Pickup Specialties
Call Toll Free: 1-888-590-4769

http://www.pickupspecialties.com

Actually a provider for a number of outdoor products, Pickup Specialties is an authorized dealer for Shelter Logic who provides portable carport. Scroll on the list below and check their excellent selection of portable carports.

Carport in a Box House Style for $269

Dimensions: 12 x 20 x 8

View: http://www.pickupspecialties.com/Shelter_workz/Photos/62656.jpg

Frame:

2″diameter tubing/17 gauge
Gray Powder Coated Finish
4 Rib Frameworks
Slip-Fit connections for easy assembly
Bolt together

Cover:

All Weather Covering is 3-layer Rip-Stop Material
UV treated
7 oz. polyethylene with white interior for ambient lighting
One Car Shelter Round Style at $399
Dimension: 12 x 20 x 8

View: http://www.pickupspecialties.com/Shelter_workz/Photos/62654.jpg

Frame:

1 5/8″”diameter tubing/17 gauge
Gray Powder Coated Finish
6 Rib Frameworks
Slip-Fit connections for easy assembly
Bolt together

Cover:

All Weather Covering is 3-layer Rip-Stop Material
UV treated
7 oz. polyethylene with white interior for ambient lighting
Garage in a Box House Style for $299
Dimensions: 12 x 20 x 8

View: http://www.pickupspecialties.com/Shelter_workz/Photos/62655.jpg

Frame:

2″”diameter tubing/17 gauge
Gray Powder Coated Finish
4 Rib Frameworks
78″ Rib Spacing
Slip-Fit connections for easy assembly
Bolt together

Cover:

All Weather Covering is 3-layer Rip-Stop Material
UV treated
7 oz. polyethylene with white interior for ambient lighting
SUV/Boat Shelter House Style at $599
Dimensions: 12 x 24 x 10

View: http://www.pickupspecialties.com/Shelter_workz/Photos/62661.jpg

Frame:

1 5/8″”diameter tubing/18 gauge
Gray Powder Coated Finish
7 Rib Frameworks
Slip-Fit connections for easy assembly
Bolt together

Cover:

All Weather Covering is 3-layer Rip-Stop Material
UV treated
7 oz. polyethylene with white interior for ambient lighting

From those simple overhangs that the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed for his Usonian Homes, Carports have gained an extensive variety of uses. And surprisingly the name ‘Carport’ still holds.

Carports are still used as car shelters these days. In fact, most now use carports in place of garage; maximizing otherwise wasted space to a smaller and more multipurpose car shelter.

Yes, multipurpose. From tea and coffee breaks to casual reading area, carports have been utilized to afford lounging in open areas. Built to function much like a gazebo, carports are used by modern households to accommodate simple fancies hassle free. Of course a gazebo is still more pleasing aesthetically but the maintenance free afforded only by carports makes it a rather hefty competition to gazebos and gardens.

With these in this effect, canopy carports have gained popularity over functions such as these. Though they are still used as actual car parks since they can be erected fairly easily and quickly, it is not uncommon to see hastily erected canopy carports to accommodate barbeques looming around the corner.

Canopy carports design uses canopy as shelter. The attractive benefit of this carport design is it is readily assembled and disassembled.

Steel carports designs are more of a barn like structure to withstand elements. Since the majority of steel carport users are located in rural areas, naturally steel carport manufacturers supply carport designs that coincide to the needs of their most profitable market. Prairies, farms and ranches with a natural high wind velocity and fickle weather often use steel carports with enclosure on two sides. If not for the legislatives that revolve around carport enclosures, carports within these areas have long ago shifted to totally enclosed sheds.

Aluminum carport designs are popular with modern houses, especially in cities and urban areas. The posh, elegant and slick looks of aluminum carports do compliment the glass and dull concrete of an office or a modern house. Since aluminum is more malleable metal compared to steel, technically speaking, designs are more possible. One aluminum carport design, the Alumawood is an aluminum carport made to simulate the aesthetic look and feel of wooden carports but retains the durability properties with metal carports.

The wooden carport design is the most expensive. It also needs a lot of maintenance, just like the rest of the house. Some houses, especially the Usonian Houses made by the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright sport the wooden carport design, though Frank Lloyd’s carport was more of a house extension than a separate house accessory.

Though there are minimal restrictions in building a carport, carport designs are strictly regulated. Article 9.35.2.1 defines a garage as a roofed enclosure for parking cars which has more than 60% of its perimeter enclosed by walls, doors or windows. Most carports have no walls, some only have two of the sides enclosed, not reaching the 60% mark of garages. In addition, Article 9.10.14.14 deals with the construction requirements for the exposing building face of detached garages but makes no reference to carports. Both articles clearly point out that there are minimal restrictions in building a carport.

Carports aren’t cheap, especially wooden ones. The cheapest is steel, but seldom would it match your front door. But if you have some skills in carpentry, why not put it in good use and install your own wooden carport with this free carport plan.

Materials needed for the Free Carport Plan

For the foundations, you need to have:

* cement: 143 pounds (65kg)
* sand: 572 pounds (260kg)
* stone: 572 pounds (260kg)
* anchor plates x 2 (any design), with bolts

*if you have a better alternative to where you prefer your structure to be standing, then revise this to fit your purpose.

Timber (SA Pine):

* Uprights: 4 x 8 ft (2,4m) ex 4″56 inch (114mm) x 1″52 inch (38mm)

* Spacers: 4 x 10 inches (250mm) ex 4″56 inch (114mm) x 1″52 inch (38mm)

* Bracing corners: 2 x 29″2 inch (730mm) ex 6″08 inch (152mm) x 1″52 inch (38mm)

* Roof framework/beams:

1. 1 x 17 ft (5,1m) ex 4″56 inch (114mm) x 1″52 inch (38mm)

2. 2 x 10 ft (3,2m) ex 4″56 inch (114mm) x 1″52 inch (38mm)

3. 2 x 8 ft (2,4m) ex 4″56 inch (114mm) x 1″52 inch (38mm)

4. 4 x 5 ft (1,5m) ex 4″56 inch (114mm) x 1″52 inch (38mm)

5. 1 x 10 ft (3m) ex 4″56 inch (114mm) x 1″52 inch (38mm)

6. 6 x 15 ft (4,5m) ex 4″56 inch (114mm) x 1″52 inch (38mm)

* Fascia: 1 x 13 ft (4m) ex 6″08 inch (152mm) x 1″56 inch (38mm)

* Cover strip:

1. 1 x 29 ft (8,8m) x 1″76 inch (44mm),”-36 inch (9mm) (or several smaller lengths to fit)

2. 1 x 4 ft (1,5m) x1″76 inch (44mm) x “-36 inch (9mm)

3. 1 x 13 ft (4m) x 1″76 inch (44mm) x “-36 inch (9mm)

* Half rounds:

1. 3 x 4 ft (1,5m) x “-76 inch (19mm)

2. 1 x 10 ft (3m) x “-76 inch (19mm)

3. 6 x 15 ft (4,5m) x “-76 inch (19mm)

Shade cloth:

* 45 ft (13,5m) cut to fit between beams: 6″8 (2m) x 15 ft (4,7m), cut to 8 ft (2,4m) width (1 with splayed corner)

* 3″4 (1m) x 10 ft (3,2m), cut to 5 ft (1,6m) with (cut diagonally to form a triangle)

* 3″4 (1m) x 5 ft (1,7m), cut to 8 ft (2,4m) (for entrance)

NOTE: The shade cloth is cut slightly longer than the beams so there is enough to fold over the cover strip.

Connectors and fasteners:

* 10 x 4 inch (100mm) x “-2 inch (5mm) cuphead bolts with washers

* 7 x 4 inch (100mm) x “-32 inch (8mm) Rawlbolts

* 24 x 3 inch (75mm) x No 10 (“-196 inch (4,9mm)) countersunk screws

* 3 inch (75mm) wire nails

* 1″6 inch (40mm) wire nails or staples

Starting the Free Carport Plan

1. Measure and mark the position of the two upright posts, 13 ft (4m) from edge to edge. These are anchored just above ground level on metal base plates. Various anchor plates are available, all of which are sit in concrete footings.

2. Dig trenches for the two footings, at least 20 inches (500mm) x 20 inches (500mm) x 20 inches (500mm) and fill with concrete. Set the post anchor bases in the concrete and allow the concrete to set thoroughly.

3. First step is to bolt upright posts together to form two pairs. Insert spacer blocks leaving a gap of 37″6 inch (940mm) between each block. Brace with scrap timber an then use cuphead bolts with scrap timber and then use cuphead bolts with washers to secure the spacers to the uprights.

4. Cut the corner bracing pieces as illustrated and slot into place 7″6 inch (190mm) above the second spacer. Position the fascia between each pair of upright timbers, so that it is flush with the upper surface.

5. Now assemble the framework of the roof structure. You will need to cut notches to accommodate the roof beams. These should be about 1″4 inch (35mm) x 2 inch (50mm) deep (depending on the finished size of you planed timber) and set at 32 inches (800mm) center. Lay three lengths of timber, end-to-end on the ground as they will be affixed to the wall: 8 ft (2,4m) 10″6 inch (3,2m) 10″6 inch (3,2m), mark the centers and cut notches. First bolt the 4 ft (1,5m) length above the doorway so that it is level with the fascia attached to the uprights. Bolt the remaining three lengths to the garage wall in this same configuration as they were laid on the ground (with the first 8 ft (2,4m) length abutting a 10″6 inch (3,2m) length. The second 10″6 inch (3,2m) lengths spans the gap between carport and front door and is screwed onto the 4 ft (1,5m) length of timber affixed to the wall above the doorway). Screw the 10 ft (3m) length diagonally across the end as illustrated.

6. Now affix the beams starting at the diagonal end. Slot one end of the timber into the notch against the wall and skew nail to secure. Screw to the diagonal timber through the front of the structure using the countersunk screws. Repeat with remaining beams, screwing into the fascia in the same way. You will not be able to affix the two remaining 4 ft (1,5m) long beams until the 8 ft (2,4m) length of timber is affixed between the last 15 ft (4,5m) beam and the short length above the doorway.

7. If you are painting the carport, do so before affixing the shade cloth. Then starting at the doorway, pull the 5″6 ft (1,7m) length of shade cloth over the beams, so that there is excess cloth on both sides. Staple or secure with 1″6 inch (40mm) nails. Continue systematically along the structure, ensuring each length is well secured and taut.

8. Roll the loose ends of cloth over the cover strips and nail in place along the garage wall, the wall at the entrance and the fascia. Finally, nail half rounds along all beams and along the diagonal beam.

This free carport plan is taken from:

http://www.shade-cloth-diy.com/carports/carports.shtml