If you are worried about the protection of your car from harsh weather conditions, you can build a carport by following a few steps. Building a carport is a lot cheaper than a garage. It will cost you a lot if you want to build an extra garage for your car. So, how to build a carport cheap?
You can build a simple carport if you can follow these steps mentioned above. Although the process can be very lengthy and tiring, you will be glad to have an extra layer of protection for your car at the end of the day. A carport will add value in the long run as well.
How to Build a Carport Cheap – Follow These steps
Step 1: Prepare the ground for building the carport
The first thing that you will need to do is to prepare the ground. If you don’t prepare the ground, your carport will have a weak foundation. It is necessary to take planning permission from the local city planning office to make sure you are not breaking any rule. Once you ensure that you are not breaking any code, you are good to go.
Step 2: Gather the necessary tools and supplies
For this project, you will need a few handy tools and supplies. At first, you will need to decide if you are going to make the carport with wood or metal. If you live in a dry area, and if you are used to working with wood projects, you can build a carport with wood. Carports made with woods are long-lasting as well. You can customize the carport once in a while which will not be much hassle. If you can make a carport with wood, these tend to be very strong as well.
Step 3: Mark the ground with the accurate measurement
If you want to park your car, you will probably need a space of around 15-16 feet length and 8-9 feet width. This space will be enough for a regular-sized car. Once you decide the measurement, you will need to mark it. Next, you will need to take a decision regarding how many posts will be there.
You will need around 6 posts at least to make a carport. You will need to set it on the corner of the marked area. You will need another two at the midpoint. On the other hand, if you need to park more than one car, you will need a different one. You can always make a simple carport without going into complications.
Step 4: Remove the excess grass from the ground and level it
For this step, you will need a shovel. With the help of a shovel, remove the excess grass. Then, you will need to make the ground flat. If there are uneven parts in the ground, your foundation will not be strong enough. The carport posts need to be settled firmly so that there is no possibility of an accident.
On the other hand, if you are planning to build your carport on a concrete pad, you won’t need to go through much hassle. There is another way to make the ground even. You can add some crushed granite on the surface. You can use gravel and concrete, as well. Using these will help you to level the ground properly.
Step 5: Dig holes and set the carport posts
You can use post-hole diggers for this step. You will need to make the holes around 2 or 2.5 feet deep. If you feel like you need a stronger foundation, you can dig up the holes to 4 feet. Now, it is time to set the carport posts. You will need to make the roof a little curvy so that water slides down during rain.
As a result, you will need two longer posts than the others. Take 3 carport posts of around 10 feet and other 6-7 posts of around 8 or 9 feet height. Now, you will need to pour concrete in the holes you made. Fill the holes with 6-7 inches concrete. Place a carport post in the hole. Make the post vertical by pouring more concrete in the hole.
Adjust the post once the hole is filled. Now, wait for around one day so that the posts get enough time to get hardened. You will need to build a rectangular box. Take this measurement, which will help you to match it with the posts. Make a box that has a height of 15 feet, a width of 9 feet. Now it is time to build the roof. You should be close to building your carport now.
Step 6: Build the roof of the carport
You will need 6 rafters to build the roof. The measurement of the rafters should be 2” x 4” x 10′. Then, you will need some metal joist hangers to attach the rafters and build the roof. For making the surface of the roof, you will need plywood sheets.
The plywood sheets will probably be in a bigger size when you purchase these. You will need to cut it with a circular saw. You can use plywood sheets which have a thickness of around half an inch.
Step 7: Make the roof waterproof with tar paper
You can find tar papers in your nearby hardware store. You will need to make sure that the roof doesn’t leak water. If it leaks water, there is no point in building a carport even if it’s cheap. You can insulate the roof if you don’t want any risk of water leakage.
Then, you will need three-tab shingles for your roof. You can also attach a few weather sheeting on the plywood sheets. Using these will ensure that the roof of the carport is strong and won’t leak any water.
Step 8: Attach metal bracing at the joints and stain the structure
The last thing you will need to do is to attach metal bracing at the joints of your structure. The joints need to be strong and sturdy. You will need to nail these metal bracing at each corner.
If you regularly work with wood projects, you should know how important staining wood is. Lastly, stain the wooden structure. Staining it will increase its lifespan and will be protected from harsh weather conditions. The guide above should be enough to lead you. However, if you still have questions on how to build a carport cheap, do let us know in the comment section.
