Choose Carport Construction Materials Wisely

If you are contemplating a new carport construction then choose your materials wisely as they will influence the contstruction methods you need to use. A carport can be constructed from many different materials You have four main decisions to make: the roofing material, the roofing shape, the upright construction, and your choice of flooring material.

Roofing materials for your new carport should match as closely as possible that of your house. For example if you have a terracotta tiled roof, then you should also seriously consider using them on your carport as well. Sometimes this is not always possible, due to the exact materials no longer being on the market, so when that happens the next best thing is to use a material that seeks to be sympathetic to the existing materials, rather than an exact match. A good example of this my own carport. I have a timber house with green cement tiles of the roof. I did not want to build a carport that had roofing structure that strong, so I chose to use a pre-finished zinc product in the same color as the windows and gutters. In this way I used a simple, lightweight material than blended nicely with the style of my house.

I chose a flat roof style, and so had to use 12 x 2 inch timber beams that could span a wide area. My house has a complicated pitched roof, so I though that this simpler style, coupled with the roofing color tie-in would be a better way to go. To match my carport construction to the house would have meant a complicated design, and as an owner builder I didn't want to do that.

Carport piers can be either timber or steel posts, or more interestingly made with brick, stone or cement block construction. Whichever material you choose to build your uprights from, they need to be strong enough for the roof you choose. I recommend that they be strong, decorative, easy to paint and easy to access and maintain.

The last choice in carport construction specifications is the flooring. A good, cheap option is gravel or pebbles, yet most people prefer something a little more substantial. A poured concrete floor is a tried and true option My favorite by far is brick paving in a herringbone pattern.