If you've ever thought about installing a carport for storing your car or a boat or RV, then you might have looked at aluminum carports as an option. You can find a lot of information about aluminum as an excellent building material, but is it a good option for carports? Deciding on a particular style or metal can be a tough decision, so it's best to do your research before settling on your final choice.
Aluminum is a very popular material for all sorts of buildings and building accessories. Gutters and downspouts, flashing, window frames, fascia and soffits are all things that are perfectly suited to aluminum. The biggest benefit that this metal has is it's non-corrosive property. Building with a material that doesn't rot or rust makes maintenance almost non-existent, making anything built with aluminum a candidate for a very long life.
Building with aluminum has many benefits, and when it comes to building either temporary buildings or semi-permanent structures such as carports, the lightweight properties of aluminum make it an ideal choice. Because it is lightweight, it is very easy to build reasonably large structures with no equipment, so putting together a carport kit in a weekend is actually a reasonably simple DIY project for many homeowners. If you can setup sufficient post footings, then building the actual carport is straight-forward and requires few tools.
Aluminum is not the cheapest metal to build with, therefore you will find that most carport kits use aluminum for the roof, sides (if any), soffits and fasia, whereas steel will be used for the legs and beams. Aluminum has a high strength-to-weight ratio, meaning it is ideal to cover the large areas with thin pre-formed sheets, but since it is also expensive, the amount of aluminum required for the structural elements is not worth the cost difference compared to steel. The thinner cheaper aluminum is used as a cover, and will protect the other less weather resistant materials from deterioration.
As discussed before, aluminum is ideal in exposure to weather since it will not rust. However, it is not completely impervious to all types of weather. Depending on the gauge of aluminum, severe winds can damage aluminum buildings. Hail can also be an issue for aluminum, as it will cause dents and damage, potentially bending pieces out of shape and compromising their weather tightness. Snow is generally not an issue for aluminum carports as long as you pay attention to the snow load rating of the carport you are installing and make sure it is sufficient for the expected weather in your area.
So there are definite advantages for using aluminum as a carport cover, but what about the cons? The biggest detractor for me is probably the look. There are a lot more styles to choose from these days, so finding a color and design that fits with your house is a little easier. But even with a non-generic looking metal carport, it will inevitably still look like an old fashioned, lower budget, lightweight metal carport. Compared to a custom build wooden carport, where you can add trim to the gables, make the slope match the slope of your house roof, and blend in the materials and paint color, metal carports have a hard time measuring up. On the other hand, if you have a contemporary house, or a bungalow with aluminum windows already, it may be easier to blend in the look of an aluminum carport, and in fact perhaps the simplicity of a streamlined non-obtrusive building is what will suit your house the best.
So the bottom line is that the biggest advantage I found in installing a metal carport comes down to two things - is the ease of installation, and the relative cost compared to a custom built option. If you like how they look, then finding a style and color that will complement your house shouldn't be too hard. Don't forget to look at aluminum carport kits as well as a made to order aluminum carport which will be installed for you.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Why Choosing A Metal Building Kit Makes Sense
contributed by Roger Clarke
Many people when deciding on their next building project often consider a metal building but want to know the advantages of building in metal. The two biggest reasons are that they are relatively simple to build compared to more traditional methods such as wood or bricks and mortar and they are fast to build. They also produce a very sturdy building which is very cost effective.
Metal building kits can be obtained for all types of buildings including metal carport kits, garages, sheds, warehouses and even aircraft hangers. At home, the most common structures are those for garages and for building extra storage space. They are ideally suited for gardening equipment, toys and cars.
Traditionally, most commercial buildings have been constructed from metal building kits and many industrial complexes are built this way. You only need to take a short drive around the local industrial estate to find that many of the buildings are constructed out of steel.
They are an extremely cost effective choice for a building due to the fact that they can be erected and fitted out at incredible speed. For a business this is very important as less profit is lost in the construction phase of a building. A short lag phase between the decision to build a new site and seeing the final building is very desirable.
Metal buildings are extremely durable and, therefore, found in areas where erosion is a problem, where there are extremes of weather and where there is a susceptibility from insect attack, like termites. They exhibit both a combination of flexibility and sturdiness and, therefore, are ideal in areas of high risk of earthquakes. They are also much more resistant to fire than wooden buildings which may result in reduced insurance premiums.
Metal building kits do not necessarily mean a self build kit and in fact, quite often, it is wise to utilize the services of a professional builder whom has more experience in constructing these types of buildings.
If you've got a lot of time or are an experienced builder then you will probably find it relatively straight forward to build it yourself but if you want it to go up quickly I would recommend hiring the services of a professional. The extra speed in which it will go up will result in a greater cost effective construction in the longer run.
Metal building kits, overall, are a much better solution than traditional brick or wood structures in terms of their resistance to the environment and their speed at which they are able to be built. They are high quality kits and are extremely well engineered. These features will often mean that you will save money overall.
Roger likes to write articles about metal garage building kits and reviews the best new metal building kits online.
Many people when deciding on their next building project often consider a metal building but want to know the advantages of building in metal. The two biggest reasons are that they are relatively simple to build compared to more traditional methods such as wood or bricks and mortar and they are fast to build. They also produce a very sturdy building which is very cost effective.
Metal building kits can be obtained for all types of buildings including metal carport kits, garages, sheds, warehouses and even aircraft hangers. At home, the most common structures are those for garages and for building extra storage space. They are ideally suited for gardening equipment, toys and cars.
Traditionally, most commercial buildings have been constructed from metal building kits and many industrial complexes are built this way. You only need to take a short drive around the local industrial estate to find that many of the buildings are constructed out of steel.
They are an extremely cost effective choice for a building due to the fact that they can be erected and fitted out at incredible speed. For a business this is very important as less profit is lost in the construction phase of a building. A short lag phase between the decision to build a new site and seeing the final building is very desirable.
Metal buildings are extremely durable and, therefore, found in areas where erosion is a problem, where there are extremes of weather and where there is a susceptibility from insect attack, like termites. They exhibit both a combination of flexibility and sturdiness and, therefore, are ideal in areas of high risk of earthquakes. They are also much more resistant to fire than wooden buildings which may result in reduced insurance premiums.
Metal building kits do not necessarily mean a self build kit and in fact, quite often, it is wise to utilize the services of a professional builder whom has more experience in constructing these types of buildings.
If you've got a lot of time or are an experienced builder then you will probably find it relatively straight forward to build it yourself but if you want it to go up quickly I would recommend hiring the services of a professional. The extra speed in which it will go up will result in a greater cost effective construction in the longer run.
Metal building kits, overall, are a much better solution than traditional brick or wood structures in terms of their resistance to the environment and their speed at which they are able to be built. They are high quality kits and are extremely well engineered. These features will often mean that you will save money overall.
Roger likes to write articles about metal garage building kits and reviews the best new metal building kits online.
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