When leaving for a summer cottage for the whole weekend, it is worth taking care of protecting the car from external factors that can affect the appearance of passenger vehicles. This issue is especially relevant for owners of suburban lands located in the forest. Every now and then, various organic matter falls from the trees, which, if not timely intervened, can ruin the paint layer of the car.
A carport will help you avoid unnecessary work. Its design can be different - from a capital one with a brick frame to a quick-detachable structure based on a polyethylene film. In one case or another, you will have to invest a certain amount of money.
Types of canopies
Any carport consists of:
- roofs;
- bearing frame;
- support structure;
- flooring (base).
Describe the main characteristics that distinguish different types of canopies from each other.
First, they differ in the materials that were used to create the frame. There are only two of them - either they are made of wood (beams), or welded from metal structures.
Second, the view of the roof. The geometric parameters of the roof affect its appearance. As with the construction of any structure, there are several types of roofs:
- arched;
- single slope;
- gable.
The third distinguishing feature that a carport has is the type of roofing material:
- polycarbonate;
- tarpaulin;
- soft tiles;
- profiling.
Start of construction
In any, not even the largest construction business, it is better to start with preparatory work. Before starting construction work, it is worth deciding on the place where the carport will be located. In doing so, the following points must be taken into account. For obvious reasons, this should be a convenient place for the entry and exit of vehicles. If you have a garage or house, it might be worth making one support side adjacent to these buildings.
Having decided on a place, you can develop a project for a carport. To solve this problem, you can choose two directions: contact professional firms specializing in the creation of canopies or independently search for information,concerning the construction of such a necessary structure as carports. Photos will help you visually determine the progress of further work.
Having chosen the appropriate design and decided on the project, you will already have an idea of the amount of material required and the total estimated cost of all work. Based on this, it will be possible to make some adjustments to the estimate in the direction of an increase in price or, conversely, a reduction in price.
Preparatory work
Regardless of the type of canopy and the material from which it is made, the base should be leveled and concreted. This is done for several reasons.
Firstly, there is less chance that the car will spontaneously start rolling. Secondly, there are many chemical fluids in the car, if a malfunction occurs in any system, they may begin to flow. Spreading them can lead to unwanted soil contamination. Thirdly, it is aesthetic and practical. When wet cleaning the “iron horse”, dirt forms on the ground, which will inevitably get into the car interior.
The dimensions of the concrete base for the canopy should be selected according to the size of the roof. As a rule, the average dimensions of cars are five meters long and two meters wide. For reliable protection, the dimensions of the carports must exceed these dimensions. The minimum can be considered:
- car length plus one meter;
- car width plus two meters;
- height should be a person's height plus one meter.
Concreting the site must be done simultaneously with the foundationwork.
Foundation for a canopy
Because our climate is replete with moments when the force of the wind uproots trees and snow growths exceed a meter high, the construction of a reliable foundation for the canopy supports is an important issue. Although carports in the country house have fairly simple shapes, the foundation for it is not at all easy.
There are several ways to make piles:
- use self-driving screw piles;
- large diameter pipes;
- monolithic concrete piles.
Increasingly popular, screw piles are a fairly quick and reliable way to create a foundation. After the piles are deepened, for structural strength, it is recommended to pour a concrete solution into the pile pipe.
Arrangement of the foundation of pipes is done in a similar way, with the exception of preparing the hole for installation. Excavation is carried out to a depth of just over a meter and a width of two diameters of a steel pipe. A steel pile is being installed, and frost-resistant concrete is being poured.
Concrete foundation is much more difficult. It requires the construction of formwork and the assembly of reinforcing mesh.
Wooden frame
Using wood as a supporting structure allows you to build the main frame in a fairly short time. In addition, a wooden canopy for a car allows you to fit into the overall landscape design of your summer cottage.
For the manufacture of racks, a beam with a section of 150 by 150 millimeters is used. For organizationcross-links, a beam with a section of 100 by 100 millimeters or 100x80 millimeters is suitable. The step of installing vertical racks should not exceed two meters. To build a simple canopy for one parking space, six vertical posts will be required.
Snow loads on the roof itself should also be taken into account. The entire mass will be carried by horizontal ties. The optimal dimensions for the beams that are the basis for the roof are one and a half meters.
Wooden carport requires periodic maintenance. All wooden structures are subject to aging and decay. To prevent premature wear of wooden surfaces, they should be coated with special compounds that are designed to protect them from external influences.
Structure Steel Frame
Metal canopies for cars allow you to make frames of complex shapes. At the same time, their strength remains at a high level at any time of the year. The main profiles used in construction are:
- channel;
- corner;
- trumpet;
- box profile.
Such structures are attached by welding. Depending on the type of form, it is possible to erect an arched canopy between the rack spans with a significant distance between the supports.
Metal canopies practically do not require maintenance, unlike wooden structures. Refresh the paintwork every few years and that's it.
Roof
For the construction of a roof, anymodern roofing material. It all depends on the initial construction budget.
The most popular is polycarbonate. It received its wide distribution due to its relatively low cost and speed of installation. In addition, it transmits part of the sunlight, which in some cases is its undeniable advantage. Due to its cellular shape, it has good elasticity and strength. Does not suffer from exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
Profiled sheeting, as well as cellular polycarbonate, has a convenient shape that allows you to quickly install it on the roof. Does not require special frame preparation. Durable due to hot-dip galvanizing treatment.
Soft roofing is a premium segment in roof waterproofing. The cost of such material is quite high, and installation requires the use of special tools and the possession of certain skills. It is also necessary to prepare the base before applying soft tiles.
Conclusion
Carports in the country allow you to minimize the cost of organizing a decent place to store your "iron horse". In addition, access to the car during maintenance work is not difficult.
