Steel Carport Preparing to Build Your Own Steel Carport
Alan Grantt

Defined Tag: Steel Carport.
There are few more satisfying projects for a weekend do-it-yourselfer than the simple but useful steel carport. Far from merely being useful for cars, the steel carport can become a sort of useful catch all for any amount of stuff.  Need a place to store tools and machines when you're not using them? Put up a carport. What about all those old clothes you keep planning to take to charity, but never have? Put up a carport. Are you an amateur mechanic? Do you have a collection of puzzles, games, coins, teddy bears or ball point pens? A steel carport is the ideal place to store things out of the weather--and out of your house!

Plus, a carport is relatively easy to install. There are many sources online where you can find carport kits, with all the pieces precut and ready to assemble on site. And they needn't be expensive, either; compared with the cost of building an outdoor storage shed--or another room to the house--a steel carport is remarkably cheap for the amount of strength, storage, and stability you get out of it. Plus, it gives a fabulous sense of accomplishment to the do-it-yourselfer.

Most carport kits come complete with instructions. What they won't tell you how to do, however, is prepare the location for installing the carport. It's important that you have a flat, level surface to install the carport on. This may mean grading an uneven area, or it may mean adding fill dirt or gravel to level out rough spots. Gravel is especially important if the area where you plan to put the carport is in a low area that tends to receive a lot of runoff during rain.

Finally, some steel carports may require you to add a concrete pad beneath them. Check with the instructions or advertising that comes with your steel carport kit to determine where and when and whether you will need a concrete pad beneath it.