Building a Car Port

[jlgurr]

Hey Everyone,

Thought I'd start a thread on my new project. Definitely learned a lot in the past couple years with respect to construction and planning to put that knowledge to good use and erect a carport for my wife's vehicle.

The first project for my new tractor was to build a parking space. This involved creating a level space meaning retaining wall and back fill as well as some grading. It's been a couple years now and it hasn't collapsed so ready to cover it with a roof. Found some plans in a book and will be adapting them to suit my size requirements as well as some aesthetic mods to better suit the landscape and my own personal interests. Obviously I am hoping to read some suggestions, corrections, and or general comments from you all to make this a true TBN project. So I'm going to do as much up front sharing as possible so that you aren't saying, "Well, you shoulda done..." but instead letting me know before it's too late that "If I were you I'd do this... or that..."

The general idea is a two place car port looking somewhat like post and beam construction and a shingled roof to match the house. Current dimensions are 20' square on six posts with the entrance being under the eave of the roof. I haven't ordered the trusses yet so if it should be wider I can add another truss or two but with some additional grading. Our two vehicles parked comfortably side by side seem to like the 20' target. The parking area is covered with approximately 2" of "crusher run" and is very well compacted now after parking on it for a couple years. On the two sides of the carport adjacent to the retaining wall I will be adding something similar to a deck railing to prevent accidental trips and falls. The highest side of the wall is about 30". I'll try to get some photos of it.

The biggest design change so far is to have an overhang on the gable ends rather than a roof line flush to the wall. Also, I will not be using the rough sawn cedar, instead using PT 6 x 6 posts. The trusses are designed with 24" OC spacing. Of course rather than purlins and metal roof, we'll be using roofing sheathing and shingles.

Here's a bit of a cheesy representation of the finished carport copied from the book. I'll have some better copies of the project steps taken from the book as well to help describe the design.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Ed of all trades]

My guess is that you will one day wish you had made it larger. I would not go under 24x24 and if you went even bigger you would be glad in the future. Ed

 

[murphy1244]

I built a 30x24 but gave the Mrs 10' for a patio which left me with 20x24. Should of started out with 30x30.

 

[barko1]

Yep, no one ever complains about making it too big. I recently gota metal building put up, 32x 22 with a 4' extension in the middle to cover my RV, already too small.

 

[oosik]

You know - I don't think you ever hear anybody on TBN say - OH, make it smaller - ha,ha. I started out with a two bay carport. Now its a five bay.

 

[jlgurr]

Here are two views of the parking space. The vehicle will be closer to the edge after the port is up and the railings are in place.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Same thing. Built a 30 X 72 Drive shed a few years ago and never seems to be room to park my truck or a visitor vehicle (in bad weather). So a car port is in the planning stage. I am hemmed in by terrain, but my advice is build BIG! It never costs much more in the short term just the long term.

 

[MossRoad]

...The vehicle will be closer to the edge after the port is up and the railings are in place.

And then you'll step off that edge, twist your ankle, and wish you'd made it 2' wider on each side...

 

[jlgurr]

And then you'll step off that edge, twist your ankle, and wish you'd made it 2' wider on each side...

...and if I went three feet further than that I could add a third bay for my tractor...

Seriously thinking that too because a few more trusses now will look better than trying to scab on an addition later. I could get the third bay on for the tractor without grading because the tractor is shorter than the Sequoia. Hmmm, a little longer and we'll have me talked right into it. LOL!

 

[MossRoad]

That's the beauty of this place.... we have an unlimited budget.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Do this, park each vehicle side by side so you can open all the doors on both vehicle without them hitting each other and also be able to walk around them with without falling off the edge. I think you will find that you need 28-30 feet wide to do this comfortably.
Nothing worse than trying to skim between the mirrors when two vehicles are parked side by side or trying to open the doors without hitting the vehicle parked beside it.

 

[dragoneggs]

I built a 30x24 but gave the Mrs 10' for a patio which left me with 20x24. Should of started out with 30x30.

That looks nice, Murph. I wish I had enough flat ground to do that for a shop/tractor garage at my place.

 

[bigtiller]

One thing to think about in the future. Someday you may want to enclose it. If it is only 20' deep, a full sized pick-up will just barely fit in it with the door closed.

 

[jlgurr]

On the left side of the Sequoia is the tallest portion of the retaining wall. My plan was to dig the post holes in the original ground to the outside of that wall. My thought was the new 6 x 6 posts would add additional support to the wall. This will require a bit of digging directly under the wall so that the center of the hole is almost flush with the edge of the wall.

Anyone see a big problem with that thought process?

 

[jlgurr]

I built a 30x24 but gave the Mrs 10' for a patio which left me with 20x24. Should of started out with 30x30.

I noticed your beams sandwich the posts whereas the plan I copied has a notch cut in the post for the two ply 2 x 8's to set on. Any issue with that or any other's comment on preference? I like the inherent strength of the beam setting on the post but wonder if there are trade-offs in notching the top of the posts rather than drilling through and bolting the beams?

 

[jlgurr]

Maybe premature question, but why not install the beams before pouring the concrete around the posts? I guess I am a bit nervous the posts would not be exactly right after the concrete is set up. :thumbdown:

 

[murphy1244]

Maybe premature question, but why not install the beams before pouring the concrete around the posts? I guess I am a bit nervous the posts would not be exactly right after the concrete is set up. :thumbdown:

The building was built then the floor was poured.

 

[jlgurr]

The building was built then the floor was poured.

Sorry for the confusion Murphy, it was in regards to posts in general and about the concrete around the posts in the hole, not the slab in particular.

Sent from my iPhone 2.0 using TractorByNet

 

[murphy1244]

Sorry for the confusion Murphy, it was in regards to posts in general and about the concrete around the posts in the hole, not the slab in particular.

Sent from my iPhone 2.0 using TractorByNet

I was told to pour 1/3 of the hole with concrete then fill with dirt so the frost can't heave it up.

 

[KennyG]

I was told to pour 1/3 of the hole with concrete then fill with dirt so the frost can't heave it up.

I recommend rock, not dirt. Post lasts a lot longer because it stays dry. Also, you don't need concrete at all because the rock doesn't frost heave like soil.