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.

Protecting your RV or Camper

What do you do when you need to protect a seasonal vehicle for several months? For those who’ve purchased an RV or camper, the vehicle is a considerable investment. That means, during the winter, the RV needs to be in storage instead of exposed to the elements, or else the vehicle won’t last as long. If left outside without storage, an RV is exposed to the sun and rain. When exposed to UV rays over a prolonged period, the surface colors fades and plastic parts, both inside and on the outside, can crack. Water accumulating on the vehicle from rain can result in mildew forming on the outside. While tarping an RV is one option, the securest way to protect your vehicle is with an RV shelter or canopy.

An RV canopy is composed like any ordinary portable shelter, with a galvanized steel frame and a heavy-duty polyethylene canopy. In the case of an RV shelter, the structure is long and tall to fit at least one RV. When protecting any of these vehicles, the steel structure can last long term, while the canopy is treated to withstand the elements. More specifically, one of these heavy-duty polyethylene canopies is waterproof, UV resistant, mildew, and rot resistant and, in some cases, fire resistant. As the vehicle needs some circulation to prevent dry rot and mildew from forming, an RV shelter allows some air to circulate around the vehicle while in storage.

When looking for sizing for the shelter, take into account the full vehicle. For example, if an air vent is on top of the RV, this will need to be added to the dimensions, so that the RV can fit properly into the shelter. In addition, the RV will need to be checked on occasion while in storage, as small animals may have gotten under the canopy. Rounded roof portable shelters are ideal for RV storage, as they protect the RV fully. The front door to this structure is either a zipper or roll-up door and, when examining the RV, you simply need to walk into the shelter and inspect you any damage.

When to Use a Boat Canopy

In many parts of the country, boats are necessity for industry, such as fishing, but boats are even used as seasonal and vacationing vehicles. But what should you do when it’s too cold to go for a boat ride? One option that many do is to put the boat in some kind of storage. When looking into storage options for a boat, the possibilities are several, with some claiming to be better than others. The basic four basic types of storage for a boat are often putting it in a garage, tarping it, getting it shrink wrapped, or storing it in a boat canopy. While both tarping and shrink wrapping a boat are temporary and may lead to dry rot or mildew under the cover when in storage for several months, what do you do when you don’t own a garage?

As a portable shelter has several options for use, one is to use it as a boat shelter for the several months when the boat is in storage. Boat shelters are designed like a portable garage, with a galvanized steel frame and a polyethylene canopy. In the case of many boat shelters, the canopy surrounds the vehicle on all sides. When you want a shelter to keep out the elements, boat shelters are treated to be waterproof, UV resistant, mildew resistant, and rot resistant. In many cases, the polyethylene canopy on these shelters is also fire resistant. In addition, as the canopy keeps out the elements, the structure still allows for air circulation, so mildew and dry rot won’t form on the vehicle while in storage.

Keeping your boat in storage during the colder months is important to have it last for several years. When not covered properly, the UV rays can fade the paint and make some plastic parts crack, while water can accumulate on the surface and cause mildew built up – not to mention small animals can get to the vehicle and make it their home. While the boat is in storage, check on it periodically to see that no small animals have found their way inside and that no mildew has built up on the surface. As most boat canopies have a zipper or roll up front door, the boat can stay in the shelter in this case.

Building a Portable Greenhouse

Even for the avid horticulturalist, having a glass greenhouse can be difficult to maintain. Not to mention, whenever you need to transport plants to a show or festival, the shelter can’t go with you. One option to still have a high-quality greenhouse that is easily transported is to set up a portable greenhouse. Much like any portable shelter, portable greenhouses are made of a galvanized steel frame that supports a polyethylene canopy. The polyethylene tarp, in this case, is partially transparent, allowing some light to pass through the surface. If you’re a budding horticulturalist, one of these structures can be beneficial, as well, and can evolve your gardening from only a seasonal endeavor to one that lasts all year round.

What about adjusting temperature? One of the benefits of owning a greenhouse is that plants can be grown all year long. With glass greenhouses, the inside can be heated naturally and, to alleviate some of the heat, vents are added. This same design is added to many portable greenhouses. Two possible portable greenhouse designs include polycarbonate and polyethylene panels. When completely closed, these structures retain heat inside but, in warmer months, to cool off the plants, vents are added to the roofs. With the temperature outside, the vents can be adjusted to the plants’ needs.

As with all types of portable shelters, portable greenhouses come in a number of shapes and sizes. Rounded and peaked roofs are two designs used across all portable shelters, and these, too, are applied to greenhouses in large and small sizes. For your personal garden, smaller portable greenhouses can be put together. But, if you need an industrial-size greenhouse for growing vegetables or plants in the winter month, rounded roof industrial-size portable greenhouses can be installed to cover a large area of up to 20 feet by 26 feet.

What is a Carport?

In the portable shelter industry, a carport is essentially the same thing as a portable garage: a galvanized steel structure with a heavy-duty polyethylene canopy roof. However, the term “carport” often refers to any structure that protects a car. In some cases, a carport is built directly into a building as a metal or mortar structure that shelters cars from the elements temporarily. In the case of portable shelters, carports come in polyethylene and metal roof varieties, but both designs to the same type of job. In addition, unlike a carport built into your house or building, one of these portable designs can be placed anywhere on your property that your car can access.

The structure of all carports is composed of a galvanized steel frame and a roof that keeps out the rain and the sun. The structure, additionally, allows air to circulate around the vehicle. In the case of polyethylene canopy carports, the canopy is heavy-duty polyethylene and treated to be waterproof, UV resistant, rot resistant, and mildew resistant. In many cases, the canopy is also fire resistant. A metal canopy has all of these same properties with a steel roof. The air circulation beneath the roof prevents mildew and dry rot from forming on the vehicle.

In terms of purchasing a portable carport, both polyethylene and metal carports will do the job. If you’re looking for a long-term temporary structure, a metal carport will generally last ten to fifteen years before needing a replacement. Polyethylene canopy carports, on the other hand, will need a canopy replacement at some point but, if you’re considering expanding your carport at a later date to accommodate more vehicles or storage, a polyethylene canopy carport allows more structure flexibility. By taking your storage needs into consideration, one of these structures will be able to protect all of your investments.

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.