Carports and Garages: The Most Important Differences

Before thinking about hiring a company to install your carport or garage, it makes sense to learn a little more about each of these structures. If you don’t have either one as a homeowner, and you have room for one, you should probably consider them. Knowing the differences between these structures will ensure that you pick and install the right one, especially if you’re currently looking for a new car.

What Does the Term “Garage” Mean?

In the most general sense, the term “garage” means a building or structure that houses a vehicle or vehicles. If you’re talking about a commercial garage, that’s something a bit different. For the sake of this article, though, we’ll stick to talking about residential garages like those you see at the end of the driveway of many houses.

This structure normally has four walls and a roof. You might find garages composed of different materials. If you live in a part of the country that sometimes sees severe winter storms or high winds, you can expect to see garages with tougher compositions and materials.

You might see an attached garage that adjourns a main house, or you may just as easily see a detached one. Both of these have their positive and negative aspects.

You may see a single-car garage or a two-car one. In some instances, you may see garages with spaces for three or more cars. In most situations, you’re looking at a larger and more expensive house if that’s the case.

Now, let’s move on to carports.

What About “Carport?”

A carport is a kind of covered structure. You often see them throughout the Midwest region of the United States, though not exclusively there.

Like a garage, a carport serves as vehicle protection. You can park a car, or multiple cars, underneath the carport’s roof, making it a great option for adding and buying more cars. The carport’s dimensions determine how many vehicles you can fit under there.

A carport protects a vehicle or vehicles with a roof and at least two walls. The car should remain safe from the worst of rain, snow, and wind under there.

Just like a garage, you can see a detached carport or one that connects with the main house. If you have one that connects with the main house, you can usually walk inside without needing to step out from under the roof. That’s pleasant if you arrive home in your vehicle and it’s raining or snowing.

What Sets Each One Apart?

The main difference you’ll see between carports and garages involves the walls. A garage typically has four walls and a roof. As such, when you park a car inside it, or if you use it for storage, these items remain completely outside.

A carport, by contrast, usually has one or two walls and a roof. That means you have more potential exposure when you park a vehicle in it.

Usually, if you park your car in a carport in the rain or snow, the structure will protect it, even if it’s a bit more exposed to the elements than a traditional garage. However, if you have a violent storm that’s raining or hailing sideways because of serious wind gusts, that might impact the car a little. You won’t typically see that with a garage, since it’s more stable and entirely contained.

Which One Will Work Best for Your Situation?

If you don’t own a garage or a carport, and you want one, you may not feel sure which will work best for your situation. If so, contacting a company that erects them makes sense. If you have an expert come and look at your setup, they will likely have an opinion.

In many cases, a garage will cost more than a carport. That’s logical, since the garage will probably require more building materials and take up more space. The garage will likely also have more stability. The walls might have more reinforcement as well.

A carport will also not usually have a closing door on it, so if you live in a higher crime area, that might factor in. You will not have the same storage opportunities with a carport that you would with a garage. Again, having that open air and unfinished quality makes anything you store under a carport’s roof more exposed.

Keep all this in mind when deciding between these two.