Carports are actually not as new of construction as many might think. Carports were invented shortly after cars began appearing in everyday homes. Sometimes people would just park their new Model T’s in their barn, but soon people wanted something more specialized for just the car. So the first recorded carport was designed by an architect who decided his customer needed something attached to the home under which to park his special automobile. And thus the beginning of carports. Today they are found from integral parts of the home to poly portable carports, but they all have one thing in common- their purpose of protecting a car.
Metal carports are one of the strongest in the prefabricated line of carports. Poly materials have made great strides over the last 50 years to improve their durability, but metal will nearly always win out over time.
When buying metal carports it is important to check not only how thick and strong the metal siding is for the roof and sides, but also how strong the superstructure is. Things like snow load will be the real test of how strong it is. Be sure to talk with the carport supplier about snow load before purchasing it. One good way to determine how much snow load capacity is needed for a particular area is to talk to local builders. Just because a carport is for sale does not mean that it will withstand the amount of snow that may fall in your area. Collapsed carports lead to damaged cars, and that is what we are trying to avoid.
Carport kits are popular because they come complete and ready for assembly. For those who do not like running all over town and building a shelter from scratch, a kit is a good choice. High quality carport kits should come with everything pre-cut and pre-numbered. This is a time saving selling point for many homeowners.
Aluminum or metal carport kits should be seriously considered as viable options when shopping. So when shopping don’t forget to look past just the first few websites that advertise Carports. Some will have much more detailed product information than others.