Tips for Building the Perfect Carport Foundation

A carport is simply one of the many options for storing your cars. When building a carport, you’ll want to know which foundation is the best to use to construct a long-lasting structure.

Here are some of the different aspects to consider for your foundation as you build a carport.

Location of a Carport

The first thing you’ll want to consider is the location of the carport, as this will determine what type of foundation is needed. For instance, if the foundation is an extension of an existing property, the foundation already in place may be used for the carport installation.

Use

How you use the carport will be another deciding factor when it comes to selecting the foundation. If you want to store several vehicles or heavy plant, the foundation will need to be strong enough to hold all of the eight. The more often you use your carport, the more solid the foundation will need to be to prevent wear from occurring over time.

Carport Foundation Material

The base foundation for a carport will normally consist of concrete. Concrete provides sufficient support in most cases, but when more is needed ,the concrete can also be reinforced with steel rods. This enables you to create a level, easy-to-maintain surface.

Assembling Aluminum Prefab Carports

Prefab carports are ideal for those who need protection for a vehicle while also being able to move the vehicle at some point. Prefab carports are also good for homeowners who can’t attach the carport to their home.

What makes these carports different from wooden carports is that they are screwed together through the use of screws and bolts, allowing for easy disassembly when needed. The size will help determine how long it takes to build as more materials will be needed for larger carports.

Here are some steps to help you build a new carport:

1. Preparing the Area for Construction

The best place for mounting an aluminum carport is on the surface of a concrete sleap. It’s ideal to pour the concrete a few weeks prior to building the carport, but if concrete isn’t available, at least ensure that the foundation area is level, which will prevent the carport from falling. Prior to installing a carport in the ground, dig multiple holes in which the frame will sit.

It’s also important to make sure that you don’t need a permit prior to building your carport. Contact the city to see if you require a special permit.

2. Building the Frame

It’s important to assemble the roof of the carport before anything else. The carport roof will consist of a series of aluminum sections bolted together. To begin, slide the metal pieces into each other and secure them using screws or bolts. Once you’ve built the frame, you can add the aluminum sheets by sliding each section onto the frame of the roof, followed by securing the metal in place with bolts and screws.

Ultimately, this will create a continuous metal surface.

3. Securing the Carport

If your carport is relatively small, you may be able to move it on your own, but you’ll need the help of others for larger carports. One person carrying each leg of the carport can help move it and place it properly and prevent it from falling down. Make sure each leg sits in the holes you dug earlier, and cover them with a small amount of dirt to further reinforce the legs. Mounting screws will come with prefab carport kits if you plan to mount the carport in a concrete slab.

Once you have followed all of these steps, you will have a properly installed carport that’s built to last for many years.