Eight Creative Ways to Modify Your Carport

A carport provides a very versatile and affordable building option. Even though a carport has a specific purpose for which it was designed, you have many creative ways to modify your carport if you wish to do so. The first and most practical use is to park cars under it. Beyond that, only your imagination can hold you back and limit its uses. If you have extra space under your carport, or you have more than one carport, you can make that space fun and livable. Give that area under the roof a new purpose. You can still park your cars, trucks, and toys under the carport, but when you move them out, you can do so much more.

Use it for poolside shade

If you put your whole budget into the pool and you still want a poolside cabana, use a carport. A carport is small enough to not overwhelm the backyard, but it’s still large enough to put some deck chairs and a table underneath it. A poolside carport will provide a nice shady spot for everyone to take a break from the sun and relax with some snacks and drinks. To make it feel even more relaxing, equip the new structure with some wireless speakers, roll the cooler right next to your chair, and enjoy.

Create an outdoor theater

With wireless technology, projection screens, and gigantic TVs, it’s almost silly not to set up an outdoor theater. Get out of the house, and enjoy warm summer nights outdoors under a carport theater. When the weather starts to turn, convert the theater into a man cave to watch football during the day and back to theater at night for scary movies and popcorn. Televisions and surround sound speakers can hang from the roof, and couches and comfy chairs provide the perfect spot for family and friends to sit. Add shades to the carport to block the sun during the day and to protect against mosquitos at night.

Make it a garage

Using a carport for snow protection, while it will work, is not always the greatest; a garage provides more protection. If you decide your cars and toys need more protection, convert your carport into a garage. You already have a roof and pad, so now you just need some walls. Converting to garage could be as simple as adding panels to three sides of the carport and leaving the front open. You can go a little further, and add an overhead door and siding to make it a stronghold to protect your machines from the elements. Adding walls, siding, and even some windows will turn your carport into a garage in no time. Depending on the scope of your project, changes could get rather complicated. It might be a good idea to hire a contractor for the conversion. They will know the local building codes and if you need permits.

Create a home gym

Tired of going to the gym every day and waiting to get on equipment? Going in early before the rush works, but getting up early before work turns into torture after a while. Sleeping in and waiting to go until after work is worse because everyone else goes after work. A one-hour sweat session can quickly turn into three hours of waiting. To avoid all this, set up your own home gym underneath the cover of a carport. You can work up a sweat whenever you want and do it outdoors. Get your favorite equipment, such as a treadmill, free weights, or squat rack. Now you have an exclusive gym just for you. If you don’t want to work out in front of the neighbors, add screens or shades to the carport’s sides for some privacy.

Make a handyman workshop

Everyone wants to have a place to work on home projects—you just need some open space dedicated to getting the job done. If you have a finished basement already, and every other room in the house is spoken for, turn a carport into your workshop. Build a workbench under the roof, and run some electric, so you can plug in tools. Working under a carport will keep the sun off your back on hot days. At the same time, it’s open, so when a breeze blows through, you get some needed cool air.

Stamp the concrete

When you purchase a carport, the best way to secure it is on a concrete pad. The concrete will make the structure more durable and resistant to high winds and bad weather. When you pour the pad, or have a contractor do it, stamp the concrete with a design. You’ll stamp when the concrete is wet, and you’ll use a heavy stamping tool to add texture and patterns to it. This can make the concrete look like natural stone, brick, field stone, or anything else you want. After you stamp it, you can add dyes to change the color. It completely changes the look of the concrete and makes it look more interesting. If the pad already exists, you can apply a finish for concrete. They vary from paint to waterproof stains and finishes.

Paint it

Painting your carport is the quickest, easiest, and cheapest way to change its look. Get enough paint to cover the entire carport, and have fun. Get creative with the paint job if you want. Use the colors from your favorite sports team, paint the stars and stripes, or give it a psychedelic paint job. Don’t overdo it, though. If your neighbors don’t like it, they could complain to the wrong people and make life uncomfortable for you. Buy a high-quality outdoor paint, so it will last a few years.

Add siding

Adding siding to a carport is probably the most basic and common modification to any carport. How you do this will depend on what kind of look you want to achieve. Also, you need to consider how sturdy and durable you want the sides to be. The cheapest options include heavy-duty nylon and canvas cover. This would be a basic functional addition to protect the cars from wind, rain, and snow. If you want a more permanent and protective solution, purchase metal siding to match the roofing structure of your carport. Many different colors and styles are available, so you can match the roof of the carport or the color of your home.