Category: Portable Buildings

Protecting a Motorcycle

Many outdoor portable shelters are geared toward protecting cars and larger seasonal vehicles like boats and RVs or campers, but what about smaller vehicles? In some areas, motorcycles may be considered seasonal vehicles, as riding them in nicer weather is a better trip than taking them through the snow. But that’s not to say that motorcycles aren’t used in colder weather and rode through a foot of snow. Regardless of when you ride your motorcycle or all-terrain vehicle, it should be stored properly. If your home isn’t equipped with a brick-and-mortar garage, putting up a smaller portable storage shed, or motorcycle shelter, is one way to store and protect a motorcycle. If you already own a portable garage or carport-like shelter, the motorcycle, for everyday use, can be stored in one of these portable buildings, as well.

Seasonal vehicles, be it an RV or a motorcycle, are stored for several months at a time. While in storage, these vehicles should be protected from exposure to UV rays, as well as moisture from rain and snow. The ideal shelter for storing a motorcycle for several months is one of the smaller portable buildings. These buildings have a peaked roof or rounded roof design, with the heavy-duty canopy extending from one side to the other and over the roof. For a fully-enclosed shelter, a back and front door can be installed with kits for adding a zipper or roll-up door. Once fully enclosed, the portable shelter will protect the motorcycle from exposure to UV rays and moisture, and, with some breathability in the shelter, mildew and dry rot won’t form on the motorcycle.

When putting a motorcycle in storage for several months, the vehicle should be checked at times to see if small animals have entered the shelter. However, if you plan to use a motorcycle even in colder weather, one option is to put it under a portable garage or carport with other vehicles, such as cars, that you drive regularly.

Using an Economy Shed

The term “economy shed” is used for smaller portable storage buildings. These buildings are small enough to store one small vehicle – a car but not an SUV or a van – or a small to medium sized piece of farm equipment. One of these shelters is shaped like a peaked roof portable garage but, as it’s designed for a small vehicle or small storage, the shed itself is on a much smaller scale. Some of these models offered through Portable Garage Depot and Shelters of America have powder-coated or galvanized steel frames depending on the manufacturer, but all shelters are covered in a heavy-duty polyethylene canopy on the roof and the sides. A back and doors can be added by various kits to attach a zipper or roll-up door to the structure.

One of the many advantages of any portable storage shed, including economy sheds, is the ability to expand it when you need more space. Unlike a backyard tool shed or a brick-and-mortar garage, one of these shelters can have its width or length expanded by various additions and kits. One of these economy sheds can start small and, when you need to store a larger vehicle, the shelter can be expanded. Aside from vehicles, one of these shelters can store tools and other work supplies, smaller vehicles like motorcycles, and chopped wood or coal. Essentially, various smaller objects needing storage and shelter can be placed in one of these economy sheds.

In terms of specifics for these shelters, economy sheds come in rounded roof or peaked roof styles, with a heavy-duty canopy used on the roof and sides. This canopy, as with all permanent outdoor canopy structures, is designed to withstand exposure to the sun – and protect items inside from UV rays – and snow. The frame on one of these shelters is made from high-quality steel, and this steel is either galvanized or powder coated to protect it from the elements and keep the shelter intact.

Types of Steel Frames

All types of outdoor shelters are composed of a steel frame and a canopy of some kind. The type of steel, however, varies with the use of the shelter and, as a result, the two types of steel available are galvanized and powder-coated steel. The former is often used for permanent outdoor shelters like carports and portable garages, while the latter is used for temporary shelters, such as wedding tents and pop-up canopies, that will be up for a day. Both types of surfaces are used to protect the steel from corrosion. While some quick methods of protecting steel include painting the surface, this is only temporary and a more heavy duty covering is more effective for keeping a steel canopy frame intact.

What is the difference between the two, at least on a physical level? For powder-coated steel frames, a dry coating is applied to the steel as a free-flowing, loose dry powder. However, the “powder” used is a thermoplastic or a thermoset polymer. To get the powder to stick to the steel, the dry, loose substance is applied electrostatically. Then, the powder is cured under heat until it solidifies.

Creating galvanized steel, on the other hand, is more of a chemical process to alter the steel compound to prevent it from corrosion. Galvanized steel is created by coating a steel rod or beam with layers of zinc, which directly protects the steel from rust. The steel is submerged in zinc, which, by chemical bonds, permanently becomes part of the metal. The result is, instead of a thoroughly-distributed mix of zinc and steel, a galvanized steel rod or beam with zinc on the outside, a layer below of zinc and iron, and pure steel on the inside. To protect the steel from corrosion, the zinc will corrode first when exposed to moisture or saltwater.

Larger-Sized Shelters

One of the benefits of using a portable garage as opposed to a brick and mortar structure is the versatility. If you ever need to expand your storage space for additional vehicles or other items, a brick and mortar structure is, essentially, permanent and significant modifications may need to get made. With a portable garage or carport, kits can be purchased to expand the dimensions of the shelter to accommodate more vehicles. Typically, peaked roof portable garage shelters are able to be expanded more, and this includes in both width and length. While many of these shelters are designed to protect one vehicle, be it a single car or an RV, these can be expanded to cover more two or more vehicles.

With portable garage kits, one of these shelters can be expanded by adding additional components to the frame and adding a new roof. However, various other models are available to already accommodate two or more cars. These designs can house two cars in a peaked-roof shelter, while others can be large enough to hold four cars. For outdoor events needing parking, some of these shelters can cover up to six cars. But, if you plan on covering a car and a seasonal vehicle like an RV in the same structure, having a larger portable shelter should be designed with the height of the RV in mind.

Aside from the width and length of one of these portable shelters to accommodate multiple cars, a large-sized portable shelter is capable of accommodating multiple seasonal vehicles, including boats and RVs. For the latter, certain taller portable shelters are designed for these vehicles, including both rounded and peaked roof structure designs. In terms of expanding a shelter to accommodate more vehicles, a peaked roof shelter is more ideal in this case, but, specifically for RVs, the length can be expanded to house one vehicle in front of the other in a tunnel-like structure.

Purchasing a Metal Carport

If you don’t have a garage attached to your home, one option is to add a carport to protect your car. Or, in some cases, if you’re a business owner and are looking for a place for employees to park their cars in the shade, having a large carport is also beneficial. In either case, portable carports come in two varieties: polyethylene canopy and metal. Both carports are sturdy structures that will protect your investments – cars, in this case – but what if you’re looking for a structure that can protect long term? In that case, a metal carport may be the best investment for protecting your vehicles.

A metal carport starts with the same galvanized steel frame that all portable structures have. The roof of one of these carports, however, is also metal – galvanized steel – but coated in silicon for a long-lasting surface. In fact, metal carport roofs with a silicon coating have a warranty of twenty years. The real purpose of having a sturdy roof over your vehicle is to protect it and, in the case of a metal carport, this means being able to keep out UV rays and rain. A metal roof does this naturally without any additional treatments, so a car parked under one of these won’t be exposed to UV rays or become wet.

If you’re considering purchasing a metal carport, these structures will last for several years – even decades – and come in a number of sizes. While the design is generally a peaked roof structure, some metal carports are longer than others and may be better suited for protecting an RV. Some metal carports are longer and, instead, may be able to protect multiple cars or other vehicles. To meet your needs, metal carports come in a number of sizes and can be set into the ground, asphalt, and concrete surfaces.

Setting up a Portable Storage Shelter

Regardless of what you call one of these portable storage shelters, all are used for some type of storage. Whether you want to store an RV or a car, one of these shelters can be fitted to your needs. In the case that you don’t need to store a vehicle, one of these shelters can be used, as well. Often, a shed is located in someone’s yard to store tools and other pieces of equipment, like mowers, and one of these portable shelters can be used for that purpose. How protective is this type of shelter for your investments? For the most part, just as protective as a wooden or metal shed when the side flaps and door are down.

If you’re concerned about the style of shelter, many of these sheds are designed with the same familiar peaked roof design. Only, instead of a door to open the shed, many of these portable shelters have a zipper door. In addition, another advantage is, during warmer weather, the sides can be rolled up, so that you’ll have more air circulating around your work area, if you plan to use it as a tool shed and work area. During the winter, all flaps can be put down to fully protect all pieces of equipment and other items in storage.

Regardless of the size of the shelter, all are made with the same sturdy frame and polyethylene canopy. The galvanized steel frame can last for several years without corrosion, but the canopy truly keeps out the elements from reaching your investments. Each polyethylene canopy is treated to be waterproof, as well as UV resistant, mildew, and rot resistant. In addition, as some air is allowed to circulate under the canopy, the structure creates an environment inside to prevent mildew and dry rot from forming on anything being stored.

Using a Portable Garage

You have a car you want protected from the elements, but, at the same time, you don’t have a brick and mortar garage. Building a brick-and-mortar garage requires planning and zoning on your property, not to mention a large amount of money, to have it built. An alternative to building a brand new garage attached to your house is to have a portable garage. A portable garage, also known as a carport, can be put in a variety of locations on your property – wherever your car will go. As part of the product’s name is “portable,” this structure can be set up and taken down but, like a traditional garage, the structure is strong enough to protect your car and other investments you put in the shelter.

A portable garage is a sturdy structure made from a galvanized steel frame and a canopy of heavy-duty polyethylene. While the steel structure is strong and treated to prevent corrosion, the polyethylene canopy protects the car, essentially, while in the carport. As a canopy, one of these polyethylene tarps is made from a high denier count, rip-proof material that is treated to be waterproof, rot resistant, mildew resistant, and UV resistant. When it comes to your vehicle, this means that the shelter will keep out the water and sun from damaging your car. As the shelter allows for some air circulation, mildew and dry rot won’t form on your car while under a portable garage.

 

Another benefit of using a portable garage is that the structure isn’t permanent. If, at some point, you decide to purchase another car or a seasonal vehicle, one of these structures can be expanded by use of portable garage kits to accommodate two or more vehicles. In addition, one of these structures can be the same as an ordinary garage and, if you choose to use the structure as a storage or work shed, your additional investments will be protected.