Amazon Red Ground Anchors: amzn.to/3Mb9hDe Harbor Freight 12X20 Portable Garage: www.harborfreight.com/12-ft-x-20-ft-trucksuv-portable-garage-58741.html Soft Straps: www.harborfreight.com/soft-loop-tie-down-straps-4-pack-64040.html Light fixtures: www.harborfreight.com/5500-lumen-4-ft-linkable-led-hanging-shop-light-59506.html Home Depot Soft Straps: www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-18-in-x-1-1-4-in-Soft-Loop-Strap-1-Pack-FH1084T/312994390 Home Depot Ratchet Straps: www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-16-ft-1-25-in-Ratchet-Tie-Down-Straps-with-S-Hook-4-Pack-FH0836E/312994393 (the price was cheaper at my local store than it's showing on the website) As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
@@vanhalenou8124 The pipe in my kit is also 1 1/2 pipe, too according to the instruction manual..... 1 1/4 EMT conduit actually measures 1.510 inches OD.... 1 1/4 EMT conduit works perfectly with the tubing in the harbor Freight 12X20 Garage kit. If the tent garage you bought from Harbor Freight looks just like the one in my video (which was just purchased roughly 2 months ago) then 1 1/4" emt conduit and connectors should work just fine with your 1 1/2 inch tubing that comes in the kit. You posted two different comments in two different places in this comment section so I will make sure to reply to both or you comments to make sure you see my reply. Thank for the question and enjoy the new storage garage. 🙂
I have the same shelter, up for many years now, with no straps at all and no connector pipe across the end openings at ground level. Just some spikes to hold it down. No issues at all.
Well, this is a fairly new model from Harbor Freight so yours is probably very similar but probably not exactly the same. Regardless, I get what you're saying. How many feet of snow do you get every year? Thanks for the comment.
My Harbor freight garage tent was up for 25 years with no issues and only the kit pieces, no extra bracing, in WV with wind/snow/derechio. Just disassembled and moved it to PA
As we watched your video, my wife was commenting that you and I think a lot alike!😂 Adding stability to these structures just makes sense! The pipes and spikes will definitely be a factor in keeping the investment going! Ratchet straps are not expensive while adding resistance to the wind trying to loosen the frame! Well done! Newly subbed, looking forward to seeing more great ideas!
Good idea on the 10 ft post. I used a screw in anchors with screw off tops. Instead of tie down straps, I used tie down cable, with two cable fastener. I also, used a large trap on top of the upper tubes, under the cover. Mine has been up three years and survived Florida summer storms up to Hurricanes winds. I used pallets for floors.
Mine has survived several Hurricanes, but there is a lot to do for it to live, I have had about 12 of these and only 2 survived anything that bad, only one survive Ian direct hit 155 miles per hour, not kidding it was actually was standing with the skin intact, WoW! his method is generally good, but will NEVER EVER survive a direct hit
Your video and tips and tricks sold this idea to me. My partner and I just bought a house. No garage yet. However I have a lot of things that needs to be covered. Thank you
@@SlipFitGarageI’m Not sure yet. It’s about 4 hours south on some property we bought. Neighbor sent pictures. It’s in the woods. I bought everything in your video today. Thank you. We’re headed down this weekend
Awesome tips!! Especially the 1.25 OD pipe for the back door. I've done this on two of these 12x20 garages along with your strap recommendations and I feel way better about them both staying in place and not being taken out in a wind storms or winter snow. Thanks for the video!
Great idea for adding the pipe to the ends. Time to add your mod before winter get here! I used treated 2x6 on the ground and screwed my side leg holders to that ,then bought the cable style earth anchors. With the wind we have here the legs would start to dig into the ground.
Thank you. Yep, I decided to leave my portable garage up all year so now we're going into the second winter with it. It's been solid as a rock for the past year and still holding strong. It's been through a few good snow storms last winter and now a bunch of thunderstorms (with high winds) this spring/summer and it hasn't moved one bit. My modifications have paid off... so far anyway. Good luck with strengthening your portable garage. You'll get!
Nice!!! Thumbs up! One thing... get solar lights, put solar panels on top of the portable garage & sneak the wires in to the lights .even a motion one for when you first walk in..
I already put up 2 cheap LED light fixtures (as shown in video) that are powered by 120 volts. The nearest outdoor electrical outlet is only about 25 feet from the portable garage. With a cheap extension cord from HF, I'm al set for lighting. Thanks for the suggestion ,and thanks for the comment.
I use this same portable garage for a tractor "shed" - I've been strapping the frame to the tractor to help anchor it - seems to help keep things in place.
Excellent hangar reinforcement and instructional video! The resulting rigidity may prevent destructive flapping of the cover during winds. The cover is attached to the frame using pockets around the base tubes and stretched using cinching ratchets, but its surface can’t be secured directly to the frame to reduce billowing and flapping by using thru-connectors attached to the frame. That would result in leaking and create stress points which propagate tears. I use the solution adopted by some greenhouse hoop house growers which is to tie ropes from the base on one side over the top to the base on the other. They can be a combination of straight across above each roof frame member and tied in an x configuration. It requires no penetrations but limits flapping of the cover. The method has long been used to secure the animal hide covers on Mongolian yurts and the teepees of Arctic herdsmen in extreme conditions.
Great idea!! I just put up the 17ft Harbor fright portable garage to store my boat, mover and a few other things. I am going to do this to it real soon before the heavy snow comes! I was also told by a good friend to put a couple straps from end to end on each side to help with snow load on the roof.
More straps certainly can't hurt.... Keep in mind, the 12 x 20 tent from HF (like mine) the entire top ridge pole is bolted together at every joint so it can't pull apart.... but I do not believe that is the case with the 17 footer. If I'm not mistaken, the top ridge pole on the 17 foot model is only friction fit, (no bolts) then it's all held together by the tent canvas being pulled tight. I saw lots of guys using self tapping screws to hold the top ridge pole together on the 17 foot model.... which isn't necessary on the 20 footer. Thanks for the comment!
I just got one of these, and here in the high desert, 50+mph winds average, I may not have to worry about snow so much as the thing blowing away. Maybe the extra anchor ideas will help, ultimately the plan is to do the corrugated siding semi permanent building mod. But until then my portable shed becoming a UFO is a real possibility, thanks for the ideas.
Thank you for making this video to help out people like me. I really appreciate all of the information you shared and will be making these same improvements when I setup my portable garage this weekend.
Excellent job.... thank you for the insight on the conduit and emt couplers. i went ahead and used 3/4 inch self tappers on all of the joints. Thanks again.
Thank you! This particular tent garage kit has several "through bolts" holding together the top tubing frame pieces. The walls are "slip fit" but the roof structure has through bolts. I know some of the other (smaller) HF tent garage kits do NOT have through bolts and putting together the frame is a major PIA, especially if you're doing it yourself. I did see a video or two where the guys used self tappers to hold the frame together and I think that is an excellent idea. In fact. if this kit didn't have through bolts, then I would've also use self tappers. The conduit across the ends of the tent REALLY helped strengthen the end walls and all four corners of the tent. In my opinion, it made a big difference. Thank you for the comment!
loved you upgrade , my 10 x 17 is toast from the storm the other day ,, and a 30 foot tree fell on my 16 foot boat , and another , the other part fell on it also like someone had a crain and rigger set it in place ,, 70 mile an hour gusts here in lew me,
Beautifully done sir, with the adjustments that you've done with the extra pipes and straps to reinforce conveninced me to purchase the carport. I might add mesh to the outer top portion to help extend the lift of the tarp. Much appreciated!!!
Thank you! Yes, I have heard that covering the original canvas cover with an additional tarp of some sort will greatly lengthen the life of the canvas cover. Apparently it's the UV light from the sun that really kills the canvas. Anything that stops UV light will be beneficial. You mentioned a mesh tarp.... I suspect the mesh will let UV light through. I would recommend a solid plastic tarp. Harbor Freight sells a 12 X 20 extra heavy duty tarp that is black on one side, and silver on the other... and it's fairly thick. (for a tarp, anyway) I believe that tarp would fit the "roof" portion of the carport perfectly and help make the original canvas last a long time. Thanks for the comment.
Yes, it was a lot of work.... but I'd rather set-up -one of these tent garages once every week in the summer, than deal with several feet of snow and rock hard ice on the odd occasion that I would need my truck during the winter. lolol.
Congrats! You are one of the Few I have seen that actually took the time to attempt serious modification to increase the Strength and longevity of the Portable Garage. It actually Rivals mine - LOL I did my Garage Prior(several years) to the introduction of the 12x20, it's the yellow 10x17. I built a Deck of leveled 4"x4"s holding industrial Pallets(Super-duty Pallets) covered with CDX and painted. The Garage frame anchors to the Decking as well as having the supplies Anchors secured at all 4 corners. I also use an X pattern from straps to keep the twist out of the sides. *This unit has survived several storms with 70MPH+ wind gust, Hail and 1ft.+ of Snow accumulation. The *Problem* I have, and I don't know if the 12x20 will suffer this, is there is actually NO UV protection with these cheap units.*ZERO* in direct sunlight they can fail in a year or less, and mine did. The only alternative solution i have found to purchasing new covers at almost the cost of a replacement Garage is to Cover the unit with an additional Tarp. I use the 15x20 H.F. Silver tarps and a paracord weave to the 4"x4"s along the sides. The Tarps last about 1yr., but it is $25(sale price) vs. $200 annually. ***I need a second storage unit for my small Tractor with Loader, attachments and Riding mower to get space back in my work shop. I'm considering an Arrow 12x20 Carport and Soft enclosure kit instead. At least I know the Frame and Metal Roofing will stand up to high winds and Snow loads and if the Side kit fails to soon I can always extend the metal paneling to the ground later.
Thanks. I seriously considered adding a second HF tarp over the top of the tent garage. I even ordered MORE screw in ground anchors so I would have something to attach the outer trap to with a paracord weave (like you mentioned). I don't have a wooden base so I have nothing to attach the "outer" tarp to, and all the other ground anchors are INSIDE the garage. But, after the addition ground anchors arrived, I decided to draw the line and stop with the modifications. However, I did cut-in two vents, one on each gable end to allow fresh (dry) are in, and moist air out. Along with two small electric fans at one gable end connected to a daily timer to help move the air through the tent. They are set to run from about 1pm to 5pm, daily This has cured the moisture problem that I was having inside the tent garage. Previous to the vents and fans, the inside of the garage tent canvas would be completely saturated with condensation on the inside of the roof. One tap of my hand to the roof canvas and the water droplets fell like rain on this inside of the tent. It's perfectly dry now... Maybe I should go get another tarp and put on a second layer before the snow finally hits next week???? When does it end? lolol.
@@SlipFitGarage Not sure what is on sale right now. The Vents were a smart move with the tent on the ground. All of the moisture is from wicking.(think Fog) The only other option that works is a Full Tarp Floor to block the moisture, but that would get destroyed in short order. Mine stays dry since I did the Deck and its about 9" above the ground with wide front ramp. As for a Second Tarp, you could use the Anchors to secure Fence top Rail and lace the paracord around the pipe. It wouldn't be very bulky and can sit right along the tent edge. *I'd Prefer 2'-3' rebar with a hook bent on one end to grab the Pipe.(never ending projects - LOL)
There's two houses near me that have these. They both were up for many many years. I keep telling myself to get one of these, since they lasted all those years.
The one in this video made it through the winter just fine.... although, we had a very mild winter. Either way, the portable garage tent was well worth the money, to me anyway. Thanks for the comment.
I just bought a house with only a shed in the backyard. I just put this one together this weekend. We just had a pretty nasty storm roll threw and this thing took it like it was nothing. I should have bought it months ago.
Great upgrades! I live in the Upper Midwest & our winters are BRUTAL (normally) but although its mild now, it WILL change soon.. this is excellent prepwork... with the howling winds I get, this would survive a winter without collapsing. If youre parking your truck in there & have power, might be smart to keep a battery maintainer on to compensate for parasitic drain. Harbor Freight should hire you as a product consultant...or at least a sponsor... Home Depot got some free plugs too. Lol
Well so how it holds up. I have nightmares about a huge snowstorm that drops enough snow over night to completely collapse the tent by the time I wake up. I have visions of my truck being covered in a pile of twisted metal tubing, tangled straps, and shredded tent canvas. lolol. Fingers crossed.
Great info as I currently have all the pieces laid out on the ground ready to assemble! You gave some great advice and will help me secure the garage on my lawn here in South Florida. Cheers!
I'm glad my video helped.... I hope you made it OK through the recent storms down there in Florida? One thing that I did after this video was made is... I installed two gable end-wall air vents. These tent garages are fairly air tight and the humidity level inside the tent garage was incredible. The condensed moisture turned into rain drops on the ceiling. I would get soaking wet with water when I walked inside and just barely touched the inside of the tent.... all the water drops would fall from the ceiling like rain. Once I installed the two gable end wall vents.... with small computer-sized exhaust fans on one of the vents to help draw air through the tent (on a daily timer, about 3 hours every afternoon) the moisture problem completely went away, 100% gone. See my Facebook post about the vents here: facebook.com/share/p/aQbs2t1VJwj14QFZ/ Thanks for the comment and good luck with your tent garage build!
I had the smaller yellow one up for 3 years and didn't do it as well as you did. It went through countless storms before it broke enough that I had to take it down. It was worth every penny. If you fasten it down like this I have no daught it will last even longer. The only thing to watch out for is if its directly in the sun the cover will go bad in a season or so. Mine was under a lot of trees and only the front cover was in the sun. It was getting brittle fairly quickly.
Yep, I've heard UV light kills the canvas cover. I will probably put the HF 12x20 extreme duty tarp over it this spring to help protect the original canvas. The tarp I'm thinking of is $40 bucks and it has two sided color.... black or silver. I think the black side out will be fine against the original dark green cover. Thanks for your comment.
It's a fairly new item for HF (new last year if I'm not mistaken) so maybe it's an all new design from the manufacturer? Not sure. Thanks for the comment.
In my experience, RAM trucks are fairly tall..... My 2006 GMC is a very "low" truck in my opinion and it BARELY fits through the door opening. Be sure to do some measuring before you buy (if you haven't already) this portable tent garage to be sure it's tall enough for your truck. Thanks for the comment.
I have a Shelterlogic garage and put pvc conduit at the bottom of the doors. The conduit kept working it's way out of the sleeve so I Drilled holes through the pipe and fabric a few inches from the end and ran zipties through them. Now they stay put.
Nice job looks great you could have bought a shelter logic garage in a box and not have to do all the additional supports with the straps, The shelter logic garage in a box will shed the snow All by itself without assistance
Yes, I could have.... but if I'm not mistaken, the Garage In A Box (I looked at them) is much taller than the 12X20 from harbor Freight..... my city doesn't allow this type of structure so I'm trying to run "under the radar" with this tent until spring time. Also, I didn't HAVE to reinforce the structure with extra straps, I chose to do that for good measure. If I lived in an area where the city/county didn't have any say (or care) what I do, then I would've already had an actual building built in the backyard. This tent is a solution to a temporary problem. If it lives for the next 4 months, then it did it's job. It can go in the garbage at that point if it needs to. Thanks for the comment.
I think I'm just going to weld mine together, maybe add a little cross-bracing so it can support the weight of a large woodland animal hanging from the roof
@@SlipFitGarage I also plan on sheathing it with old barn tin. Do you think I should put the tin on the inside and the tarp on the outside like it's supposed to be, or just tin the outside and use the tarp for something else?
I'm trying to put my garage kit up today, but can't drive those darn 27" ground anchors more than ~10" dep before hitting stone and refusing to go any further, even with my Milwaukee Fuel mid-torque impact wrench. I think will try shorter anchors and just use more of them along with the spikes you talked about.
I can understand the trouble you're having. Fortunately for me, I live with very sandy soil and those large screw anchors drove easily for me. If you're running into hard ground or rock, you'll have to make adjustments. Sounds like you've already got a plan...
if you pull the strap through the hole in the hook, you can wrap that strap around whatever and then over the hook - works well. no need for buying those loop things (7:57) from husky or hd.
Yes, I know. There are many ways to connect the straps to the framing. This is how I chose to do it. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm sure some viewers will use this method.
I saw that suggestion when I setup my garage tent but the thought of having a sheet of plastic on the floor really didn't really sit well with me. I could only imagine that sheet of plastic moving around when driving vehicles or equipment in/out and it constantly being out of place, an being all wrinkled up everywhere. It might be just fine but it seemed like a headache to me. I added two air vents with an exhaust fan and it's bone dry in my garage tent..... and I don't have to deal with a plastic floor. To each his own. Thanks for the comments.
you did looks great. thanks for the tips. I have a 10*17 and i am wondering if i should leave the bottoms loose to let some air blow in and out. maybe it is designed to the air doesn't get trapped and rip the thing apart... idk. and the back of mine really blows outwards like a sail pretty bad esp when the front door is opened. I was wondering if a little fence up against it would help out. Any advice how to keep the front door a little more ridged?
I'm not sure what your 10x17 kit comes with.... but the 12x20 comes with enough tubing to slide through the sewn pocket along the bottom edge of ONE end door. That's great to keep ONE door more rigid, but what about the other door? Well, I used a 10 foot piece of 1" EMT electrical conduit to slide through the pocket on the bottom edge of the other door. This way both of my doors have a piece of metal tubing along the bottom edge to help keep the door more rigid. And just to be clear, not only am I using 1 1/4" EMT conduit to hold the "end frames" together, (shown in the video)but I am ALSO using 1" EMT conduit along the bottom edge of the other canvas door panel. EMT conduit is fairly cheap, fairly strong, and fairly easy to get. It's also galvanized so it resists rust. Using EMT conduit to strengthen the door panels is my suggestion. Thanks for the question.
The electrical conduit that I used was 1 1/4". Electrical conduit (EMT) is measured differently from standard tubing. the 1 1/4" conduit that I used was the exact same diameter as the frame tubing that comes with the tent garage kits from HF.... Even though they claim the tubing that comes with the tent kits is 1 1/2". If you buy 1 1/4" EMT electrical conduit it will be the same diameter as the tubing in the tent kit. Go back in the video to the 1:19 mark, you'll see the electrical conduit EMT couplers that I used, and they box that they came in from the shelf of home depot. You'll see the label on the box is 1 1/4". I hope this information helps. Thanks for the question.
It will be fine. This is basically a tent, not a permanent structure. (even if you plan to use it long term) There is so much flex in the pipe joints and canvas material that you would have to screw up REALLY bad before it just won't work at all. My advice is.... TRY to do the best job you can but if it's not perfectly level in all directions, you'll still be just fine. That's my $0.02.
I'm not sure if it's possible to prevent from getting underneath any "tent" that doesn't have a floor. Maybe buy a separate tarp big enough to cover the entire "floor" space with enough material material around the edges to run up the sidewalls all the way around the inside of the tent. Water could still run UNDER the floor tarp, but it wouldn't get inside the tent. Just a thought...
It's like 6.5 feet. (roughly) My little 1/2 ton GMC (a fairly short truck) barely drives through the door opening. In fact, I think the roof of my truck touches as I drive in/out. Your Raptor is probably too tall. If I have time later, and if I remember, I will throw up a tape measure to get an actual measurement. But either way, I know a Ford raptor is taller than my truck so it probably wont fit. Thanks.
Question for you, I like the idea of putting a pipe at the front and back of the tent, but what happens to the front pipe? Are you just driving over it whenever you pull into the tent?
Yep, I just drive right over it. My truck has no problem driving over the pipe. In fact, I don't even really feel it. It's 1 1/4" tubing. (1.25 inch) I can drive over curbs that are 6-8 inches tall with no problem. That little pipe is nothing for my truck. Thanks for the question.
@@SlipFitGarage I'm not so much worried about the truck as I worry about the tent, lol Like, I know the truck can make it over, but it doesn't damage the tent having that weight on the pipe or anything? I'm just picturing it sinking into the ground or something, I suppose.
@@PrincePolaris I see what you're asking... No, that pipe barely moves when I drive over it, and it is strong enough that the weight of the truck does not smash the pipe. (electrical conduit, EMT) Of course my tent is setup on a grassy surface with 100% sandy soil below the grass, which basically acts as a big cushion. It's possible someone else may have problems on a different surface but I doubt it. The entire tent frame is held together by "slip joints" so it has a LOT of forgiveness built into the design. In fact, without the added extra straps (like I installed in this video) the tent frame can wiggle back and forth probable 6 - 8 inches in any direction. It's pretty sloppy. It gets a little bit stiffer once the canvas cover has been installed but it's still wobbly. It would require a major catastrophe to damage the tent frame as a result from driving over the bottom pipe. If it really bothered someone, they could just remove that pipe while driving in and out..... and then put it back in. To each his own.... Thanks again.
I like your structural enhancements. Fortunately, we don’t deal with snow down here. Just heat/UV and wind. I secure a 20 mil CORE tarp over mine and it helps the canopy last for a long time and I only have to replace the CORE tarp. Going on the 5th year with my “Big Bird” 10x17. Hope the 12x20 performs equally as well. I used asphalt millings for my floor.
Because that is where the anchor straps attach. How would the anchors do me any good outside the tent? There's no place to hook the straps on the outside... Thanks for the question.
@@dixieamerican1051 Feel free to tie down your tent however you like. My system of anchoring down the tent is FAR better in my opinion than those thin cables that come with the kit. Not to mention, my tie down straps are actually ratcheted tight. How do you install those cheap cables AND make them tight at the same time? You can't. Those included cables are an after thought, at best. They are absolutely NOT the best way to anchor a tent. It was the cheapest anchor solution the manufacturer could include with the kit, not the best solution. The title of my video explain it all. These are MY tips, tricks, improvements, and reinforcements. You certainly do not have to agree with them.
Yep.... I know HF doesn't actually make this product but I wasn't sure if ShelterLogic made this item, or if it is made by someone else. It seems to me there are a few differences between THIS 12x20, and the ShelterLogic 12x20 that tell me they are not the same. I could be wrong..... Thanks for the comment.
The pipe in my kit is also 1 1/2 pipe, too according to the instruction manual..... 1 1/4 EMT conduit actually measures 1.510 inches OD.... 1 1/4 EMT conduit works perfectly with the tubing in the harbor Freight 12X20 Garage kit. If the tent garage you bought from Harbor Freight looks just like the one in my video (which was just purchased roughly 2 months ago) then 1 1/4" emt conduit and connectors should work just fine with your 1 1/2 inch tubing that comes in the kit. You posted two different comments in two different places in this comment section so I will make sure to reply to both or you comments to make sure you see my reply. Thank for the question and enjoy the new storage garage. 🙂
Have coupled 10'x20' Costco carports on concrete slap, tie down with concrete anchors.Don't need anything for support or reinforcement. Steel frame last forever but the fabric only three years and not much more, side and door panels maybe 5 years. Hard to find panels for top sides or front/back. All five panels will lightly cost more thant the whole thing.
Do you get much snow where you live? How many inches or feet of snow has your portage garage tent held up without extra supports? I'm just curious because there are MANY videos where people either talk about and/or show destroyed portable tent garages as a result of snow load. I think the extra supports are worth it.... especially in heavy snow areas. Your mileage may vary. Thanks for the comment.
@@SlipFitGarage No snow in Bay Area (inland gets hot), CA. We have days of 105 degrees or more, UV breaking down the fabric plus occasional wind storms rip it apart. Plus rain sits on top of the canopy doesn’t help either. I don't buy anything with fabric now if needed more than a few years. Ultimately will convert to hard surfaces or replace with wooden storage sheds.
@@kimchee94112 Right.... I understand UV light from the sun kills the canvas/fabric. I was replying to your comment about NOT needing extra support.... Maybe not where you live.... but when there is an extra 3000 to 4000 pounds (potentially) of snow on the roof, any extra support that one can provide can be very helpful in keeping the metal frame from twisting like a pretzel. Imagine parking an entire car on the roof of your canvas portable garage tent? Then tell me extra support in not necessary. lolol. Snow can be VERY heavy. (depending on water content)
I'm confused by what you say at 1:15. You're talking about tube size and saying it's inch and a half O.D. but then you show a picture of inch and a quarter couplers. This doesn't make sense to me.
The tubing ACTUALLY measures 1.5 inch..... But the electrical couplers are sized differently. They don't use the ACTUAL size on the label. The 1 1/4 inch electrical couplers fit perfectly on tubing that ACTUALLY measures 1 1/2 inches. Just like the 1 1/4" EMT electrical conduit actually measures 1 1/2". It's confusing, I know.... and I agree.
I don't know. I have never seen the other stuff in person. I hear people talk about how this material is not very UV resistant and it lasts MUCH longer if you cover it with another tarp.
We tried doing this setting up the door we are confused if the pipes get fed thru the flaps or wrapped around with the string then tightened at the bottom corners? Confused on these instructions
Only the "bottom" of the end-walls, the part that actually touches the ground, about 6-8 inches worth on each side, has the pipe fed THROUGH it. See the picture I posted at the 3:30 mark of this video. The flaps on the "sides" and "top" of the end-wall panels get wrapped AROUND the pipe.
(Update) , ehh I might use those old belts I have in my truck first vs. the tie down straps from HF. I just have to tie them down right lol .. good video btw, nice! I just got this but the 10 by 17 one. Supposed to be putting it up tomorrow. Here's the thing, I brought these HEAVY pallets from work right in hopes of doing what ANOTHER guy did with these units. reinforcing them. but see I'm not experienced like him with wood and all that but I'm willing to try. Anyway, I see the ratchet straps maybe easier to install. Thing is I'm scared I'm going to do it wrong lol. So basically the ratchet straps are attached to the pole of the unit and directly to the ground anchor only right? OR ratchet strap to the upper poles and down to the lower poles. I'm guessing BOTH. But see I don't really trust those anchors UNLESS they go DEEP DEEP in the ground, the ones they come with look short compared to ones I googled lol. And see I don't have an AUGER machine? And def not trying to pay for one. All my money I intended to spend went on the shed! I have the HUSKY 500lbs anchors though. I don't plan on putting my vehicle under it though so I should be good. I'm going to watch this again and pause to see where to put these straps at for MAXIMUM results of not getting swept off the ground like the movie UP from Disney ..
Hi, it held up very well through the entire winter and spring, and now into summer. The canvas on my portable garage is still in good condition but I can tell that some of the "shine" has gone away so that proves to me UV light does slowly deteriorate the canvas cover. As others have mentioned, a secondary sacrificial tarp stretched over the canvas that comes with the portable garage would greatly help extend the life of the original cover. Anything to prevent strong UV light from the sun shining on the canvas cover will lengthen it's life. Mine is still good, but in another year or so, it would probably be time for another new cover. With all the strength improvements that I have made, it hasn't moved one bit. It is rock solid and it has survived some fairly strong wind storms . We had a very light winter this past year, but I have no doubt that it would survive one of our "normal" winters, too. My need for this portable garage has now ended, and I plan to take it down sometime in the next month or so. But I will keep it in storage and I will gladly use it again, if ever needed. No regrets here....
Absolutely... Bring it over! Now that you mention it, this would probably make a good temporary paint booth. If you cut a few holes for exhaust fans, etc... it would probably be perfect for that. I just need a parking spot for my truck this winter. I don't care if the truck sits outside all winter but I don't want it to be a frozen block of ice when I suddenly need to use it. I want to be able to flip my battery switch on, fire it up and drive away. I don't need to F around for an hour just trying to get the frozen driver's door open. lolol. I just got annoyed thinking about this coming winter while typing this reply. lol. I constantly ask myself why I still live in this state. One of these days......
Did you watch my video? I have included two photos (starting at the 3:27 mark) of the door panels being installed. Are you missing the instruction manual? I thought the instructions were fairly clear. What exactly are you having trouble with?
@@jtluvunc Only the "bottom" of the "door panels" go THROUGH holes, the side and top of the end panels wrap AROUND the pipe. See the pictures I posted in my video starting at 3:27. I hope that makes sense.
It's not very tall. The roof of my 1/2 ton GMC pickup truck rubs on the top of the door opening when I drive in or out. You can tell the tent garage is not 12 feet high just by looking at pictures.... The structure IS 12 feet wide at the base and it's not nearly as tall, as it is wide. I just looked and the specs on the HF website show this tent being 8' 2" tall. (to the peak) Thanks.
Okay, the update is.... I put this portable tent garage up last fall (I call it a tent) to park my pickup truck in for the winter with the intention of taking it back down this spring once the weather was nice. However, I decided I liked having the extra space in my main garage (now that I sold one of my cars) and since none of my neighbors or the city have complained about it I think I'm going to leave it up for another winter. The tent itself has held up very well. It has survived several high wind storms this spring/summer along with a mild winter. The tent today is exactly how it looked in this video which was recorded last fall when I originally set it up. It's still in perfect condition. However, I did add two vents, one on each gable end, with a set of powered fans. The little fans are on a timer that allows them to run for about 3 hours every afternoon. When I originally set up the tent, I had a moisture problem inside from the humidity in the air, and the moisture in the ground. The tent ceiling inside was always very wet and if you just tapped the canvas ceiling, the water droplets would fall from the canvas and it was just like rain inside the tent. Once Installed the two vents and fans, it's been nice and dry inside ever since. I did post a picture of the vent that I installed on the Slip Fit Garage facebook page last fall. This is a link to that picture: facebook.com/share/p/7UzxdbGZdUiRcgoT/ That's about all of can think of for an update. Thanks for asking.
From the looks of those 'battened hatches', your not Sailing any time soon. *Nice Rig!* Envying tallent just makes One Hungry, *Thanks for Feast.* lacking engineering brain cell, wonder what rig i'd create.
Okay, then don't. These were modifications that I did to MY portable tent garage and I don't own a "heavy tractor". However, I do own a full size pickup truck and the steel EMT conduit holds up perfectly with the weight of my full size truck. If the modifications that I made for ME, do not work for YOU, then don't do them. Easy.
Amazon Red Ground Anchors:
amzn.to/3Mb9hDe
Harbor Freight 12X20 Portable Garage:
www.harborfreight.com/12-ft-x-20-ft-trucksuv-portable-garage-58741.html
Soft Straps:
www.harborfreight.com/soft-loop-tie-down-straps-4-pack-64040.html
Light fixtures:
www.harborfreight.com/5500-lumen-4-ft-linkable-led-hanging-shop-light-59506.html
Home Depot Soft Straps:
www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-18-in-x-1-1-4-in-Soft-Loop-Strap-1-Pack-FH1084T/312994390
Home Depot Ratchet Straps:
www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-16-ft-1-25-in-Ratchet-Tie-Down-Straps-with-S-Hook-4-Pack-FH0836E/312994393
(the price was cheaper at my local store than it's showing on the website)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
it was just bought maybe they upgraded the pipe since your video ,thoughts?
@@vanhalenou8124 The pipe in my kit is also 1 1/2 pipe, too according to the instruction manual..... 1 1/4 EMT conduit actually measures 1.510 inches OD.... 1 1/4 EMT conduit works perfectly with the tubing in the harbor Freight 12X20 Garage kit. If the tent garage you bought from Harbor Freight looks just like the one in my video (which was just purchased roughly 2 months ago) then 1 1/4" emt conduit and connectors should work just fine with your 1 1/2 inch tubing that comes in the kit. You posted two different comments in two different places in this comment section so I will make sure to reply to both or you comments to make sure you see my reply. Thank for the question and enjoy the new storage garage. 🙂
I have the same shelter, up for many years now, with no straps at all and no connector pipe across the end openings at ground level. Just some spikes to hold it down. No issues at all.
Well, this is a fairly new model from Harbor Freight so yours is probably very similar but probably not exactly the same. Regardless, I get what you're saying. How many feet of snow do you get every year? Thanks for the comment.
How do I fasten the ends and sides
I can't imagine wasting the time to buy something like this if you have to make all those modifications. Definitely not for me.
Just wondering on your total cost and time,,would it been cheaper to stored in permanent storage unit
My Harbor freight garage tent was up for 25 years with no issues and only the kit pieces, no extra bracing, in WV with wind/snow/derechio. Just disassembled and moved it to PA
As we watched your video, my wife was commenting that you and I think a lot alike!😂 Adding stability to these structures just makes sense! The pipes and spikes will definitely be a factor in keeping the investment going! Ratchet straps are not expensive while adding resistance to the wind trying to loosen the frame! Well done! Newly subbed, looking forward to seeing more great ideas!
Smart minds think alike! Thank you to both of you for the nice comment!
Good idea on the 10 ft post. I used a screw in anchors with screw off tops. Instead of tie down straps, I used tie down cable, with two cable fastener. I also, used a large trap on top of the upper tubes, under the cover. Mine has been up three years and survived Florida summer storms up to Hurricanes winds. I used pallets for floors.
Thanks for the comment!
Mine has survived several Hurricanes, but there is a lot to do for it to live, I have had about 12 of these and only 2 survived anything that bad, only one survive Ian direct hit 155 miles per hour, not kidding it was actually was standing with the skin intact, WoW! his method is generally good, but will NEVER EVER survive a direct hit
Your video and tips and tricks sold this idea to me. My partner and I just bought a house. No garage yet. However I have a lot of things that needs to be covered. Thank you
That's great the hear. I hope some of my ideas can help you with your portable garage set-up. Thanks for the nice comment!
Ours WENT FLYING last weekend. Very smart doing all this.
That sucks! Sorry to hear that... Was it a total loss?
@@SlipFitGarageI’m
Not sure yet. It’s about 4 hours south on some property we bought. Neighbor sent pictures. It’s in the woods. I bought everything in your video today. Thank you. We’re headed down this weekend
I hope you were able to salvage your portable tent garage. Sorry I did not reply sooner. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.
Awesome tips!! Especially the 1.25 OD pipe for the back door. I've done this on two of these 12x20 garages along with your strap recommendations and I feel way better about them both staying in place and not being taken out in a wind storms or winter snow. Thanks for the video!
That's great to hear. Thanks for the nice comment!
I will second this comment. Very informative, and well explained. Thank you sir.
@@greggb1416 Thank you! 🙂
Great idea for adding the pipe to the ends. Time to add your mod before winter get here! I used treated 2x6 on the ground and screwed my side leg holders to that ,then bought the cable style earth anchors. With the wind we have here the legs would start to dig into the ground.
Thank you. Yep, I decided to leave my portable garage up all year so now we're going into the second winter with it. It's been solid as a rock for the past year and still holding strong. It's been through a few good snow storms last winter and now a bunch of thunderstorms (with high winds) this spring/summer and it hasn't moved one bit. My modifications have paid off... so far anyway. Good luck with strengthening your portable garage. You'll get!
Nice!!! Thumbs up! One thing... get solar lights, put solar panels on top of the portable garage & sneak the wires in to the lights .even a motion one for when you first walk in..
I already put up 2 cheap LED light fixtures (as shown in video) that are powered by 120 volts. The nearest outdoor electrical outlet is only about 25 feet from the portable garage. With a cheap extension cord from HF, I'm al set for lighting. Thanks for the suggestion ,and thanks for the comment.
I use this same portable garage for a tractor "shed" - I've been strapping the frame to the tractor to help anchor it - seems to help keep things in place.
Excellent hangar reinforcement and instructional video! The resulting rigidity may prevent destructive flapping of the cover during winds. The cover is attached to the frame using pockets around the base tubes and stretched using cinching ratchets, but its surface can’t be secured directly to the frame to reduce billowing and flapping by using thru-connectors attached to the frame. That would result in leaking and create stress points which propagate tears. I use the solution adopted by some greenhouse hoop house growers which is to tie ropes from the base on one side over the top to the base on the other. They can be a combination of straight across above each roof frame member and tied in an x configuration. It requires no penetrations but limits flapping of the cover. The method has long been used to secure the animal hide covers on Mongolian yurts and the teepees of Arctic herdsmen in extreme conditions.
Thank you. Great information.
Great idea!! I just put up the 17ft Harbor fright portable garage to store my boat, mover and a few other things. I am going to do this to it real soon before the heavy snow comes! I was also told by a good friend to put a couple straps from end to end on each side to help with snow load on the roof.
More straps certainly can't hurt.... Keep in mind, the 12 x 20 tent from HF (like mine) the entire top ridge pole is bolted together at every joint so it can't pull apart.... but I do not believe that is the case with the 17 footer. If I'm not mistaken, the top ridge pole on the 17 foot model is only friction fit, (no bolts) then it's all held together by the tent canvas being pulled tight. I saw lots of guys using self tapping screws to hold the top ridge pole together on the 17 foot model.... which isn't necessary on the 20 footer. Thanks for the comment!
Good job Sir, modified much better than stock.
Thank you, Sir. I do appreciate the comment!
I just got one of these, and here in the high desert, 50+mph winds average,
I may not have to worry about snow so much as the thing blowing away.
Maybe the extra anchor ideas will help, ultimately the plan is to do the corrugated siding semi permanent building mod.
But until then my portable shed becoming a UFO is a real possibility, thanks for the ideas.
Thank you for making this video to help out people like me. I really appreciate all of the information you shared and will be making these same improvements when I setup my portable garage this weekend.
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent job.... thank you for the insight on the conduit and emt couplers. i went ahead and used 3/4 inch self tappers on all of the joints. Thanks again.
Thank you! This particular tent garage kit has several "through bolts" holding together the top tubing frame pieces. The walls are "slip fit" but the roof structure has through bolts. I know some of the other (smaller) HF tent garage kits do NOT have through bolts and putting together the frame is a major PIA, especially if you're doing it yourself. I did see a video or two where the guys used self tappers to hold the frame together and I think that is an excellent idea. In fact. if this kit didn't have through bolts, then I would've also use self tappers. The conduit across the ends of the tent REALLY helped strengthen the end walls and all four corners of the tent. In my opinion, it made a big difference. Thank you for the comment!
loved you upgrade , my 10 x 17 is toast from the storm the other day ,, and a 30 foot tree fell on my 16 foot boat , and another , the other part fell on it also like someone had a crain and rigger set it in place ,, 70 mile an hour gusts here in lew me,
Beautifully done sir, with the adjustments that you've done with the extra pipes and straps to reinforce conveninced me to purchase the carport. I might add mesh to the outer top portion to help extend the lift of the tarp. Much appreciated!!!
Thank you! Yes, I have heard that covering the original canvas cover with an additional tarp of some sort will greatly lengthen the life of the canvas cover. Apparently it's the UV light from the sun that really kills the canvas. Anything that stops UV light will be beneficial. You mentioned a mesh tarp.... I suspect the mesh will let UV light through. I would recommend a solid plastic tarp. Harbor Freight sells a 12 X 20 extra heavy duty tarp that is black on one side, and silver on the other... and it's fairly thick. (for a tarp, anyway) I believe that tarp would fit the "roof" portion of the carport perfectly and help make the original canvas last a long time. Thanks for the comment.
Looks good and sturdy
It's held up very well. Thanks.
Dang, a LOT of work for a temporary Winter shelter !
Yes, it was a lot of work.... but I'd rather set-up -one of these tent garages once every week in the summer, than deal with several feet of snow and rock hard ice on the odd occasion that I would need my truck during the winter. lolol.
For alot of us this won't be temporary we would use this long term
Congrats!
You are one of the Few I have seen that actually took the time to attempt serious modification to increase the Strength and longevity of the Portable Garage. It actually Rivals mine - LOL
I did my Garage Prior(several years) to the introduction of the 12x20, it's the yellow 10x17. I built a Deck of leveled 4"x4"s holding industrial Pallets(Super-duty Pallets) covered with CDX and painted. The Garage frame anchors to the Decking as well as having the supplies Anchors secured at all 4 corners. I also use an X pattern from straps to keep the twist out of the sides.
*This unit has survived several storms with 70MPH+ wind gust, Hail and 1ft.+ of Snow accumulation.
The *Problem* I have, and I don't know if the 12x20 will suffer this, is there is actually NO UV protection with these cheap units.*ZERO* in direct sunlight they can fail in a year or less, and mine did.
The only alternative solution i have found to purchasing new covers at almost the cost of a replacement Garage is to Cover the unit with an additional Tarp. I use the 15x20 H.F. Silver tarps and a paracord weave to the 4"x4"s along the sides. The Tarps last about 1yr., but it is $25(sale price) vs. $200 annually.
***I need a second storage unit for my small Tractor with Loader, attachments and Riding mower to get space back in my work shop. I'm considering an Arrow 12x20 Carport and Soft enclosure kit instead. At least I know the Frame and Metal Roofing will stand up to high winds and Snow loads and if the Side kit fails to soon I can always extend the metal paneling to the ground later.
Thanks. I seriously considered adding a second HF tarp over the top of the tent garage. I even ordered MORE screw in ground anchors so I would have something to attach the outer trap to with a paracord weave (like you mentioned). I don't have a wooden base so I have nothing to attach the "outer" tarp to, and all the other ground anchors are INSIDE the garage. But, after the addition ground anchors arrived, I decided to draw the line and stop with the modifications. However, I did cut-in two vents, one on each gable end to allow fresh (dry) are in, and moist air out. Along with two small electric fans at one gable end connected to a daily timer to help move the air through the tent. They are set to run from about 1pm to 5pm, daily This has cured the moisture problem that I was having inside the tent garage. Previous to the vents and fans, the inside of the garage tent canvas would be completely saturated with condensation on the inside of the roof. One tap of my hand to the roof canvas and the water droplets fell like rain on this inside of the tent. It's perfectly dry now... Maybe I should go get another tarp and put on a second layer before the snow finally hits next week???? When does it end? lolol.
@@SlipFitGarage Not sure what is on sale right now.
The Vents were a smart move with the tent on the ground. All of the moisture is from wicking.(think Fog) The only other option that works is a Full Tarp Floor to block the moisture, but that would get destroyed in short order.
Mine stays dry since I did the Deck and its about 9" above the ground with wide front ramp.
As for a Second Tarp, you could use the Anchors to secure Fence top Rail and lace the paracord around the pipe. It wouldn't be very bulky and can sit right along the tent edge.
*I'd Prefer 2'-3' rebar with a hook bent on one end to grab the Pipe.(never ending projects - LOL)
There's two houses near me that have these. They both were up for many many years. I keep telling myself to get one of these, since they lasted all those years.
The one in this video made it through the winter just fine.... although, we had a very mild winter. Either way, the portable garage tent was well worth the money, to me anyway. Thanks for the comment.
I just bought a house with only a shed in the backyard. I just put this one together this weekend. We just had a pretty nasty storm roll threw and this thing took it like it was nothing. I should have bought it months ago.
Great upgrades! I live in the Upper Midwest & our winters are BRUTAL (normally) but although its mild now, it WILL change soon.. this is excellent prepwork... with the howling winds I get, this would survive a winter without collapsing. If youre parking your truck in there & have power, might be smart to keep a battery maintainer on to compensate for parasitic drain. Harbor Freight should hire you as a product consultant...or at least a sponsor... Home Depot got some free plugs too. Lol
Well so how it holds up. I have nightmares about a huge snowstorm that drops enough snow over night to completely collapse the tent by the time I wake up. I have visions of my truck being covered in a pile of twisted metal tubing, tangled straps, and shredded tent canvas. lolol. Fingers crossed.
Great info as I currently have all the pieces laid out on the ground ready to assemble! You gave some great advice and will help me secure the garage on my lawn here in South Florida. Cheers!
I'm glad my video helped.... I hope you made it OK through the recent storms down there in Florida? One thing that I did after this video was made is... I installed two gable end-wall air vents. These tent garages are fairly air tight and the humidity level inside the tent garage was incredible. The condensed moisture turned into rain drops on the ceiling. I would get soaking wet with water when I walked inside and just barely touched the inside of the tent.... all the water drops would fall from the ceiling like rain. Once I installed the two gable end wall vents.... with small computer-sized exhaust fans on one of the vents to help draw air through the tent (on a daily timer, about 3 hours every afternoon) the moisture problem completely went away, 100% gone. See my Facebook post about the vents here:
facebook.com/share/p/aQbs2t1VJwj14QFZ/
Thanks for the comment and good luck with your tent garage build!
I added a ratchet strap from top to side in the roof to stop roof from bowing from snow weight
I had the smaller yellow one up for 3 years and didn't do it as well as you did. It went through countless storms before it broke enough that I had to take it down. It was worth every penny. If you fasten it down like this I have no daught it will last even longer. The only thing to watch out for is if its directly in the sun the cover will go bad in a season or so. Mine was under a lot of trees and only the front cover was in the sun. It was getting brittle fairly quickly.
Yep, I've heard UV light kills the canvas cover. I will probably put the HF 12x20 extreme duty tarp over it this spring to help protect the original canvas. The tarp I'm thinking of is $40 bucks and it has two sided color.... black or silver. I think the black side out will be fine against the original dark green cover. Thanks for your comment.
That harbor freight shelter looks to have a few upgrades over most shelter logic ones
It's a fairly new item for HF (new last year if I'm not mistaken) so maybe it's an all new design from the manufacturer? Not sure. Thanks for the comment.
That's for the tips. Not all heros wear capes
Thanks!
Great tips.
Thanks! I hope they help.
Great information here 👍🏻 ill be using this for my RAM in the winter in Iowa
In my experience, RAM trucks are fairly tall..... My 2006 GMC is a very "low" truck in my opinion and it BARELY fits through the door opening. Be sure to do some measuring before you buy (if you haven't already) this portable tent garage to be sure it's tall enough for your truck. Thanks for the comment.
I have a Shelterlogic garage and put pvc conduit at the bottom of the doors. The conduit kept working it's way out of the sleeve so I Drilled holes through the pipe and fabric a few inches from the end and ran zipties through them. Now they stay put.
Good idea. Thanks for the suggestion!
I used 3 foot j hook rebar for anchor pins
That should hold it in place!
Nice job looks great you could have bought a shelter logic garage in a box and not have to do all the additional supports with the straps, The shelter logic garage in a box will shed the snow All by itself without assistance
Yes, I could have.... but if I'm not mistaken, the Garage In A Box (I looked at them) is much taller than the 12X20 from harbor Freight..... my city doesn't allow this type of structure so I'm trying to run "under the radar" with this tent until spring time. Also, I didn't HAVE to reinforce the structure with extra straps, I chose to do that for good measure. If I lived in an area where the city/county didn't have any say (or care) what I do, then I would've already had an actual building built in the backyard. This tent is a solution to a temporary problem. If it lives for the next 4 months, then it did it's job. It can go in the garbage at that point if it needs to. Thanks for the comment.
Very informative video thanks
Glad it was helpful!
You are the Man for this great explanation!!! Much appreciated Sir🙏‼️🌟
Very helpful! Much appreciated
Thank you! I'm glad you found the video helpful.
I think I'm just going to weld mine together, maybe add a little cross-bracing so it can support the weight of a large woodland animal hanging from the roof
Perfect! If you have the ability to weld it together, then I'd say to go for it.
@@SlipFitGarage I also plan on sheathing it with old barn tin. Do you think I should put the tin on the inside and the tarp on the outside like it's supposed to be, or just tin the outside and use the tarp for something else?
I'm trying to put my garage kit up today, but can't drive those darn 27" ground anchors more than ~10" dep before hitting stone and refusing to go any further, even with my Milwaukee Fuel mid-torque impact wrench. I think will try shorter anchors and just use more of them along with the spikes you talked about.
I can understand the trouble you're having. Fortunately for me, I live with very sandy soil and those large screw anchors drove easily for me. If you're running into hard ground or rock, you'll have to make adjustments. Sounds like you've already got a plan...
if you pull the strap through the hole in the hook, you can wrap that strap around whatever and then over the hook - works well. no need for buying those loop things (7:57) from husky or hd.
Yes, I know. There are many ways to connect the straps to the framing. This is how I chose to do it. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm sure some viewers will use this method.
Superb!!
Great, great job!!
Thank you!
I will be adding a sheet of plastic / water proof tarp over the bottom to stop moisture from coming up from the ground.
I saw that suggestion when I setup my garage tent but the thought of having a sheet of plastic on the floor really didn't really sit well with me. I could only imagine that sheet of plastic moving around when driving vehicles or equipment in/out and it constantly being out of place, an being all wrinkled up everywhere. It might be just fine but it seemed like a headache to me. I added two air vents with an exhaust fan and it's bone dry in my garage tent..... and I don't have to deal with a plastic floor. To each his own. Thanks for the comments.
Awesome love it 🌟🙌🙏‼️
Thank you
Nice video.
Thank you!
you did looks great. thanks for the tips. I have a 10*17 and i am wondering if i should leave the bottoms loose to let some air blow in and out. maybe it is designed to the air doesn't get trapped and rip the thing apart... idk. and the back of mine really blows outwards like a sail pretty bad esp when the front door is opened. I was wondering if a little fence up against it would help out. Any advice how to keep the front door a little more ridged?
I'm not sure what your 10x17 kit comes with.... but the 12x20 comes with enough tubing to slide through the sewn pocket along the bottom edge of ONE end door. That's great to keep ONE door more rigid, but what about the other door? Well, I used a 10 foot piece of 1" EMT electrical conduit to slide through the pocket on the bottom edge of the other door. This way both of my doors have a piece of metal tubing along the bottom edge to help keep the door more rigid. And just to be clear, not only am I using 1 1/4" EMT conduit to hold the "end frames" together, (shown in the video)but I am ALSO using 1" EMT conduit along the bottom edge of the other canvas door panel. EMT conduit is fairly cheap, fairly strong, and fairly easy to get. It's also galvanized so it resists rust. Using EMT conduit to strengthen the door panels is my suggestion. Thanks for the question.
Good stuff. Thanks for sharing.
You're Welcome. Thanks for the comment.
Do the sides open? I am just asking as I would like to take the actual fabric part off if we have a hurricane coming. Thanks for the great video.
I may have missed it, but what diameter conduit did you use for the 10' segments in each opening?
The electrical conduit that I used was 1 1/4". Electrical conduit (EMT) is measured differently from standard tubing. the 1 1/4" conduit that I used was the exact same diameter as the frame tubing that comes with the tent garage kits from HF.... Even though they claim the tubing that comes with the tent kits is 1 1/2". If you buy 1 1/4" EMT electrical conduit it will be the same diameter as the tubing in the tent kit. Go back in the video to the 1:19 mark, you'll see the electrical conduit EMT couplers that I used, and they box that they came in from the shelf of home depot. You'll see the label on the box is 1 1/4". I hope this information helps. Thanks for the question.
How is it holding up!
What if the ground is at a bit of a grade slope, but at least square side to side? Do you think it'll be a problem erecting this on a slight grade?
It will be fine. This is basically a tent, not a permanent structure. (even if you plan to use it long term) There is so much flex in the pipe joints and canvas material that you would have to screw up REALLY bad before it just won't work at all. My advice is.... TRY to do the best job you can but if it's not perfectly level in all directions, you'll still be just fine. That's my $0.02.
@@SlipFitGarage Thank you! I have to deal with a lot of snow as well. But usually I'll be nearby to brush it off.
What would you recommend for stopping any water from getting underneath?
I'm not sure if it's possible to prevent from getting underneath any "tent" that doesn't have a floor. Maybe buy a separate tarp big enough to cover the entire "floor" space with enough material material around the edges to run up the sidewalls all the way around the inside of the tent. Water could still run UNDER the floor tarp, but it wouldn't get inside the tent. Just a thought...
What's the opening height? Got a raptor I'm trying to put in there 😵💫
It's like 6.5 feet. (roughly) My little 1/2 ton GMC (a fairly short truck) barely drives through the door opening. In fact, I think the roof of my truck touches as I drive in/out. Your Raptor is probably too tall. If I have time later, and if I remember, I will throw up a tape measure to get an actual measurement. But either way, I know a Ford raptor is taller than my truck so it probably wont fit. Thanks.
@@SlipFitGarage ahhh crap, dang it's cause I don't wanna buy the metal ones they are over priced imo 😵 ok mines stock so it's 6.5 ft tall
@@SlipFitGarage any luck?
Question for you, I like the idea of putting a pipe at the front and back of the tent, but what happens to the front pipe? Are you just driving over it whenever you pull into the tent?
Yep, I just drive right over it. My truck has no problem driving over the pipe. In fact, I don't even really feel it. It's 1 1/4" tubing. (1.25 inch) I can drive over curbs that are 6-8 inches tall with no problem. That little pipe is nothing for my truck. Thanks for the question.
@@SlipFitGarage I'm not so much worried about the truck as I worry about the tent, lol
Like, I know the truck can make it over, but it doesn't damage the tent having that weight on the pipe or anything?
I'm just picturing it sinking into the ground or something, I suppose.
@@PrincePolaris
I see what you're asking... No, that pipe barely moves when I drive over it, and it is strong enough that the weight of the truck does not smash the pipe. (electrical conduit, EMT) Of course my tent is setup on a grassy surface with 100% sandy soil below the grass, which basically acts as a big cushion. It's possible someone else may have problems on a different surface but I doubt it. The entire tent frame is held together by "slip joints" so it has a LOT of forgiveness built into the design. In fact, without the added extra straps (like I installed in this video) the tent frame can wiggle back and forth probable 6 - 8 inches in any direction. It's pretty sloppy. It gets a little bit stiffer once the canvas cover has been installed but it's still wobbly. It would require a major catastrophe to damage the tent frame as a result from driving over the bottom pipe. If it really bothered someone, they could just remove that pipe while driving in and out..... and then put it back in. To each his own.... Thanks again.
I like your structural enhancements. Fortunately, we don’t deal with snow down here. Just heat/UV and wind. I secure a 20 mil CORE tarp over mine and it helps the canopy last for a long time and I only have to replace the CORE tarp. Going on the 5th year with my “Big Bird” 10x17. Hope the 12x20 performs equally as well. I used asphalt millings for my floor.
I had to buy a new top and it sags when it rains. What can I do to make the rain fall off
Can you ratchet the the straps tighter? That should pull the canvas top tighter to help prevent sags.
out of curiosity why did you put the anchors inside ?
Because that is where the anchor straps attach. How would the anchors do me any good outside the tent? There's no place to hook the straps on the outside... Thanks for the question.
@SlipFitGarage that's what the cables that come with it are for
@@dixieamerican1051 Feel free to tie down your tent however you like. My system of anchoring down the tent is FAR better in my opinion than those thin cables that come with the kit. Not to mention, my tie down straps are actually ratcheted tight. How do you install those cheap cables AND make them tight at the same time? You can't. Those included cables are an after thought, at best. They are absolutely NOT the best way to anchor a tent. It was the cheapest anchor solution the manufacturer could include with the kit, not the best solution. The title of my video explain it all. These are MY tips, tricks, improvements, and reinforcements. You certainly do not have to agree with them.
Use flat bar
That’s a nice trip tube
Feel free to do yours however you see fit.
@@SlipFitGarage just saying lol
@@Mr.SuperDuper-idk
Yep, me too. lol
@@SlipFitGarage hope you don’t trip and SLIPfit your face in 💩. Just saying
😇
Solid!
Thank you!
Sold under the name shelter logic alot of places
Yep.... I know HF doesn't actually make this product but I wasn't sure if ShelterLogic made this item, or if it is made by someone else. It seems to me there are a few differences between THIS 12x20, and the ShelterLogic 12x20 that tell me they are not the same. I could be wrong..... Thanks for the comment.
totally different
great ideas but mine is 1 1/2 inch pipe od
The pipe in my kit is also 1 1/2 pipe, too according to the instruction manual..... 1 1/4 EMT conduit actually measures 1.510 inches OD.... 1 1/4 EMT conduit works perfectly with the tubing in the harbor Freight 12X20 Garage kit. If the tent garage you bought from Harbor Freight looks just like the one in my video (which was just purchased roughly 2 months ago) then 1 1/4" emt conduit and connectors should work just fine with your 1 1/2 inch tubing that comes in the kit. You posted two different comments in two different places in this comment section so I will make sure to reply to both or you comments to make sure you see my reply. Thank for the question and enjoy the new storage garage. 🙂
THANKS
@@SlipFitGarage
So do you drive over the bottom pipe at the door?
Yes. My truck drives right over that pipe. I barely even feel it.
@@SlipFitGarage well yeah I get that, but doesn't it crush and bend it?
@open_minded_1
Nope. Not yet anyway. Of course my tent garage is setup in grass with sandy soil. Hard pavement may give different results...
Have coupled 10'x20' Costco carports on concrete slap, tie down with concrete anchors.Don't need anything for support or reinforcement. Steel frame last forever but the fabric only three years and not much more, side and door panels maybe 5 years. Hard to find panels for top sides or front/back. All five panels will lightly cost more thant the whole thing.
Do you get much snow where you live? How many inches or feet of snow has your portage garage tent held up without extra supports? I'm just curious because there are MANY videos where people either talk about and/or show destroyed portable tent garages as a result of snow load. I think the extra supports are worth it.... especially in heavy snow areas. Your mileage may vary. Thanks for the comment.
@@SlipFitGarage
No snow in Bay Area (inland gets hot), CA. We have days of 105 degrees or more, UV breaking down the fabric plus occasional wind storms rip it apart. Plus rain sits on top of the canopy doesn’t help either. I don't buy anything with fabric now if needed more than a few years. Ultimately will convert to hard surfaces or replace with wooden storage sheds.
@@kimchee94112 Right.... I understand UV light from the sun kills the canvas/fabric. I was replying to your comment about NOT needing extra support.... Maybe not where you live.... but when there is an extra 3000 to 4000 pounds (potentially) of snow on the roof, any extra support that one can provide can be very helpful in keeping the metal frame from twisting like a pretzel. Imagine parking an entire car on the roof of your canvas portable garage tent? Then tell me extra support in not necessary. lolol. Snow can be VERY heavy. (depending on water content)
I'm confused by what you say at 1:15. You're talking about tube size and saying it's inch and a half O.D. but then you show a picture of inch and a quarter couplers. This doesn't make sense to me.
The tubing ACTUALLY measures 1.5 inch..... But the electrical couplers are sized differently. They don't use the ACTUAL size on the label. The 1 1/4 inch electrical couplers fit perfectly on tubing that ACTUALLY measures 1 1/2 inches. Just like the 1 1/4" EMT electrical conduit actually measures 1 1/2". It's confusing, I know.... and I agree.
@@SlipFitGarage Thank you very much for clearing that up. MUCH appreciated!
Do you know if this 12x20 shelter material is same stuff as the 10x17? I know its diff color but is it stronger, thicker, more uv resistant?
I don't know. I have never seen the other stuff in person. I hear people talk about how this material is not very UV resistant and it lasts MUCH longer if you cover it with another tarp.
We tried doing this setting up the door we are confused if the pipes get fed thru the flaps or wrapped around with the string then tightened at the bottom corners? Confused on these instructions
Only the "bottom" of the end-walls, the part that actually touches the ground, about 6-8 inches worth on each side, has the pipe fed THROUGH it. See the picture I posted at the 3:30 mark of this video. The flaps on the "sides" and "top" of the end-wall panels get wrapped AROUND the pipe.
(Update) , ehh I might use those old belts I have in my truck first vs. the tie down straps from HF. I just have to tie them down right lol .. good video btw, nice!
I just got this but the 10 by 17 one. Supposed to be putting it up tomorrow. Here's the thing, I brought these HEAVY pallets from work right in hopes of doing what ANOTHER guy did with these units. reinforcing them. but see I'm not experienced like him with wood and all that but I'm willing to try.
Anyway, I see the ratchet straps maybe easier to install. Thing is I'm scared I'm going to do it wrong lol. So basically the ratchet straps are attached to the pole of the unit and directly to the ground anchor only right? OR ratchet strap to the upper poles and down to the lower poles. I'm guessing BOTH. But see I don't really trust those anchors UNLESS they go DEEP DEEP in the ground, the ones they come with look short compared to ones I googled lol.
And see I don't have an AUGER machine? And def not trying to pay for one. All my money I intended to spend went on the shed! I have the HUSKY 500lbs anchors though. I don't plan on putting my vehicle under it though so I should be good. I'm going to watch this again and pause to see where to put these straps at for MAXIMUM results of not getting swept off the ground like the movie UP from Disney ..
My first one got swept up, lol. I just got the 10x17 yesterday. Trying to find better way and this video has been the best I have watched so far.
How's this holding up?
Hi, it held up very well through the entire winter and spring, and now into summer. The canvas on my portable garage is still in good condition but I can tell that some of the "shine" has gone away so that proves to me UV light does slowly deteriorate the canvas cover. As others have mentioned, a secondary sacrificial tarp stretched over the canvas that comes with the portable garage would greatly help extend the life of the original cover. Anything to prevent strong UV light from the sun shining on the canvas cover will lengthen it's life. Mine is still good, but in another year or so, it would probably be time for another new cover. With all the strength improvements that I have made, it hasn't moved one bit. It is rock solid and it has survived some fairly strong wind storms . We had a very light winter this past year, but I have no doubt that it would survive one of our "normal" winters, too. My need for this portable garage has now ended, and I plan to take it down sometime in the next month or so. But I will keep it in storage and I will gladly use it again, if ever needed. No regrets here....
Now that's a nice garage, can I bring over my car and paint it in there? lol
-Chuck
Absolutely... Bring it over! Now that you mention it, this would probably make a good temporary paint booth. If you cut a few holes for exhaust fans, etc... it would probably be perfect for that. I just need a parking spot for my truck this winter. I don't care if the truck sits outside all winter but I don't want it to be a frozen block of ice when I suddenly need to use it. I want to be able to flip my battery switch on, fire it up and drive away. I don't need to F around for an hour just trying to get the frozen driver's door open. lolol. I just got annoyed thinking about this coming winter while typing this reply. lol. I constantly ask myself why I still live in this state. One of these days......
HOW DO YOU INSTALL THE “DOORS”?? I’m stuck on my installation …. There’s holes stopping the tubes from going through the tubes
Did you watch my video? I have included two photos (starting at the 3:27 mark) of the door panels being installed. Are you missing the instruction manual? I thought the instructions were fairly clear. What exactly are you having trouble with?
@@SlipFitGarage the pipes don’t go through the holes of the doors if that makes sense
@@jtluvunc Only the "bottom" of the "door panels" go THROUGH holes, the side and top of the end panels wrap AROUND the pipe. See the pictures I posted in my video starting at 3:27. I hope that makes sense.
This guy sounds just like JK Simmons
lol, I've heard that before...
How high is the door opening? The specs say the tent is 12' high, but doesn't tell me if the door opening is high enough to get my van in!
It's not very tall. The roof of my 1/2 ton GMC pickup truck rubs on the top of the door opening when I drive in or out. You can tell the tent garage is not 12 feet high just by looking at pictures.... The structure IS 12 feet wide at the base and it's not nearly as tall, as it is wide. I just looked and the specs on the HF website show this tent being 8' 2" tall. (to the peak) Thanks.
updates?
Okay, the update is.... I put this portable tent garage up last fall (I call it a tent) to park my pickup truck in for the winter with the intention of taking it back down this spring once the weather was nice. However, I decided I liked having the extra space in my main garage (now that I sold one of my cars) and since none of my neighbors or the city have complained about it I think I'm going to leave it up for another winter. The tent itself has held up very well. It has survived several high wind storms this spring/summer along with a mild winter. The tent today is exactly how it looked in this video which was recorded last fall when I originally set it up. It's still in perfect condition. However, I did add two vents, one on each gable end, with a set of powered fans. The little fans are on a timer that allows them to run for about 3 hours every afternoon. When I originally set up the tent, I had a moisture problem inside from the humidity in the air, and the moisture in the ground. The tent ceiling inside was always very wet and if you just tapped the canvas ceiling, the water droplets would fall from the canvas and it was just like rain inside the tent. Once Installed the two vents and fans, it's been nice and dry inside ever since. I did post a picture of the vent that I installed on the Slip Fit Garage facebook page last fall. This is a link to that picture: facebook.com/share/p/7UzxdbGZdUiRcgoT/ That's about all of can think of for an update. Thanks for asking.
👍
what size conduit
It's 1 1/4" conduit.....
From the looks of those 'battened hatches', your not Sailing any time soon. *Nice Rig!*
Envying tallent just makes One Hungry, *Thanks for Feast.* lacking engineering brain cell, wonder what rig i'd create.
Great Comment! Thank you very much!
That conduit pipe across the the bottom doorway-you can’t drive on it with a heavy tractor
Okay, then don't. These were modifications that I did to MY portable tent garage and I don't own a "heavy tractor". However, I do own a full size pickup truck and the steel EMT conduit holds up perfectly with the weight of my full size truck. If the modifications that I made for ME, do not work for YOU, then don't do them. Easy.
Thankfully they finally got away from that nasty yellow.
I agree.
Man way too much time to only use for the winter. Leave it up
I did leave it up for this summer. But it will come down next spring. thanks.