Sometimes in life, it’s the simple things that make a big difference. Adding a covered walkway to your property is a great example of how a small upgrade can make life a lot easier. The next time you return home from the grocery store with several bags of food and rain pouring down outside, you will be thankful you chose to create a covered walkway!
At American Carports, Inc., we offer many different types of metal structures. Two are perfect for this kind of project: carports and lean-tos. In this article, we’d like to discuss the basic concept of how to build a covered walkway and how our products can help. To get started designing your own structure for this project, try our Build & Price Tool. Of course, you can always contact us to get help directly from a member of our team.
A garage is a great place to store all those things that don’t have space for inside of your home. At some point, however, the clutter starts to build up in your garage and you may have trouble using the space effectively any longer. There is a fine line between using your garage as a storage space and allowing it to be so filled up with items that it’s hard to put things away and get them back out once again. In this post, we’ll provide some tips to help declutter your garage, so you can make the best use of your space again.
If you own livestock, it’s important to provide those animals with shelter to keep them healthy and protect them away from the harsh outdoor elements. Unfortunately, some types of barns and other shelter structures can be expensive, making it difficult for landowners to afford these buildings.
By choosing a metal livestock barn from American Carports, Inc., you can bring down the cost of this project while still getting a sturdy, long-lasting shelter for your animals. With so many different styles to pick from, the best way to get started is by exploring the Build & Price Tool here on our site. Feel free to contact us if you have questions about our products and the many custom options we offer.
Providing Shade is Key
One of the most important roles of a livestock barn or shelter is simply to provide shade from the hot summer sun. While it’s easy to look outside in the cold weather and think that your animals might be uncomfortable, most animals can deal with cold temperatures just fine (with exceptions for extreme cold, of course). However, it can be harder for those same animals to deal with searing hot temperatures in summertime, which is why adding shade to your property is so important.
It’s pretty easy to offer animals shade when working with American Carports, Inc. to create a new metal structure. Any kind of structure with a roof is going to offer at least some degree of shade, although some will do better than others. Let’s discuss a few key points on this topic:
Not just shade from above. It’s important to remember that the sun doesn’t only beat down from directly overhead. The sun might be high in the sky during the middle of a summer day, but it will also get to your animals from flatter angles in the morning and evening. Therefore, a building with at least a couple of walls in addition to a roof is going to perform much better as a shade structure than a building with only a roof, such as a carport or lean-to.
Make sure to include ventilation. Shade is great, but if a space is too tightly enclosed in the hot weather, it could end up leading to high interior temperatures that won’t serve the animals well in the end. It’s important to ensure your livestock barn has plenty of ventilation to keep the air inside fresh and as comfortable as possible for your animals. It’s easy to add features like windows and doors when ordering from American Carports, Inc., so you can build ventilation right into your plan.
Easy access. A shade structure is only going to be used for your livestock if it is readily available to them when the hot part of the day arrives. Whether you drive them into the shelter intentionally or just keep it open as an option for them to self-regulation, it’s important to position this structure as conveniently as possible on your property.
Simply blocking out the sun from directly beating down on your livestock can go a long way toward keeping them healthy through the summer. This might seem like a simple thing, but it can have a profound effect on their overall well-being.
Building a Partner for Your Barn
If you already have a barn on your property, you may be tempted to just use that for your livestock shelter. In some cases, that could work out just fine. But the barn probably has other uses already, such as storage and a place for some of the animals to sleep at night. Ideally, you’ll have a separate shade structure that can be used throughout the day to give animals a break from the heat without interrupting your day-to-day activities inside the main barn.
Of course, if you don’t yet have a barn, or you need a new one, American Carports, Inc. can help on that point, as well. Our custom metal barns are affordable and endlessly customizable, making it easy to create the perfect size and shape for your needs. With a barn serving as the focal point of your livestock operation and another shade structure giving your animals a respite from the heat, you’ll have the buildings you need to keep the land working nicely for years to come.
A Timely Project
Among the many advantages that are enjoyed when you select a metal livestock shelter over a wooden structure is the short timeline required. In general, a metal barn is going to be constructed much quicker from start to finish than a wooden alternative. That means you can get up and running with this new shelter in short order and give your animals the space they need to thrive.
Place Your Order
Start your order for a custom metal livestock shelter today. We look forward to serving you soon!
For the most part, vehicles are designed to endure the difficult conditions that come with a life spent in the outdoors. Cars and trucks have to perform in all kinds of weather while keeping their occupants safe and dry, and they are built with that challenge in mind.
However, even the best vehicles on the market have trouble fighting back against one particular force—the sun. If your vehicle is subject to the hot sun day after day, there is likely to be damage in the end. Let’s look at what you can do to minimize that damage and maintain the condition of your vehicle for as long as possible. Here’s how to protect your car from heat and sun damage.
Creating suitable storage solutions for your industrial equipment is an important part of protecting your investment. Industrial equipment can easily cost tens of thousands—if not hundreds of thousands—of dollars, so having the right storage available is essential. View these industrial equipment storage tips and ideas to assist you.
American Carports, Inc. offers a variety of metal buildings that are affordable, customizable, and perfect for industrial equipment storage. Use our Build & Price Tool to explore the many possibilities for your new structure, and receive an instant quote.
Establishing a Schedule
The periods of use and inactivity for your equipment will depend on the nature of your business. Some businesses have no downtime periods, meaning they don’t have much of a need for storage. However, if there are any times during the year when certain equipment isn’t used, you’ll want to have an appropriate spot ready for those pieces to reside.
You probably already have a schedule in place that outlines what equipment is used at what times. Turn to that schedule to determine how much storage space you really need throughout the year. Remember, when talking about large industrial equipment, you’ll need to have space to store your items in a protected spot and move them in and out safely.
Determining the Right Storage Environment
For some pieces of equipment, the only storage requirement will be that the equipment stays dry while not in use. In that case, something like a simple carport could work perfectly. You could add one or more carports to your property, giving you covered storage for your equipment while it’s not in use. Carports, when ordered from a quality supplier like American Carports, Inc., are an affordable and durable storage solution.
Of course, the kind of protection offered by a typical carport may not be enough for some pieces. If you need to have your equipment stored indoors, look to a barn or clear span building as a better choice. These structures will ensure your equipment will be completely protected from all sides, which may be necessary for sensitive gear or in harsh climates. Clear span buildings are great for storing big pieces since they can offer ample uninterrupted floor space for storage and moving equipment freely.
Basic Storage Tips
The biggest hurdle you need to clear concerning storage is figuring out where your industrial equipment is going to live when not in use. Whether it’s a carport, barn, clear span building, or something else entirely, solving that problem should be your focus.
When that choice is made, there are some other steps you need to take to ensure your equipment remains in good condition after the storage period is over:
Check the tires. If a piece of equipment has tires, those tires will be holding the equipment up the whole time it’s in storage. To avoid tire damage, check the air pressure in each tire prior to putting the item into storage. Then, continue to check on that air pressure periodically so it can be topped off, as needed.
A thorough cleaning. It’s a good practice to properly clean any piece of equipment that’s going to be put into storage. Cleaning each item as recommended by the manufacturer will help to protect its condition and better prepare it to go right back to work when the time comes.
Plan repairs. All of your equipment should be repaired either before it goes into storage or while it’s in the storage period. This is a great time to take care of minor maintenance and repair points that you didn’t have time to address while the equipment was in operation.
The goal of industrial equipment storage is to keep all of your gear in good condition so it’s ready to jump back into action. Simple tasks like checking the air pressure in the tires and performing minor repair work will go a long way toward making this storage period successful for each item in your inventory.
Work With American Carports, Inc.
We hope these industrial equipment storage tips and ideas assist you. American Carports, Inc. can provide you with just about any size and shape of metal building you may require. We look forward to helping you with all of your storage needs!
If you have a picnic table on your property or you’re planning to purchase one, it’s important to have shade for that table. Getting outside is great, but it will be hard to enjoy your meal comfortably if the midday summer sun is beating down on you and your food. With a little shade, you can enjoy the fresh air and atmosphere in far more comfort. Explore these picnic table shade ideas that can assist you.
American Carports, Inc. offers a variety of metal buildings that are affordable, durable, and fully customizable. Use our Build & Price Tool to explore the many possibilities for your new structure, and receive an instant quote!
The Natural Approach
One great way to provide your picnic table with shade is to position it strategically under or near a large tree. If you happen to have a big tree on your property in a location that would be suitable for a picnic table, this natural method of acquiring shade will provide a wonderful setting for lunch or dinner.
Unfortunately, when you start to think more carefully about this option, there are a number of drawbacks to consider. For starters, you might not have a flat spot near the tree that will make for a stable home for the table. Trees are typically surrounded by roots that can leave the ground uneven. Even if you find a spot for the table, those roots could be a trip hazard.
Another issue is that the amount of shade provided by the tree will change throughout the year. As the summer wears on, the angle of the sun will change, and your picnic table may no longer be in the shade. Since you can’t move the tree, you will be forced to move the table if you want to get back in the shade once again.
An Umbrella May Work
A common solution to the need for shade is a picnic table umbrella. By adding a large umbrella to your setup, either through a hole in the table or in a base somewhere near the table, you can gain protection from the sun. Many of these umbrellas are adjustable so you can tilt them at just the right angle to block out the sun at any time of day, and at any point during the summer. Plus, since you can use your umbrella wherever you need it, you’ll be able to pick exactly the right spot on your property for the table to rest.
These kinds of umbrellas offer plenty of advantages, but they aren’t a perfect solution. For one thing, they can be quite expensive and may wear down relatively quickly if left out in the elements. Also, while an adjustable model will help you gain the shade you desire, you still have to do the work of manually adjusting the umbrella. If you use your table multiple times a day, that means you may need to move the umbrella around each time, which is an extra little chore that you may get tired of tackling.
Build Your Own Shade
Adding a carport or lean to that can provide shade for your picnic table is the ideal solution to this problem. By using a new metal structure to offer the shade you need for enjoyable picnics, you can get around the various problems highlighted in the two solutions above. With a roof overhead, you should get shade at almost any time throughout the day and year. Also, when ordered from a trusted, quality supplier like American Carports, Inc., you can expect your metal structure to last for many years. That means you’ll get great value for your money.
Another big advantage to this option is the flexibility of the new metal building that you will acquire. For example, you may decide that your new carport is perfect for picnics in the spring and summer, but you could move the picnic table out in the winter to make room for a car to park. Whatever you choose to do with this structure throughout the year, it will always have the ability to offer your property more than just shade.
Work With American Carports, Inc.
We hope you enjoyed these picnic table shade ideas! Don’t let the good weather in the summer and early fall pass you by without a great setup for your picnic meals. Turn to American Carports, Inc. for a carport or lean to that can offer protection from the sun for an affordable price. We look forward to serving you!
The open sides of a carport come with a lot of advantages. You can easily pull vehicles in and out without having to worry about a garage door, and you can store items that would be too large to otherwise fit in other structures on your property. The open nature of a carport design is part of what makes these types of structures so popular.
One downside to that open design, however, is the lack of privacy. In some cases, you might want to keep the items under your carport out of view, and a standard carport can’t quite make that happen. But this problem can be solved! Here, we’ll explore some carport privacy ideas that you can employ for additional protection.
American Carports, Inc. offers a variety of metal carports that are affordable, durable, and fully customizable. Use our Build & Price Tool to explore the many possibilities for your new structure, and receive an instant quote!
Not All Carports Are Open
Before we get into alternative methods of adding privacy to a carport, we do need to mention that not all carports feature the same design. While a standard carport has a roof and no walls, that’s not your only option when building a new one. If you’d like to think about privacy right from the start, consider having one or more walls included in the design.
For example, if your carport is going to be placed within sight of a busy road, you could have a wall added on the street side, so passersby would not be able to see inside. That’s a quick and easy way to add the privacy you need while still maintaining the overall function of the carport.
Some Creative Alternatives
If you’re trying to add privacy to an existing carport, or if you don’t want to add any walls to a new carport, there are some creative options you can employ to get the privacy you deserve. Pick and choose from the ideas below to determine which will work best in your particular circumstances:
Natural Privacy
A variety of plant options may be a suitable method for stopping curious eyes from spying on the contents of your carport. For example, you could add a row of small trees just outside the carport on the side that you want to protect. Even a tall grass like bamboo could do the job.
When going with a natural option for privacy, remember that there will be plenty of upkeep required, as you’ll need to feed and water the plants, trim them back, and more. Also, this approach might not provide privacy all year long, depending on the types of plants you select. If you use trees that drop their leaves before winter, the privacy you enjoyed in the summer and fall will soon disappear.
Build a Wood Screen
If you are particularly handy, or if you would like to hire a contractor for the project, you can add a wood screen that will block off one side of your carport. This is basically a small wall that doesn’t support or attach to anything—it’s a simple freestanding structure. With this option, you get privacy throughout the year, and you have the opportunity to design it to add aesthetic value to the space.
An Adjacent Building
If you currently need more storage on your property and are thinking about adding another structure, you could place that building strategically to add privacy to your carport. Even a small shed could achieve the goal of covering up your carport from view if it’s placed in the right spot.
As you can see, there are plenty of carport privacy ideas available for added protection. Depending on your needs and the location of your carport, you may need to employ a bit of creativity to come up with a solution that will stand the test of time.
Order from American Carports, Inc.
In addition to the performance benefits of a metal carport, many people are drawn to these structures because of their affordable nature. At American Carports, Inc., we offer carports that are durable, customizable, and affordable for most budgets. Whether you need a single carport to park a sedan or a large structure for an RV, we are here to serve you. Get started on this project today to add a useful, versatile new carport to your property!
Having a metal shed on your property offers many advantages. You’ll likely use it as a convenient storage space, but that’s only one of many potential uses. For example, you could also use it as a workspace to pot plants or perform maintenance on your equipment.
Whatever you happen to use your shed for, keeping it cool throughout a hot summer is an important topic to consider. A cooler space will be more inviting to work in and it may also be a more suitable place to store some items that could be damaged by high temperatures. Read on to learn how to keep your shed cool in summer.
American Carports, Inc. offers a variety of metal sheds that are affordable, durable, and fully customizable. Use our Build & Price Tool to explore the many possibilities for your new structure, and receive an instant quote!
Start With Insulation
Insulation can do more than keep your metal building warm in the winter. In fact, all insulation does is minimize the transfer of heat between inside and outside. So, in addition to keeping a space warmer in the winter, it can also help to keep a space cooler in the summer. By adding some insulation to your shed, you can keep some of that sweltering summer heat outside where it belongs. Given the affordable nature of the amount of insulation you should need to use inside a shed, this is an effective starting point for your cooling efforts.
Add a Window
Adding a window is something that you’ll want to think about upfront when ordering your new shed from American Carports, Inc. Even if you don’t need a window for any other practical purpose, having one included in the shed’s design can help significantly for ventilation. On a warm summer day, you can open up the window and the door, allowing for some cross-breeze and hopefully bringing down the temperature of the space.
Utilize Natural Shade
When picking out a spot on your property for this new shed to live, consider any locations that would offer some natural shade. For example, if you have a large, leafy tree with a flat spot nearby, that might be a logical home for your shed. With the tree offering shade for part of the day, the shed may not get as hot as it would if it was placed out in the open to get full sunlight. This isn’t going to be an option in all situations, of course, but consider taking advantage of it if your property offers just the right setting.
Other Shade Options
The power of shade to keep a building cooler in the summer is so significant that you might want to consider making your own shade if none is available naturally. For instance, if you can install an awning that can be extended during the summer to block the sun from reaching the shed for part of the day, that coverage could go a long way. Sure, you would be adding an extra cost by installing an awning in addition to your shed, but that cost could be well worth it in the long run. You don’t necessarily have to block out the sun all day long, either. Even giving the shed coverage for a few hours would be a big help.
Portable Air Conditioner
If you have power in your shed, you might want to consider purchasing a portable air conditioning unit to fight back against the heat. This will obviously be the most effective option, but there are a couple of points to consider.
First, you’ll have to have sufficient power available in the shed. Remember, a portable A/C unit can draw a lot of power, so you might not be able to run anything else on that circuit at the same time. Also, the air conditioner is going to produce hot air that needs to be dumped outside, so you’ll need to have a window available or another way to direct the warm air out of the shed.
Order from American Carports, Inc.
We hope you now know how to keep your shed cool in summer. If you’re ready to add a shed to your property, order from American Carports, Inc. today. You can design one to fit your exact needs using our Build & Price Tool. If you have any questions, our team is happy to assist you and make suggestions. We look forward to serving you!
When the weather is nice and you want to be outside with family and friends, having a patio available is a huge bonus. Plus, a covered patio would allow you to use the space even when the weather isn’t so great. If the potential cost of a covered patio project previously put it out of reach for you, consider using an affordable carport for this purpose. Here, we’ll discuss how to use a carport as a patio!
American Carports, Inc. offers a variety of metal carports that are affordable, durable, and fully customizable. Use our Build & Price Tool to explore the many possibilities for your new structure, and receive an instant quote!
Choose a Convenient Location
You may have a couple of different options around your home that could be used as a patio space. Off of your back door is a popular choice, of course, but that might not necessarily be right for your situation. Other options include placing your patio near a side door, in front of your garage, or even away from the home in another part of your yard.
The key factor to keep in mind when deciding where to create a carport-covered patio is convenience. You want to make sure that you will use this space regularly, and inconvenient things just don’t get used. If the patio has easy access to and from the house, you’ll be far more inclined to use it throughout the year.
Thinking Under Your Feet
Using a carport to protect from the elements is a good starting point for this project, but what about taking care of things at ground level? If your patio space is just bare dirt or rough concrete, it won’t be a very comfortable spot to hang out.
Fortunately, there are plenty of options available to finish the floor of your patio, and some of those options are rather affordable. For example, if you have a basic concrete pad in place currently, you could purchase an outdoor rug or some artificial grass to make the area more comfortable. If the ground is bare at the moment, you could pour a concrete pad or use patio pavers or tiles to create a beautiful, finished look.
Add the Permanent Pieces
Some parts of your patio space may evolve as the years go by. However, you’re probably going to want at least a couple of pieces to remain in the space for the long run. Specifically, you’ll want either outdoor chairs or an outdoor couch and a table. These are a significant investment, so pick them out carefully and make sure they fit properly in the space you have available.
When buying patio furniture, it’s wise to think about your future needs in addition to what you need at the moment. Is your family going to be growing in the years to come? Will you start to invite friends over to hang out once the patio is ready? When in doubt, err on the side of having a little too much seating space so there’s always room when the party gets bigger than expected.
Some Finishing Touches
Decorating your new covered patio might be the most enjoyable part of the project. The possibilities are endless here, as long as you’re picking items that are suitable for use outside. Remember, the wind can still move through your patio even though it’s protected from above, so lightweight items that can easily blow away are not a good option.
One of the best ways to decorate a patio space is with flowerpots. Not only can these pots hold beautiful flowers that will add color to your patio during the spring, summer, and fall, but the pots themselves can also be decorative. Using a few pots will allow you to bring visual interest to the patio and also define it as a living space that is separate from the rest of the property.
Build Your Patio with American Carports, Inc.
We hope you enjoyed learning how to use a carport as a patio! With the affordable nature of a metal carport, you don’t have to put off this project any longer. Work with us to add the right structure to your property, and then design the space underneath to perfectly suit your needs. When the job is done, there will be nothing left to do but enjoy countless days and nights relaxing with your family and friends.
