I need to store my project while I work on my daughters truck this winter I was wondering if any of you guys have used those canvas portable shelters that have the zipper door in the front. I have seen a few that have been up for a few years but I do not know anyone who has first hand experence. I live where it snows but not huge amounts and I will keep it brushed off. any input would be great.
i have one , it's been up for at least 7-8 years. i had to replace the cover a few years ago and now the zipper door is going to hell. it's been fine for storage of parts...i wouldn't put anything good in one
Well... the first one i had ended half on the roof and half out in front of my shop... the one i have up now has been up for quite a while...i went to the local cheapo store and bought a dozen three foot wrecking bars and pounded those into the ground around the piping for anchors...also made a rope spider web from all the corners and sides down to the middle...i had those tied to my project pick up when that was in there...anchoring is the most important and keeping the snow off the roof...kinda makes it a ***** to walk into and around, but this one is till where i put it!!
I've had one up for about 7 years now. I've had to replace the roof once, the door once, the sunny side panel 3 times, the back panel once and the non sunny side panel once. It has been in some pretty strong winds, and like what Slick Willy said, I park my truck in it if a big storm with strong winds is coming and tie the corners to the corners of my truck. It's been through some high winds and high waters and hasn't let me down yet.
Cus the shop was full of customer cars mostly,I worked on my own cars in my back yard or driveway with 10x10 pop-up or 20x10 put-up,the nice big tree out back worked well too,tell 1992 when Andrew made that portable
Been using one for about a year now to store my Model A as I build a shop.. Mine came from Costco and its top quality.
I've been thinking of buying one of these to put my stuff in before leveling the old garage and building a 30x40 shop in its place, I'll be keeping an eye on this thread...
watch the snow!!!!! snow BAD!! l had both of mine collapse last winter on BOTH my show cars, was building another car in the garage and stored them in costo ones and the snow flattened 'em. also keep the tarp tight as rain can couse pockets of water to collect if there is a sag in the roof. this happens to mine as l live in a wet and windy winter type climate., so check every day because the wind will cause slack. keep the bows tight so the bars don't fall out in the wind and tie the sides and back down secure, with a 20mph wind it WILL become a KITE, so good stakes in the ground are a MUST!! l used rope to tie the bars across the roof and sides, wrap the rope around the first bar then go completely from front to back bown both sides and across the back, on the roof string a rope to keep the tension, the parts in the kit will strech and the bars fall out. one of my friends uses 1/2 inch rachet straps around three sides. he hooks the straps to a front pole and runs the straps down the outside of the tarp around the back and to the other front pole. l hope this helps. later
I have two. One has been up for at least 15 yrs the other at least 10 yrs. Store my hobby cars in them. These are made in USA. They have held up great. We get pleny of snow here in upstate NY. I would'nt buy the cheapo ones. Mine have the original covers, still in good shape. Only thing I have done is hand sew over some of the zipper seams that were coming apart. Mine are the rounded top ones and I think the framework is 1 1/4" tubing and have auger type anchors.
There are diffrent ones I baught "cover-it" brand in '95 its still holding up. The zippers went south last year and the canvas is thin. Its 12x20 and has 6 ribs house style, stay away from the dome and 4 rib units as they fail to hold snow. The only thing they love to hold moisture. Im talkin rain forest moisture! I baught some eve vents at home chepo, cut the canvas silliconed and screwed the vents at the peak so it could breathe. no more moisture problems.
I bought a step van while I tore down and rebuilt a garage. Step van had some old datsun roadster parts and oddball diesel stuff that I ended up selling for a profit. Then when I sold the van I got my money back out of it. Great deal all around.
when it snows, I just go into my portable garage, and use a "T" made from 2x4's, push up on the roof from the inside, and the snow slides right off.
I have a Shelter-logic . been up for 5 years. i bolted it to 4x6 landscape timbers that i pinned to the ground. put down a plywood floor, Was for my boat, the boat is outside my pickup and coupe took it over. i use a push broom to keep the snow off.
I got one of those quonset hut types for about 15 years. Replaced the top once because I wanted a shorter one (Old was 20 ft). Top needs replacement now, but I lined the inside with plastic and it will be good for another 5 years or so.. It has held up in all types of weather, including heavy snow. Put a plastic tarp on the ground. Stops all the moisture inside. Originally I didn't have one and got a lot of condensation. With the plastic on the ground, none.
I have a 10 x 20 King Canopy. 'Sam's Club, $180 special'. Was able to do about 60% of my Morris in it ('course, it's only 12 1/2 ft. long). Like above, SNOW...BAD! I have to keep an eye on snowfall, run out with the shop broom and lift from inside to keep it off. I ran nylon rope through the top rails to add 'snow support'. If you seal off the bottom edges well enough you can get quite a lot done in one. Mine's 6 years old and finally ordered all new panels for it.
I,m cheap, i buy a few new green tarps every year. ( i use the gift cards i get for my birthday in November )
It may or may not be a factor where you live but in my town and I suspect many others in the snow belt they are illegal.
I have had 2 of them .. The first one went for a **** in the middle of a snow storm..It only had 3 roof supports..to much of a span for snow. Second one i bought has a ONE piece roof & sides,with 4 roof supports..It has held up GREAT in snow & winds.. As for the plastic zippers, put a little vasaline on them..They will work better,and last longer. Rick
I had one for a few years. It worked well for awhile, but then the sun and wind ripped apart the roof material. I'm in Florida, so no snow, but when it was new it did survive tropical storm Fay. Of course, shortly before that the city started har***ing me about getting a permit, so I just took it down.
I put one up every winter for about 4 years and then a late spring heavy snow collapsed it and bent/broke some of the support poles. Lucky the car inside was only my kids rice burner!
ShelterLogic.com I got one from them & it turned out to be the side enclosure. Not the house I was hoping, Looks like it will hold up pretty well. When The wife lets me order the top for it
I've been kicking around this idea myself since I live in the Desert. The biggest problem here is the wind that can go 50-60 mph pretty easy. Just wonder how they'd hold up. Michael
I have used them. Then got tired of replaceing tarps all of the time. I broke down and bought a good one this time around. Its in the link. My Fab Shop
Like someone else already stated, moisture is a problem. I stored my Caddy in one last year and kept the snow off all winter just to find SERIOUS moisture everywhere inside. I must be getting old because winter is really starting to ****...
bought mine from harber freight and its been up for 2 years.....Its tatered now but cheep enough to get another.....
The Harbor Freight units are good because they have replacement covers readily available. Get some ratchet straps and tie the garage frame to the car - bumpers. Also, use some good tape on each joint of the garage frame when ***emblying (or drill a hole and safety wire the joints) - the wind will try to pull them apart - my first one turned into a pretzel. With the taped joints and ratchet straps, they will endure some good winds - the wind picked up a friends unanchored portable garage and it wiped out his neighbors fence. The Costco garages look good but good luck finding a replacement cover. Side note: neighborhood cats like sitting on the cars to get out of the weather - they are definately not critter proof.
L@@KING FOR 'QUALITY'.....chek out WWW.FARMTEK.COM! they will make a cover/ tarp for you.....NOT cheap............ they quoted ....$1.50........$2.50 a square foot..[ to cover my existing frame, that included hold-down accessories] chek out their guarantee! gotta be 'others' out there w/ similar products. red ryder
I have found the one from sears looks like it is pretty good quality and has replacement parts available so I think that is the route I will go
I used a cheap tarp garage when we lived in Calgary. It survived for 5 years with no issues. I used 12" spikes on each post, plus I tied sandbags to them to help hold it down. In 5 years it never moved an inch. For snow I just used a pushbroom from the inside to get the snow off the tarps. I plan to buy a home-made temp garage in the spring from one of my customers. Me made his own wooden trusses to hold the tarp up and they're very well built. I plan to mount the whole thing on 4x4s and sheet it in with plywood beforeinstalling the tarp. It will be 12 x 22 when finished, bigger than my current garage!!
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