How do you choose the right carport?
Do you want to protect your vehicle without the heavy, costly work of a solid garage, but with space and storage? Why not build a carport? To help you prepare your project, including the choice of materials, colours and options... AKENA will provide you with the answers and help you with your project.
The material
Carports come in a wide range of materials, each with its own advantages and disadvantages:
- Wood: hard-wearing and perfectly suited to the outdoors, it nevertheless requires regular maintenance to ensure that it remains effective over time.
- Metal/steel: light, modern and inexpensive, but with no protection against rust and only average strength.
- Aluminium : contemporary, robust and solid, it requires no special maintenance. At AKENA, aluminium has been with us forever. We are the experts in aluminium carports.
For more information on the different materials used in carports, please consult our article on the subject.
Setting up
There are two ways to choose a carport:
- Lean-to : positioned against a wall, facade or gable of a house, your carport has 2 or 3 posts. It's often close to an entrance, making it easier to get into your home without fear of the rain. You can also store your equipment, and even recharge your electric vehicle near a socket.
- Free-standing or freestanding: you have total freedom of location, so you can position your carport at the bottom of the garden, away from prying eyes. Perfect for large spaces and large vehicles.
The dimensions
Carports come in a range of sizes, depending on the vehicle being stored: a light vehicle such as a car or motorbike; a leisure vehicle such as a camper van, converted lorry or van.
- For a camper van or car, we recommend: between 12 and 15 m2, between 2.5 and 3 metres wide and around 5 metres long.
- For two cars: between 24 and 35 m2, between 5 and 6 metres wide.
Garage or Carport ?
These two outdoor structures have similar features and functions, but they are very different:
- The carport : less expensive than the solid garage, it can be positioned as you wish in your garden. It can protect several vehicles, large or small. It will never be completely enclosed or insulated, but it provides excellent protection from the elements. Thanks to Akena's flat roof carport options, you can fit out your carport with privacy screens and powerful LED lighting.
- The garage : a robust, hard-wearing and insulated structure. It's an extra room that adds value to your home. It's very secure, because it's enclosed and has a door. The garage is known to be very useful for its storage capacity. However, the structural work is heavy, costly and time-consuming.
Would you like some advice?
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