what can i do with this "carport"?
 

these are the best pics at the moment i have of it.

it was one of the cheapy flimsy portable awnings with the cheap white tarps.

it has 1 1/4 emt steel piping as legs with a sack of concrete on each leg buried.
i help run an electrical wholesale house so i can steady availability of cheap 1 1/4 emt.
as the frame sits it is quite flimsy and wiggles like crazy.

i have a good supply stack of 3' x 8' mildly thick steel corrugated sheeting.and a huge bucket of the screws with rubber washers.as well as plywood.
it stands 8-9' tall legs.

the area i live in sees abseloutly no snow, and maybe 2 decently heavy rains a year.
the wind can get steady and sometimes fast at times. 50-60 mph at the worst.


i was told by some old timer i could X brace every square of it and bolt it together and it would be fairly strong.especially with the steel sheeting on it.but i dont know.

i would REALLY like to be able to enclose it and make some barn doors on the front to keep my 68 in.gravel as floor.3/4 enclose would work though as well.

what are some ideas? we also have a good sized miller welder so i can weld joints etc.

Re: what can i do with this "carport"?
 

X brace every square would certainly make it more rigid, but you would need something vertical, like studs, on at least the 3' centers of the width of the steel sheets. That could be done with the EMT somehow.

Re: what can i do with this "carport"?
 

i was thinking 2x2 for runners to mount the sheets?

i can figure the sheets out, my concern is just strength. as in iuf this thing will wanna poick up and take off in wind or bend and tip over lol! with the concrete on each leg i dont think it will pick up or go anywhere, but im no pro. the sheeting will add a lotta wind block i imagine.

Re: what can i do with this "carport"?
 

The X bracing basically is creating triangles which are much stiffer than the boxes you have now and will keep it from racking.
I would also put some horizontal rafters connecting both sides together completing the triangle of the roof.
Kim

Re: what can i do with this "carport"?
 

I'd tear it down, definitely wouldn't park anything of value under that.
One thing to have a tarp fall on it, another to have a poorly constructed roof fall on your truck

Re: what can i do with this "carport"?
 

maybe the best bet would be to lower the roof down some, and just use it as a pure shade strusture? provided its braced completely and right.? it gets 120 in the summer here and scorches lol

Re: what can i do with this "carport"?
 

lower the roof about 1ft and install the metal siding. make sure you square every thing up this makes it stronger.

Re: what can i do with this "carport"?
 

http://www.tarps.com/fittings2.htm
here is a link to a place that sells parts for tube structures. I built a nursery shade structure that was from chain link fence top rail. used it 7 years with a mesh shade covering.

Re: what can i do with this "carport"?
 

One of the building codes for metal buildings deals with the WEIGHT of the concrete floor. The idea is for the floor to weigh enough that it 'anchors' the building (if one end were to be blown open) If it were put together well the entire structure would act as a parachute and carry the building away and become flying debris. I know you guys get some SERIOUS wind up there so just saying it may be something to consider.

The W panel will add a buttload of rigidity and stability to the structure. The walls would be pretty strong. On many steel building they use cable to "X" brace the side to keep it from collapsiong. I think the biggest concern would be the weight of the roof and how to support it along the peak.