Metal Carport
Summary: Metal carports are becoming a popular choice for protecting vehicles. And they only cost only a fraction of the price needed for a garage.
A carport is a structure used to protect vehicles from the elements. It doesn’t have walls, as garage do and if it does have one, it is always lesser than 50% of the structure’s sides. Carports are used to store a variety of vehicles, which can be trailers, boats, vans and cars.
It was recorded that the first carport home was in a Usonian House with the ownership of Herbert Jacobs. Usonian homes were typically small, single story dwellings without garage or much storage and with flat roofs and large cantilevered overhangs for passive protection on vehicles. These overhangs were called “Carport”.
The famous account also referred that Herbert Jacobs panicked when he realized his car was at the mercy of winter, and the absence of a suitable garage on his new home was confounded. So he addressed his concerns to the architect responsible Frank Lloyd Wright.
When Frank Lloyd Wright was later queried about the shed he just made, he said to Herbert Jacobs, “Cars are built well enough that they do not require much shelter, so it doesn’t need a barn.” True enough, Herbert Jacobs’ car survived all winter, even when the weather reached far below zero. And Herbert Jacobs never saw the need of a garage or even a barn.
Metal carports are fast becoming a popular choice for storing or protecting vehicles. What more, they only cost only a fraction of the price needed for a garage. They provide more ventilation and take considerably less space. Though garages are still needed for a number of functions, carports have entirely taken over vehicle storage on most homes. Garages have a diminished need today; there are some homes that have entirely skipped a garage for a carport. Cost friendly, easily maintained, readily expandable, and neat, every carport design carries its own feature and benefits. There are even multiple sets of carport that converts into a sophisticated open air garage if you buy all the sets. Most carports sold are do-it-yourself projects that take only a couple of days to complete.
To date, carports come in two types, wood and metal carport. Wood is selected for aesthetic reasons though not always practical. Metal carports have seen the most use since they are more durable, cost lesser than steel and can easily be assembled. Metal carports have several constructs: steel, aluminum, or prefabricated insulated polystyrene foam core panels wrapped in steel or aluminum. Each has its own pros and cons. 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. On urban homes however, aluminum are often the choice since they are much better looking than steel, though considerably weaker.