Looking at getting a metal carport, you know the kind you see everywhere. Need advice, they come in different gauge metal sheeting, widths, heights pretty much standard depth of 21 ft. So, do I need the 12 gauge certified metal sheeting or go with the standard cheaper 14 gauge non certified. Should I get the 5 ft. standard height or the 6 ft. height. As you know each upgrade from the standard increases the cost ( a bunch). The width for a two car is suggested at 21 ft. wide. So, for you folks that have gone down this road and purchased one, what say ye?
BravoCharlie

Depends on what you drive and how you want to do things.



As far as height, it lets rain and snow coming at an angle get a better shot at your vehicle as you go higher.  If you want height you might consider options like using block to raise the standard cheaper car port.



Some folks pour a slab of concrete and use some block on the sides to raise the carport.  A lot of times guys are also walling these things in somewhat or have specific plans for stuff.



Depending on vehicles or plans to use it for working on a vehicle that you will jack up, I would go for the higher one and depending on your placement the block might be a good idea or a terrible idea.  I would put the blocks down like a little block wall and pour them full of concrete and insert threaded rods so you can bolt the shelter to the blocks.



I don't know what to say on thickness, what is the warranty difference?



Do you care if it resembles a golf ball after a hail storm?



I would measure your vehicles and do some thinking on vehicles you might own.



I owned a dually crew cab pick in the past and base stuff off that sucker because I am not worried about owning one again if I felt I had a use for it.



Gonna need a big shelter for it vs. my little tj wrangler.



Then again, I would consider cost per ft on each one and probably buy the larger one anyway.

I have two of them.

The oldest one is about 13 years old.  A couple of years ago it started leaving hazy white drip marks on my black IROC Z28.  The paint surface (inside and outside) evidently had oxidized enough that when the moisture in the air condensed on the bottom side of the roof panels and drips down on the cars it carried particles of paint dust with it.

I pressure washed it and when it was dry I went through several cans of white spray paint to re-coat the bottom surfaces of the roof panels and that took care of it so far.  We'll see how long it lasts.

Mine is the standard size.  I get two Camaros in it (one backed in, one pulled in) and have room to open either door fully (long doors).  

The other has my wife's Jeep and Fusion in it.  Sometimes she can open the door fully, sometimes she parts so far out toward the center she has to be careful about opening the doors on either vehicle.

Never any issues with hail damage or snow/wind damage so far.  If you get a lot of snow where you live you might want to brace it better.  I've seen them collapse at home (WV mountains) in the winter snows.  

For me they are worth it.  My IROC (86 305 TPI) has the original dash/interior in it and you can't tell its anywhere near that old (seats are not faded/dryrotted and the dash has not a single crack in it.)

I keep thinking I'm going to go to Lowes or Home Depot and buy some more metal roofing material and put side walls and a back wall on them , but I haven't done it yet.

about to put in my second one..I am going 6' the second time and the one with the "boxier" Classic look rather than the 5' curved style

after 5 years, it's worth the $100 difference to get that added height.

I boxed in about 40% of the first one and store tools. quad, feed etc in the space..I think I have a pic, I'll look later.

if I decide to close in the second unit as a "garage" I can fix the mistakes I made the first time

Do not cut corners with anchoring the carport.  A buddy of mine had one that was not tied down adequately.  It tore up the side of his nearly-new pickup when it lifted off its moorings and tumbled across his yard.

round pipe not square is preferred