Three Practical Tips for Building a Carport
If your home needs additional space for sheltering your vehicles, you should think about building a carport. This solution is simpler than building a garage because it will not change your house design, and the cost of setting up simple carports will be lower. If possible, you should hire an experienced contractor for the construction. If you are planning on handling the carport building work personally, you should consider these simple tips.
Prepare the Space
You should prepare the space on which you plan to build your carport. Proper preparation will minimise the risk of unexpected delays and property damage. You should make sure that there are important utilities such as gas lines, water supply and sewer lines on the area. If there are crucial networks, you should plan for the protection of these elements, or you can switch to another area. Then, you should mark out the space using some stakes and strings in preparation for construction.
Install the Posts
You should install reliable posts to support your carport structure. Ideally, you should dig holes in the ground by following the markings made using the stakes and strings. Then, you should prepare a suitable concrete mix and pour it into the holes to create a concrete pad. Set a strong bracket into the concrete. This element will be used to support the posts. You should never insert your timber posts or even steel alternatives into the ground.
In general, soil contains significant moisture. If these materials come into prolonged contact, accelerated degradation will occur. For example, timber will be susceptible to rotting and insect damage while steel will experience corrosion. You should prepare the posts as the concrete cures. Cut some notches or rebates into the top of the posts for the bearers. Once the concrete is cured, you can set the posts into the brackets by using carriage bolts.
Set the Bearing Beams
You should obtain some bearing beams to match the size of your carport. Place these units into the rebates or notches that you cut on the posts. The rebates will provide exceptional stability to the beam. Then, you should use some coach bolts to secure the beam to the posts. If you are planning on building an attached carport, you will need to attach a beam to your house. If this is the case, you should choose compatible boats and screws that match your home's building material.
Finally, you should plan for the installation of strong rafters or trusses and a sloped rooffor efficient rainwater drainage.
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