The Ultimate Carport Size Guide

Choosing to add a carport to your property is a smart decision. After all, they’re affordable structures, serve a variety of purposes, can be constructed quickly,and will last for years if they’re high-quality. With that said, picking the right size carport can be a little difficult, as there are several factors to consider. We hope this carport size guide will help you find the size that’s perfect for your situation!

Are you ready to buy your new carport? Use our Build & Price Tool at American Steel Carports Inc. to customize your carport, view a 3-D rendering, and receive an instant quote!

It Starts with Function

The first thing to consider when trying to size your carport is what you plan to use it for. Is this going to be a structure that is used exclusively for parking,or do you have other plans in mind? Some carports owners use part of the structure for covered parking, while the rest of the space is reserved for storage, projects, etc.

If you only intend to park your vehicles under the carport, the math is pretty simple. Figure out how many vehicles you’re going to park under the carport, determine how big they are, and find the right sized carport.

For this purpose, you’ll probably be able to go with a standard size, rather than designing something custom. For instance, a traditional single carport is 12’ wide, making it perfect for typical passenger cars or trucks. To park something bigger, like an RV, you’ll not only need more width and height than what a standard carport provides—of course we have standard RV carports available as well!

Confirm Your Numbers

Before you order a carport, it’s a good idea to take measurements of the vehicles you plan to park inside. This will only take a few minutes, and it can help you to avoid an expensive mistake later on.

When your car is parked in your carport, you need to have extra space around the vehicle to get in and out. Always pad your measurements to take this into account. As mentioned above, a standard carport is 12’ wide, even though most cars and pickups are much narrower than that. That’s simply because you need the space to move about the carport with ease.

Save on Length

If you’re tight for space when planning your carport, remember that it’s better to save space in terms of the length of the structure rather than the width.You’ll always need room to get in and out of the vehicle on the sides. Plus, you need a little margin for error when parking your car, which is still available if you sacrifice length. Sure, you might not be able to walk around to the front of your parked car if you tighten up the length, but you can still keep your vehicle safely out of the elements.

Finding the Right Space

It’s one thing to know how big you need your carport to be, but it’s another thing to actually have that space available on your property. Remember, you will not only need to have a big enough footprint for the carport, but you’ll also need the extra space to enter and exit your vehicles.

Look to the Future

Do you think you might have an extra vehicle to park in the future? If so,consider buying a carport that is larger than the one you need at the moment. You on’t want to build a carport now only to have to start over to accommodate another car or a larger vehicle. Do your best to plan ahead and build something now that is going to serve you well for as long as possible.

Customize Your Carport at American Steel Carports, Inc.

We hope this carport size guide has helped you to settle on the size you need.Now, there’s only one thing left to do—place your order! When you buy from American Steel Carports, Inc., you can choose from our standard size options or completely customize your design using our Build & Price tool. If you have any questions along the way, please don’t hesitate to contact us for assistance. We look forward to serving you!