Finally worked up the ambition

[rgrugg]

Cleaned my very nasty EggCamper. And it really was very nasty. It was parked in front of and a bit to the side of my garage. I used Bar Keepers Friend. Amazing! A long handled "thingy" with a slim round sponge covered with nylon mesh on the end like you'd use for cleaning windshields and water and the crud came right off. Had to use a small sponge in a few places but not many. It will not go back under the oak and poplar and maple trees again. Thinking seriously about one of those metal carports. Only thing I can think of that would cost less would be one of those fabric covers. Had one a few years ago for a different trailer and never again. Too much work for this old fart.

[RogerDat]

Glad to hear you have the "beast" cleaned up. That barkeepers is amazing stuff.

Between the metal carport and trailer cover there is the soft sided carport, the ones that are a frame and heavy tarp. Have seen good and bad reviews on them. Common theme seamed to be some don't handle snow load well.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by RogerDat

........ Common theme seamed to be some don't handle snow load well.

Or high winds

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

Or high winds

My neighbor lost a nice one to wind.

[Jared J]

I live in kansas, had them for eleven years, haven't lost one yet. If you lose one, it should have been anchored better.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by Jared J

I live in kansas, had them for eleven years, haven't lost one yet. If you lose one, it should have been anchored better.

Read though the reviews on these some time for a chuckle. People have had those earth auger anchors yanked right out of the ground. These car ports have a lot of surface area and develop huge forces in a good wind.

[Jared J]

Mine has been through sustained 75mph winds, no issues.

I have 10 36" ground screws holding it in with 3/16" cable and turnbuckles. I tension them a few times a year, and every few years, screw them in a little more.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by Jared J

Mine has been through sustained 75mph winds, no issues.

I have 10 36" ground screws holding it in with 3/16" cable and turnbuckles. I tension them a few times a year, and every few years, screw them in a little more.

Yea, but what do they come with as part of the standard kit? Just a few anchors as I recall.

[Pam Garlow]

Bob, I still have to work up my ambition to wash mine. Already went out twice with it dirty (not grubby terrible, but not clean). I'll probably make one more trip, then wash it up and wax it. I've been thinking of one of the metal carports, just seems to be less things to have to take care of (like no cloth cover).

[Jared J]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

Yea, but what do they come with as part of the standard kit? Just a few anchors as I recall.

You recall correctly. The last one came with some that were a piece of metal with a cable in the middle, and a tool that you drove them into the ground with, and the metal theoretically turned sideways and held them in the ground. You just put the cable around the bottom bar and clamped it.

I had several issues with it, one they just looked cheesy. Two, the bottom bar just clamped around the legs, so it had the chance of the whole thing turning into a kite, while just your bottom horizontal bars stayed there. Three, there was no way to tension cable, so it would have wiggled the legs all over the place.

I took one look and junked them. The first shed came with 10" pieces of rebar with a washer welded to it, not sure if you were supposed to set the thing in concrete, or what. Good luck in dirt.

I have the 10 36" ground screw anchors (4 on each side, 2 in back) with 3/16" cable and turnbuckles going to the TOP horizontal bar that is bolted in, and can not slide down. I also have both sides and the back "X" braced with the cable and turnbuckles so it can shake around in high wind.

I made a 2x8" treated lumber "foundation" around all four sides. I cut squares of lumber, and hole sawed 2" holes for the legs to set in them, and screwed them down to the "foundation". That keeps the legs from splaying out, and from sinking in the ground. I also used u-bolts to bolt the horizontal bars to the foundation.



It's a 10x20 shed.



So yes, I did much more than the instructions say to do, but no more than common sense should dictate. It hasn't budged in 5 years, and I've had wind that ripped the vinyl soffit out of the track and right off my house.

[Loren G. Hedahl]

I've got a 10ft x 20ft soft sided one I've had for at least 10 years. I've replaced the roof with a tarp twice from Home Depot that was cut to the right size.

Since it sets on a concrete slab, I use pier blocks tied to each leg via a cleat I installed on each leg. I've had the tarp rip and come off in high wind when the tarp was old, but nothing more.