What Size Slab Should Be Used for a Metal Carport?

Slab Size

• A carport's concrete slab does not have to be conspicuously larger than the building's dimensions. Convention requires only that a slab is 3/4 inch wider and the same length as the building. Consult with the provider of the metal carport for its specific requirements regarding concrete slab size.

Benefits

• Although a metal carport or a fully enclosed garage could be erected on bare ground or grass, the additional work of including a concrete slab pays off in a number of ways. It makes maintaining the underside of the parked vehicle a cleaner and easier project, and it makes tools and parts less likely to become lost or dirty. If the slab is raised above grade a few inches, it is likely to remain largely dry even in torrential rain. Entering a vehicle from a concrete slab allows you to wipe or stamp your feet to remove dirt and debris from beneath your footwear, keeping the vehicle's interior cleaner than if the slab weren't present.

Sequence

• It is possible to erect a metal carport garage and then float the slab at a later date, but doing so is not recommended. Professional carport installers typically recommend pouring the slab and allowing it to cure before they arrive on site. That sequence invariably results in a cleaner surface finish.

Attachment

• A metal carport typically is attached to a concrete slab with wedge anchor bolts. The installers or do-it-yourself individual drills through pre-made bolt holes in the base rail of the carport and inserts the anchor bolts. Structural engineers who design the buildings put the bolt holes in the base rails at strategically important locations, and the anchor bolts must be sited to fit them. Therefore, putting nuts or any other kind of bolt receivers into the concrete when it is wet is not advised.

Metal Carport Size

• Many home-improvement warehouses, companies that sell sheds and recreational vehicle dealerships sell prefabricated metal buildings, including carports and garages, in various shapes and sizes. Such outlets often have fully assembled show models that can be inspected and compared. If the shape or size -- including the height -- of the area available for a metal carport is limiting, then a custom carport can be ordered from companies listed under “Metal Buildings” and “Steel Buildings” in telephone books. Companies often offer an on-site assembly service, too.