Folding garage, anyone have experience with one?

[trimacar]

Interesting, wonder about snow load though.

 

https://smartcov.com   

[Bhigdog]

I'd be more worried about a wind gust upending it and dragging the frame across my car...............Bob

[dship]

21 minutes ago, Bhigdog said:

I'd be more worried about a wind gust upending it and dragging the frame across my car...............Bob

Just spike it down if you anticipate any strong winds.

[Dr B]

My neighbor around the corner has one.  I can ask him next time I see him.

 

Robert

[John_S_in_Penna]

I would not take the chance.  It may be fine with

the lightest snows and gentle breezes, but it could be 

destructive to your car in a winter's heaviest snows

or strong windstorms.

 

2 hours ago, trimacar said:

Interesting, wonder about snow load though.

1 hour ago, dship said:

Just spike it down if you anticipate any strong winds.

The manufacturer calls it an "All-weather garage,"

but it cannot be.  If it is about 10 x 20 feet in area,

the size of a typical parking space,

a heavy snow load may put 4000 to 6000 pounds of

snow on it.  And the strongest winds--not hurricanes--

can cause 4000 pounds of uplift force!  Your house

can withstand those readily;  this "garage" cannot.

 

Spiking it down I don't believe will even come close.

 

Edited August 29, 2023 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

Similar portable garages are popular here in Canada. Two tips to make one last, it has to be fastened down or it will blow away, and it helps to cover the frame with plywood before putting on the cover, if you want it to hold up to snow loads.

They have the advantage that they are cheap to buy, quick to erect, and you don't need a building permit and they don't raise your taxes. With care one might last 4 or 5 years.

 

Edited August 29, 2023 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

18 minutes ago, Rusty_OToole said:

...it helps to cover the frame with plywood before putting on the cover, if you want it to hold up to snow loads.

But can the light tubular frame withstand the snow loads?

I think not.

[Buffalowed Bill]

It seems to me to be a poor compromise for a metal carport. I have seen too many fabric, portable, garages give it up to the powers of nature to see it as a long term solution, initial cost and codes notwithstanding. I'd be checking the manufacturers warranty, if any. I bet the warranty would give you a good idea of how long you can expect it to last.

[LARRYCAROL]

Yes make sure you secure it very well!! This one from Harbor Freight had very poor quality fabric, didn’t last very long. 

[1912Staver]

The newer they are the thinner the tubing gets. The ones from about 10 years ago were quite strong. The new ones are very weak. Any larger snow load will crush them. Waste of money if you live in an area with snow

[dship]

4 hours ago, Rusty_OToole said:

Similar portable garages are popular here in Canada. Two tips to make one last, it has to be fastened down or it will blow away, and it helps to cover the frame with plywood before putting on the cover, if you want it to hold up to snow loads.

They have the advantage that they are cheap to buy, quick to erect, and you don't need a building permit and they don't raise your taxes. With care one might last 4 or 5 years.

 

My experience:  I've had one for my Reatta and previously owned Riviera for 16 years.  You just have to spike it down securely.  Here in the Northeast have had as much as 8in of snow in one storm and it has held the load.  I just make sure I broom it off as soon as it stops.

Edited August 29, 2023 by dship (see edit history)

[dship]

3 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

But can the light tubular frame withstand the snow loads?

I think not.

Yes, it does in my experience.  The tubing is 11/4 in galvie steel.  It's not light stuff.

[dship]

1 hour ago, LARRYCAROL said:

Yes make sure you secure it very well!! This one from Harbor Freight had very poor quality fabric, didn’t last very long. 

Don't buy the 7.5 mil vinyl (shown).  Buy the 14.0 and up mil vinyl...the green or grey ones.

[1912Staver]

13 minutes ago, dship said:

Yes, it does in my experience.  The tubing is 11/4 in galvie steel.  It's not light stuff.

The newer ones I tried were much lighter than that. The old ones were as you say. Here when it snows it often turns to rain . 5 or 6 inches of snow then a downpour . Often overnight when you are sleeping. Not a good thing to wake up to. The snow turns to a big sponge and before you know it you have 1/2 a ton of weight on the structure. Folds up like cheese. The old ones would take it. 

Edited August 29, 2023 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[trimacar]

Thanks for all the comments, seems like, duh, build quality is the major factor…

[John_S_in_Penna]

A buyer could test the tubular frame by

hanging 4000 lbs. from it.  Distributing

80 fifty-pound sandbags should do it--

or do it in!

 

That's only 20 pounds per square foot--

the maximum snow that Virginia might ever see,

or a typical season's biggest snow for the Northeast.

Farther north than Virginia, a building is designed

for 30 or 40 pounds of snow per square foot, and

a safety factor is applied on top of that.

 

Edited August 29, 2023 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[playswithbrass]

They use them in Montreal. They are called Gatineau garages. So there must be a brand that will survive a Montreal winter.

[Bryan G]

I've handled numerous insurance claims caused by portable garage/carport failure. I think only one was snow-inflicted. The rest were all from poorly-anchored structures that landed on top of a vehicle. Amazing how much monetary damage can be done to something like a late model F-series by a flying pile of vinyl and aluminum.

[classic_cruiser]

I have one of the older Shelter Logic round top 12 x 10 x 20 portable garages, and it’s had quite a bit of snow on it many times, survived many winters here in PA.  The round top makes most of the snow slide right off.  You definitely have to use the corkscrew anchors to prevent the wind from moving it.  The covering has to be kept tight too.

 

As for the garage is the original post, seems to me like it’s designed to be easily flipped open or closed.  I wonder how that pivot is anchored, and if the open end can be secured so wind can’t simply blow it right open again.

[californiamilleghia]

22 hours ago, 1912Staver said:

The newer they are the thinner the tubing gets. The ones from about 10 years ago were quite strong. The new ones are very weak. Any larger snow load will crush them. Waste of money if you live in an area with snow

The better ones were from Costco , they had 4 legs on each side and the cover was much thicker than the cheap ones , 

Not sure what they sell now , I ordered a new top on the Costco website  a few months ago.

[JayG]

My city has an ordinance forbidding the use of these.   Probably because too many blow around in the wind. 

[Billy Kingsley]

The next street over from me a guy has a large mobile home camper in one. It's been there for probably 15 years or more and has survived 20+ inches of snow falling on it in one storm, I think 25 or so inches possibly...I can't remember what our high was in that time. 

Don't know what brand it is or if the fact that it's for a camper would make any difference, but it has survived unscathed and has maintained it's integrity. It does have moss growing on it. 

[TAKerry]

The original folding garage seems interesting and I am sure it has its uses and limitations. I would never use one as a substitute for a real structure. Maybe whilst traveling for a show and having to park your car in a hotel parking lot, or at a friends house. But that seems like a lot of extra baggage to tag along. I have a big oak tree in front of my garage. Certain times of the year I dont even like to pull my cars out of the garage to sweep, maybe one of these would come in handy😜 In regards to the tent like structures, theres a guy down the road that has one which is about 2 stories tall. He has a lift inside of it and uses it as a improvised car shop! It has been there for several years now. Next time I go by I will try to snap a pic.

[Angelfish]

Haven't we seen a rash of Buicks coming out of collapsed garages?  And now we have a picture of a Buick parked in a collapsible garage, seems like tempting fate if you ask me. 

[dship]

21 hours ago, Angelfish said:

Haven't we seen a rash of Buicks coming out of collapsed garages?  And now we have a picture of a Buick parked in a collapsible garage, seems like tempting fate if you ask me. 

That igloo has been withstanding winters for over 10 years without any issues what so ever.

Edited September 1, 2023 by dship (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

On 8/29/2023 at 1:54 PM, Buffalowed Bill said:

It seems to me to be a poor compromise for a metal carport. I have seen too many fabric, portable, garages give it up to the powers of nature to see it as a long term solution, initial cost and codes notwithstanding. I'd be checking the manufacturers warranty, if any. I bet the warranty would give you a good idea of how long you can expect it to last.

It isn't a long term solution. It is a temporary solution. If you put one up properly and broom off the snow it can last for years but still, it is basically a tent.

No doubt a metal car port is better and a really good, insulated garage is better still but look at the difference in cost and convenience.