Making the decision to invest in a metal carport often makes more sense than most people realize. While using it for a vehicle is common, it is far more flexible and can be used in many other ways. It can also be a long-term investment, one that you make today that lasts for years. If you are not sure if a metal carport is the right investment for you, consider the following details that could help you decide.
What Exactly Are Metal Carports?
So, what is a carport? A carport is a structure often featuring a roof that’s supported by beams and posts. A variety of options exist, providing various sizes and shapes to accommodate different types of vehicles or storage needs. Most often, a carport is not fully enclosed. Its sides may have partial cover or no cover, with the front and back open to the environment.
Most often, carports sit in an area to allow a driver to pull a vehicle inside it, allowing for the vehicle to have overhead protection from the elements. Depending on location, that could mean minimizing the amount of snow, UV light, or rain that builds up on the vehicle. It is a type of garage structure, and though it is designed for the storage of a vehicle, it is often far more useful.
While many homes have garages that are completely enclosed with walls, roofing, and an entrance, many people choose not to store a vehicle inside. Luckily, a carport garage is a great alternative. What is a carport exactly? While garages are completely enclosed with walls, roofing, and an entrance, carports are typically open metal structures covered by a metal or fabric roof. Each car storage solution provides its own list of benefits. If you need an extra space to store your items or vehicles, and you're unsure of the advantages of a carport vs. garage, look no further.
Both carports and garages offer convenient and practical added space to store cars, tractors, or other motor-powered equipment - but both structures are different. In fact, there are several factors to consider when choosing between a carport and a garage including what you need to store, your space limitations, and where you plan to use your unit. Find out more about these distinct structures, and which will be the best option for you.
Carports and Garages: What’s the Difference?
Now that we’ve looked into some of the factors to consider when deciding whether to invest in a garage or a carport, let’s go more in-depth about the differences between carports and garages. We’ll discuss what each solution consists of and their uses at home, at work and in the community.
Carports vs. Garages: Factors to Consider
Now that you understand what each structure consists of and can be used for, let’s look at some key factors and benefits each structure provides to find the best options based on your needs:
A carport mainly provides practical shade and weather protection for your vehicles (as mentioned in our What is a Carport blog). However, these versatile structures can serve many more purposes than just vehicle protection. Utilize versatile shelter and check out five unique uses for your carport.
1. Outdoor Workspace.
Fixing your car? Building something for the home? A carport provides a shaded and weather-protected workspace for your outdoor projects.
These structures cover ample ground space to fit large supplies or workbenches and keep electrical equipment or power tools dry while you work. Whether you're welding, woodworking, making mechanical repairs or enjoying a creative hobby, you and whatever you’re working with will stay dry and protected.
2. On-site Office Pavilion.
Looking for a better lunch break spot? A carport can provide your business location with a much-needed shaded area so employees can enjoy lunch or their next office party outdoors. Not only will workers love a comfortable new picnic area, but providing an outdoor space at the workplace can be very beneficial. In fact, Business Insider suggests it can reduce stress, sharpen thinking, and boost creativity.
These structures are simple to erect on virtually any property and require minimal maintenance for an easy shade option with plenty of benefits for everyone.
When looking for a safe spot to store your vehicle away from the elements, portable garages may be an ideal option. Even if you already have a garage attached to your home, do you know that one in four Americans can’t even fit a vehicle in their garage due to clutter? A portable car garage is a smart investment and great addition to any outdoor space. Here are 5 benefits to using portable garages along with some durable and affordable options for your property.
Provide Shelter from the Elements
No matter the climate, Mother Nature can wreak havoc on any type of vehicle. From wind, snow, rain, and salt, a portable car garage will help minimize exposure to weather that can ruin your vehicle. Here are different threats to your automobile that a reliable portable car garage can help to prevent.
Wind: If you live in an area prone to tornadoes or strong storms, you already know that wind can blow a tree limb and other debris onto your vehicle causing serious damage. When...
The fall is a fun time to get outdoors and have a great time with the people you love hanging out with. But your fall fun doesn't have to be limited to festivals, fairs, and fishing holes: there are plenty of ways to entertain right in your own backyard.
Whether you want to have an intimate gathering with the family or a blowout party with your neighbors and friends, we have some ideas in mind. Here are our top 5 fun fall backyard activities, which can also be adapted for gatherings of any size.
Backyard Movie Night
Grab the popcorn, drinks, candy, some outdoor portable chairs, and some blankets, and turn your backyard into a movie theater! If you have a laptop and a projector, you can stream one of the latest movies onto a portable screen, a sheet, or the side of a shed. Better yet, if you have a Sojag gazebo in your backyard, you can enjoy the open air, have a roof over your head, and attach a screen to the posts or the eave of the structure.
Your days on the water are thrilling and relaxing at the same time. Nothing says ‘me time’ like the open lake or bay where you are totally removed from the busyness of everyday life. You take your watercraft to explore new places and spend time alone or with your favorite people. To enjoy many days like this, it's important to protect your boat throughout the year.
When it’s time to choose boat storage for the winter, there are several choices. Whether you keep it at the marina or put it on land, how do you best keep it protected? Overall, storing your watercraft on land will preserve it the longest. This guide will explain proper winterization methods and how you can easily store your watercraft with affordable outdoor sheds and carports.
Watercraft Storage Methods
To protect your watercraft, you will need to follow a few important steps. The process may differ depending on the type of watercraft, your location, and storage method options.
Clean and maintain your watercraft during the season.
Winterize your watercraft at the end of the season.
Store your watercraft in a safe place.
In warm climates: The watercraft may stay docked at the marina after winterization for a seasonal fee.
In all climates: For the best results, the watercraft should be stored in an outdoor or indoor dry shelter.
Get your boat inspected and serviced after every season.
Your unique situation determines the methods you use, but you should always have a safe place to store your watercraft and a consistent maintenance plan. No matter what boat storage solution you choose, you must first winterize your watercraft properly.
How to Store a Boat (Winterization)
Boat owners should consult their watercraft’s user manual and contact the manufacturer for specific instructions for winterization. However, the general process of boat winterization is as f...
Many people believe that winter is the most dangerous season for their vehicles, and it is during this period that they ensure they stay under the protection of a car tarp tent or another shelter. As the weather begins to warm, we bring our vehicles out and are less determined to keep them under shelter. However, this is a dangerous belief since summer weather and conditions can also compromise your vehicle's exterior and interior.
Throughout this article, we touch on why summer can be a damaging season for your vehicle and the different types of car shelters to protect them during the summer.
The Importance of a Car Shelter for the Summer
While there isn't ice, freezing weather, and salted roads during the summer, there are still damaging weather conditions. Overexposure to sunlight steadily causes the color inside and outside of your car to fade. Rain and hail cause rust and dents over the exterior of the car. If you live in a wet and humid area, these will set in on the car even faster.
A car shelter is an essential addition to your summer protection to maintain the value of your vehicles. They can easily protect your car from rain, help create a balanced environment on the interior, and stop your car from getting dented during hail storms. Whether you decide to get one with or without walls is up to you and the amount of work you want to put in to maintain your car. For example, a car shelter without walls might still require you to dry the exterior of your car after a rainstorm if the rain slanted to come under the shelter.
When you consider the car shelters below, think about the weather patterns you experience in your region, the space that you have, the aesthetic you would like to maintain. Also, think about the other uses a car shelter could have for you to maximize...
A growing number of municipalities are recognizing the value of using portable storage buildings and other outdoor structures like garages and carports to meet their needs. Not only is this a cost-effective solution, but these structures are also versatile enough to be used for a wide variety of purposes. They're also durable, reliable, safe, and reusable. This makes them ideal for cities, states, and local municipalities of all sizes.
While many outdoor structures work perfectly as-is, customizing your portable storage solutions can make them even more useful. In fact, there are many creative applications that may not have crossed your mind. Following are some of the most common ways municipalities across the country are taking advantage of portable outdoor structures.
Portable Storage Space
Insufficient storage is a common problem that plagues many municipalities. From overflowing filing cabinets to cluttered shelves and closets, the lack of space creates problems with efficiency and even possible safety issues. Due to the extra space needed to maintain social distancing, many offices and classrooms are finding that they need temporary storage solutions now more than ever.
A portable storage shed is ideal for holding extra furniture, equipment, and other items that may currently be crowding municipal offices and other buildings. Since storage sheds are available in so many different sizes, they’re practical for both small-scale and bulk storage needs. Placing them on the property...
There are many reasons to own an Arrow Carport. When you need to protect cars, SUVs, trucks, RVs, heavy equipment, and boats, a tough steel carport is a great investment. In addition, they can be used as a patio cover, picnic pavilion, and more to protect family, friends, and customers from the elements.
Despite being easy to assemble, Arrow Carports are also designed to stand up to the roughest weather. Having one can give you peace of mind that both your vehicle and your carport will not suffer damage during a rainstorm, windstorm, or snowstorm.
If you're already convinced that you need a metal carport, you probably want to know what the best carport size is for your particular needs. This post will break down everything you need to know about the Arrow Carport, and help you decide which size carport is right for you...
One of the most important decisions you’ll have to make is whether you’ll buy a metal carport or a fabric carport. When weighing your options, it's important to consider factors like how you plan to use your carport, the climate where you live, and your personal preferences.
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of both metal and fabric carports so you can make your decision with confidence...
Canada
Now that you understand what each structure consists of and can be used for, let’s look at some key factors and benefits each structure provides to find the best options based on your needs:
