A third structural option, if local building code allows, is to attach one side or the back of the carport to the house or to an existing garage. This arrangement increases stability but comes. A carport attached to the house is easy to build and is highly practical, for any diy-er. Jun 29, 2017 - Step by step woodworking project about attached pergola plans. More information. If you want to build a carport attached to an existing building, then pay attention to the plans and instructions shown in this article. Make sure you plan every aspect of the project from the very beginning, paying attention to the designs, size and the materials you are going to use for your wooden carport.
By Monte Burch
A carport, or lean-to shed, attached to an existing building such as a garage, barn, shed or the side of your house can provide economical shelter for vehicles, garden tractors, boats or other equipment. An attached carport is also fairly easy to construct against the side of another building, if you have enough height under the existing building eave.
End Drawing.
The carport/lean-to shown uses basic and simple pole-building construction techniques, and was added to an existing workshop. The outer end of the shed is supported by Wolmanized pressure-treated 4-by-4 posts. And because the outer fascia is exposed to the weather it is constructed of 1-by-6 pressure-treated materials as well. Lightweight, but strong, metal is used for the roofing. A somewhat different approach was used for the roof framing. Traditional pole-building, metal-roof construction consists of 2-by-4 purlins fastened on edge across the rafters with the metal roofing fastened down on these. This allows a space where sparrows and other birds can get out of the weather and even a place to build their nests, with the resulting mess. Our design utilizes 2-by-4 blocking positioned between the rafters and located against the top edges of the rafters. This prevents birds from resting under the roof and keeps droppings off boats, cars or other equipment.
The shed shown, withstood 3 inches of ice and an additional 18 inches of snow, which fell this winter. The design may, however, not be strong enough or have enough roof slope for some high-snow areas. Check with local building codes and regulations. The shed shown is 24 feet long to match the existing building length, and 15 feet deep. The latter allows for standard 16-foot 2-by-6’s for rafters. You may have to alter the design somewhat to suit your existing building height, length, even the width if you desire a narrower shed. It’s a good idea to make a rough sketch of the building, to determine the roof pitch, number of support posts needed and so forth.
Left: First step is to anchor the support header to the existing building, and drop a plumb line from each end. Right: The next step is to determine the locations of the outer support posts. lay out the building using the triangle method and string lines.
Getting Started
First step is to locate and install the support header on the existing building. The end of the header should set back from the edge of the existing building by 1/2 inch, plus the thickness of any siding and trim that will be added. Mark the location of one end of the header and then mark the other end. Make sure the header is level end-to-end. Fasten the header in place with lag screws through the siding and into the studs of the existing building. Drop a plumb line from each corner of the header and mark this location on the bottom of the existing building. This will give you a starting point to layout the building and determine the location of the support posts. Beginning at one plumb line mark, attach a string to the building. Measure the length needed for one end, drive a stake and fasten the string in place. Beginning at the second plumb line mark, measure for the opposite end, temporarily drive a stake and add a second string line. Measure the distance between the two plumb-line marks for the length of the carport. Measure between the two stakes and adjust the stakes as needed to achieve the same distance.
Once the posts have been allowed to set, install the two end boards, actually the outer rafters. With a helper, hold the boards up in place and determine the pitch and/or outer roof height. Mark the outer roof height (bottom of the rafter) on the end posts. mark the angle of the rafter end as it rests against the header and existing building wall.
Once the post locations are determined, dig holes for the pressure-treated posts. Make sure the posts are plumb, then brace in place with temporary 2×4 braces. Pour Quikrete around the posts. Add water. Then tamp the dampened Quikrete material solidly around the posts.
Make sure the carport is laid out square with the existing building. One method of ensuring square is with right angle string lines. Beginning at one of the plumb line marks, measure 3 feet out from the building on the string and mark this with a felt tip pen. Measure 4 feet along the building wall and mark this measurement as well. Measure diagonally between the two marks. The measurement must be 5 feet to create a square corner. Move the string-end stake in or out to achieve the correct measurement. This creates a square corner for one end of the carport and determines the location of the corner post. Repeat for the opposite end and corner post. Then, again measure between the two stakes to make sure the length is correct. You can also check for squareness by measuring diagonally from the plumb line marks to the opposite outside corner locations. The measurements should be the same. With the corner post locations determined, run a string line from corner post to corner post and mark the locations of the other three posts.
Position the outer front beam on the mark at the end posts and fasten in place to the next posts. Make sure the end boards are level.
Doubled front beams support the outer ends of the rafters.
Attach joist hangers to the support header to hold the ends of the rafters.
Construction
The posts can be set on and anchored to concrete piers poured in holes in the ground. Or you may be able to utilize pre-cast piers. Another method is to set the posts in the concrete. In this case, pressure-treated posts must be used. Again, check with local building authorities as to methods suitable for your area. Regardless of the method of erecting the posts, make sure they are positioned correctly to create a square construction, again checking with a string and the triangular method. Also make sure the posts are plumb, bracing them in place two ways with temporary stakes and 2-by-4 braces.
With a helper, hold an end board (rafter) up against the existing house wall and against the end of the support header. Determine the location of the end rafter on the end post, as per pitch or outer roof height needed. Mark the rafter bottom edge location on the end post. Also mark the angle of the end of the rafter against the existing building; it must be cut so it will fit snugly against the building wall. Measure for rafter length, allowing for overhang, and cut the angle. Cut the same angle on the outer end of the rafter as well. Repeat for the opposite end of the building. Then use one of the cut rafters as a pattern to cut the remaining rafters.
Left: Cut the rafters to length and cut the angle on the building end to match the angle of the building support header. Cut the opposite end at the same angle and the fasten the ends into the joist hangers. Right: Attach the outer ends of the rafters down on the top plate with metal hurricane braces.
Fasten the front support beam in place to the posts, locating it below the rafter bottom edge line marked on the posts. This beam is actually made up of three 12-foot lengths on the building shown. Make sure the beams are level. Locate the positions of the rafters on the header and fasten joist hangers in place. Fasten the rafters in place in the joist hangers with their outer ends resting on the outer support beams.
Fasten the opposite end of the rafters to the support beams with metal hurricane bracing plates. Cut the post tops level with the rafters. Fasten a second inner support beam up against the bottom edges of the rafters and to the inside of the posts. Cut the end support beams. Note the outer end may have to be cut at an angle to fit up under the rafter, depending on roof height and pitch. The existing building end must be fastened to a block anchored to the existing wall. The outer end is fastened to the post and/or rafters. Cut blocking pieces to fit between the end rafters and the end support beams. Fasten in place on 24-inch centers by toenailing one end, or use angle braces.
The outer fascia is added to the ends of the rafters.
Blocking between the rafters provides nailing support for the metal roof.
Next, cut and install the braces. The front braces have a 45-degree angle on both ends. The end braces are best cut by first cutting the bottom 45-degree angle, positioning a brace in place and marking the top angle to fit the end beam. With the end braces in place, cut and install siding over the ends. You may also wish to add trim around the ends to match the existing building. A fascia board is fastened to the front of the rafter ends to finish off the outer end.
Fasten the angle braces to the posts an dunderside of the outer header. Then fasten the metal roofing in place.
The building shown was covered with metal roofing. The roofing is brown to match the shingles on the existing building. Other choices include a variety of polycarbonate materials, such as SunTuf. A gravel, or better yet, concrete floor, can add to the usefulness of the carport.
Tools & Supplies
- Support posts, 4×4” x 10’, 5 req’d.
- Headers, 2×8” x 12’, 2 req’d
- Joists, 2×6” x 16’, 17 req’d
- Front beams, 2×6” x 12’, 4 req’d
- End beams, 2×8” x 16’, 2 req’d
- Front braces, 2×6” x 3’, 8 req’d
- Side braces, 2x4x12”, cut to fit, 4 req’d
- Blocking, 2×4” x 16”, cut to fit between rafters, 80 req’d
- Roofing of choice, 16×24’
- Fascia, 2×8”x12’, 2 req’d.
Recommended Articles
This step by step diy woodworking project is about how to build an attached carport. If you want to learn how to build a carport attached to an already existing building, we recommend you to pay attention to the instructions described in the article and to check out the related projects. An attached construction is ideal for any property, as it will protect your car from bad weather but it also provides the convenience of proximity to the house. There are many carport projects featured on our site, so don’t be afraid to browse through the rest of the woodworking plans.
In most of the cases, a building permit is required so make sure you go to the town hall and ask information about the legal requirements you have to comply with. In this manner, you will also find out useful details about your carport construction. When building the carport, you should make sure the plans are detailed and come with step by step instructions, as well as with a complete list of the materials.
It is essential to invest in high quality materials, that are also water-resistant, such as pressure-treated lumber. Cut the components at the right size by using a circular saw and smooth the cut edges with a sand block. Don’t forget to ask a skilled friend to assist you during the project, especially if you don’t have a large expertise in the field. You need someone to hold the components into place, while you drive the screws in.
Made from this plan
How to build an attached carport
Materials
- A – 3 pieces of 4×4 lumber – 84″ long POSTS
- B – 2 pieces of 2×6 lumber – 216″ long SUPPORT BEAMS
- C – 1 piece of 2×8 lumber – 216″ long SUPPORT BEAM
- D – 30 piece of 1×4 lumber – 131 1/4″ long RAFTERS
- E – 1 pieces of 1×6 lumber – 216″ long TRIM
- F – 25 pieces of 1×6 lumber – 216″ long ROOFING
- G – 4 pieces of 4×4 lumber – 34″ long BRACES
- post anchor, tube form, concrete
- 2 1/2″ screws, rafter ties
- roofing felt, asphalt shingles
Tools
Tips
- Use a good miter saw to make the angle cuts
- Drill pilot holes before inserting the screws
Time
- One Week
Related
Building an attached carport
Laying out the posts
The first step of the project is to layout the attached carport in a professional manner. Therefore, we recommend you to use batter boards and string to mark the outline of the posts. Adjust the size of the carport to suit you needs.
Dig 3′ deep holes and fit tube forms, after compacting a 2″ gravel layer on the bottom of the holes. Use temporary braces to lock the posts into place. Make sure the 4×4 posts are perfectly plumb before filling the tube forms with concrete. Level the surface and let the concrete dry out for a few days.
Fitting the support beams
Build the support beams out of 2×6 lumber. Cut them at the right size and clamp them to the top of the posts. Use a spirit level to make sure the beams are horizontal. Drill pilot holes through the beams and through the posts before inserting 7″ carriage bolts.
If you live in an area with strong wings, we recommend you to attach 4×4 braces to the structure, as described in the diagram. Cut both ends of the braces at 45 degrees and secure them to the structure by using 2 1/2″ screws. Check if the posts are vertical before inserting the screws.
Fitting the support beam
Next, you need to attach the 2×8 support beam to the building. Take accurate measurements, as the height at which you place the beam will influence directly the slope of the roof. Level the beam with a spirit level, drill pilot holes and insert lag bolts into the building to create a rigid bond.
Cut both ends of the 2×6 rafters at 77.5 degrees and smooth the edges with fine-grit sandpaper. Make sure the rafters are perfectly straight and the lumber is in a very good condition.
Fitting the rafters
Next, you have to secure the rafters to the support beams, at both ends. In order to create rigid bonds, we recommend you to use appropriate hardware on both joints. Leave no gaps between the components and make sure they are locked together tightly.
Attach the 1×6 trim to the ends of the rafters in order to build a carport with a neat appearance. Align the edges with great care and secure the trim to the rafters by using 1 1/2″ finishing nails.
Fitting the roofing
How To Build An Attached Carport To A House
Building the roof for the carport is the next step of the outdoor project. In order to get a professional result, we recommend you to use 1×6 slats and to install them to the rafters starting with the bottom up to the top. Use galvanized screws and make sure the slats overlap at least 1 1/2″ before driving in the nails. In this manner, the head of the screws will be protected from moisture by the upper slat.
The diagram shows more information regarding the installation of the roofing slats. Make sure the edges are aligned before inserting the finishing nails.
Attaching Carport To Existing House
How to build an attached carport
Aluminum Carports Attached To Home
Last but not least, we recommend you to take care of the finishing touches. Fill the holes with wood filler and let it to dry out for several hours. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the carport plans, as there are several alternatives to choose from.
Attached Carport Plans
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