Protect your car, truck or boat from the elements even when you don’t have enough space or budget for building a garage by exploring these inexpensive alternatives.
While choosing the type of garage to build is a homeowner’s dilemma, not everyone has enough space or budget for one. Still, you need a designated area to keep your car out of the weather and other elements while maintaining the aesthetics for the front of your home.
Your alternatives to garages range from permanent structures that aren’t as expensive to covers that are lightweight and portable so you can store it in your car’s trunk and whip it out to use wherever you may be.
Table of Contents
1. Sheds
A shed is going to be one of the first garage alternatives that will spring to mind for most people. You may even already have a shed of some sort on your property now. Garages are typically used for many different purposes. Some people use garages to store their vehicles, but other people use them for storage and as a place to keep their tools.
If you are one of the millions of people who want to use a garage for storage, then a shed is going to work out nicely for you. A shed may not be large enough to accommodate a car, but it will be perfect for storing your lawnmower, gardening tools, and various other items. It shouldn’t be difficult at all to build a little shed and you can even buy ones that are already made. You should go with whatever is going to be the easiest solution for you.
2. Carports
If your reason for wishing that you had a garage is that your car needs to be protected, then you should know that there are options available to you. One of the most common things that people do to protect their cars is to build a carport. This is going to take a little bit of know-how on your part, but building a carport really isn’t too difficult. This is basically a spot with a little roof that you can park your car under.
3. Car Covers
If you want to protect your car in a way that is much simpler than building a carport, then you could look into car covers. Car covers are a great way to keep your car from getting harmed by the elements. When you arrive home from work, you can simply cover your parked car with the cover. This will keep it from getting rained on and will also protect it from snow and ice.
This isn’t a perfect solution, of course. You can’t cover the undercarriage of your car, so wintry environments will still impact parts of your vehicle. It is still much better than nothing at all, though. Many of the best car covers can even prevent your paint from dulling by providing UV protection.
People who really care about their cars will definitely want to purchase car covers. Sometimes people even use this method in conjunction with a carport just to be on the safe side. It can keep your car from getting scuffed or otherwise damaged while it is parked. It may not be as effective as being able to park it in a garage, but it is something beneficial to consider.
4. Awnings
An awning is going to be able to keep your car from getting rained on and from having snowfall on top of it. It really works very similarly to the carport that is mentioned above. The difference between a carport and an awning is that an awning is generally going to be attached to the house. It is a part of a house that extends outwards to provide shade and protection.
Most people who have awnings on their home will have them placed over the top of a patio area or a deck. It isn’t really as typical to see an awning placed over the driveway. This doesn’t mean that you can’t make use of this method, it just means that it may not be as common. If you want to build an awning and your driveway comes up close enough to your home to make this a practical option, then it is something to consider. You should be able to build an awning or you can buy one and have it installed where you need it.
5. Telescoping Tents
Telescoping tents are actually going to act pretty much the same as the awning mentioned above. The difference is that this is a portable version of it that is somewhat easier to use. When you need to cover your car up, you can use the telescoping tent to help keep it safe. It won’t take too long to set the tent up and you will be able to rely on it in a pinch.
People even take these telescoping tents out with them when they are traveling. It is an easy way to protect your car when a heavy rain suddenly appears. You’ll be able to take quick action and you can ensure that your car stays in the best shape possible.
