Old TH-cam before overt madness was so much better. When i search for videos like this, the results are all the same, none from small creators or giving truly useful advice. Thank you!
I did the same thing, but you made the video about it so everyone will know about it before the roof tears. You are saving millions of people millions of dollars, so I hope they appreciate that. - TAV ♥️🇺🇸🌎👍
Not really a tarp for 50 buck each year would be 500 bucks in 10 years when the tent cost less if you just replace it. Wash the green crap off of it and don't place things up against it that can tear the cover and your good for at least 5 years or even more, then go to harbor freight and buy another one for 150 bucks. Do the math, I paid 150 for mine, if I add $50 for ten years each year in 10 yrs time I paid $650, when all I need to do in 5 or more years is pay $150 or $175 to replace it? 10 years $300-325 is better then $650 which is double.
@@elementalpediaif one of these last you 5 years then I’d just replace it every 5 years but some people live where there’s 4 seasons with some brutal summers and winters so these don’t last but a year or two at the most before it starts to rip apart. Not sure how much the harbor freight shed cost but I just purchased a shed logic 10’x10’x8’ brand and I paid $260 at Menards. At the end of the day YMMV.
@@2ColdAC I used self-tapping screws, 3/4 to 1" long. Be sure to use the ones with washers. You have to make sure you hit the center of the pipe-it takes a little practice. It is also a good idea to have a helper and start from the top so the overlaps will face down-to keep out rain. I also used galvanized roof flashing on the seams-roof and wall edges.
I use plain old white polyelastomeric roofing material ($25/gal) painted on a standard heavy duty tarp (Costco, Home Depot). I now have five years on the same tarp with minimal signs of failing while an untreated tarp is now leaking. AND the white takes standard latex paint colors just fine so my tarp matches my house color making far less of an eyesore. I am sure the carport tarp would benefit equally well. (Yep, my secret is out).
Check the gallon container, it tells how many square feet it covers. So it depends on which size carport you have. Length of building times distance from ground on one side, over the top to ground on other side is square footage you need to cover. Buy extra gallon.
I saw someone take UV resistant silicone and acetone, mixed them together, and applied that to the canopy top. The acetone makes covering the material easier because it melts the silicone down into a liquid for easy application. I don't know how long that will last, but I'm going to try it.
Great fix to your shelter. Mine is less than a year old, but I intend to copy your idea. I’m also going to reinforce the “rafter” tubes by adding galvanized pipe leftover from chain link fence. This should make it stronger and hold the weight of snow until I can brush it off. Thanks for sharing your idea.
My father-in law has a "shed in a box" and after 4 years....he bought some Sun-Tuff panels and screwed them to 1x3 strapping that he applied horizontally to the frames! It works great!! and the snow slides off easily!!
Love this tutorial. We have two outdoor garages that advertised lasting 10 yrs, and as you know, UV makes that impossible! Excellent ideas here, THANKS!
"change it once a year"?!?! Wow don't know where you live but the strongest "UV resistant" plastic tarps we can get our hands on here in AZ are in shreds in 60 to 90 days tops. The best methodology I've found for making the plastic ones last is cover them with HF 9x12 canvas tarps (sewn together if necessary) and roller painted with cheap $60-70 white roof coating. The canvas resists the UV and the plastic resists the rain.
Been doing this for years on out spa cover. Was replacing them every two years. They are expensive. Finally, did this 5 years ago and have not had to replace the spa cover since. I also do this on my portable garage. I do not even use the old canvas as it degraded years ago. I just put one of these tarps up every year or so and it is just fine. Good video. Thanks.
Thank you! I just bought one of these today and I will take your advice. As soon as I can I'm buying me a tarp. I also like what you did on the inside.
Thank you for this video. I have a round top and it went through one southern Ontario winter and you can practically see through the top of of it. I will give this a try.
On facebook, I keep seeing ads for tarps that last ten years, guarnteed. LOL I'm planning to buy one and use it to cover a shed like yours. With my luck the company will sell a bunch of tarps then close up shop in two years so the warranty is worthless. But, I'm going to give it a try.
I learned this trick a few years back and it also works on those little chicken houses you buy at the supply stores. Keeps them dry from rotting and the sun. Here is south florida, NOTHING lasts 2 seasons in the sun. Now I have the chicken houses and canopy's that last years. Good tip!
Use a wet towel to remove excess, immediately wipe completely dry. Note: this product does not air dry. Extra buffing with a dry cloth increases bonding, repellency and longevity. "We recommend re-applying 303 Aerospace Protectant every 3-5 weeks for maximum UV protection." :/
We have a shelter logic up here in Alaska that has lasted over ten years. The biggest problem for us is snow load and we consistently remove the snow using a push broom from the inside. We don't get much wind up here in interior AK and not much UV for 6 months of winter, so that helps.
Nice, but I went one better. I bought a portable garage with the quonset hut style about 17 years ago. It is a 12" x 8' x 24' garage which came with the usual canvas material cover. After it was all set up, I bought seven (7) sheets of metal roofing 24' long x 3' wide and screwed the roofing over the canvas cover with self tapping metal screws on the metal rails of the garage. A garage this size takes 7 metal roofing sheets custom lengths from Home Depot. Screw 3 sheets on each side, and the last sheet over the top. To make a floor, I had some 2" x 11" x 12' boards and cut the boards to a size of 11' to make the wooden flooring. I did this about 17 years ago and the garage is still as sturdy as it was when I first did it. The canvas is still as good as it was when new.
@@victoriaalexander7532 - How do I do that? If you have an email address, I can send them to you, but other than that, I don't know how to post pictures here in TH-cam.
I bought metal sheets and had a friend screw it to the frame i did the roof frost added a roof metal cover in a v shape across the top Wrapped the walls with tarp I put lattice on the walls half way all-around added a door with PVC pipes. Iater I might add met walls all round . It strong sturdy water tight ..I used clear silicone caulking on the screws to seal the area
I recommend using a longer tarp. The ends should reach the ground and extend a few feet Cover the ends with cinder block. or you can wrap them into 4x4 s for tension.
Great video I’ve done this before for my father and I. I also beefed up the frame with 2 X 4 with plywood gussets. I was disappointed by the so called UV protected tarps lasting only a couple of years. Yes UV will burn the tarps and snow load will destroy the frame. Just got a new one that has pin holes all over already out of the box. so off I go to get some tarps for extra UV protection. I saw another video here where the guy added sheet metal. Even better. The next step up would be building a garage but much more $$$ now.
thanks man, appreciate this. I was looking for solutions cause my first one already RIPPED right down the whole side from the elements. Looking for a new one now but also looking to lengthen the life of it asap. Thanks!
Using Craigslist and mostly free stuff, I added 2/2 redwood purlins to my roof (attaching with steel U shaped 2 hole pipe strap to poles) and fiberglass corrugated roofing. That made a more permanent solution.
How interesting Carol. I have the 12x20' canopy and usually my silver tarps last a couple years at least, but my current tarp has ripped to shreads after 2 months of intense sun so I was considering the corrugated poly and wondered how much weight the frame could safely hold. Love to see pictures of your construction or a u tube link.
This is excellent Carlos. I have a spare frame and was thinking about turning it into a green house. After seeing you did the roof I am sure I could do the sides as well. Thamk You!
I did the same thing but used zip ties to attach the purlins to the metal pipes. I also diagonally braced the sides with 1 x 3s. I did the support fixes and the tarp hack after I lost original cover to a heavy snow fall. This year I am installing a 12mm tarp from Harbor Freight.
I will give you a thumbs up but I must say after spending 3 hours setting it up and bolting it down to 2 X 6's and weighting it down with railroad tracks on all 4 sides. That same night sometime after midnight it was lifted up by wind and hit the corner of my house damaging the gutter and ripping off my down spout. It landed in my front yard. Some of the metal poles where Bent and twisted. It start from my rear garage on the lower level and was semi protected by 4' tall 9 inch wide wing walls. What a waste of time and money. I should have used the lag bolts furnished but the Wife didn't want me to drill in the concrete, nor just let me put it in our 3 acre yard where I could have secured it tightly to the ground. WOMEN ! Now I'm just going to buy a $1500.00 installed metal carport. Oh well it was kinda fun putting it together. Although the instructions where lacking and confusing. Here today, gone tomorrow. 😎
Yep, the best solution is to pour cement footings in ground to bolt the tent feet onto...I have seen many of these tents upside down in fields after a wind storm. At the very least get extra of those corner spiral anchors and put them at each foot in stead of just the 4 corners.
I add grommets and then use ratchet straps or ropes to secure. Gorilla tape too. Tape over grommet is smart. I also drape a tarp on the inside for a defacto floor.
I do the same thing but also found silver tarps last longer then brown or dark green even if there the same weight! the darker colors just seam to absorb more uv.
Close to 20 years on mine. Winter shelter stored in shed for spring, summer and fall. Even so, fabric on 20 ft shelter has shrunk. Cut 4 inches off frame for better fit.
Your idea is good. Thanks. Already I'm getting small holes. Most are near the base due to two factors. One is metal inside rubbing on the inside of the garage (some stuff I had stored) and thereby making small holes. Another cause being the cover hitting on the garage frame pipe during winds (about 2-3 feet from ground level). That cover is very fragile but that's understandable due to the low price.
I've seen recommendations for vinyl tarps, which are supposed to last much longer. There is an interesting listing for billboard ads on eBay which are available for pretty reasonable price, 11 mil thickness, which I may look into. 12x24 for 26 + 21 shipping. Not sure how well it works, but I'm curious to see what random ad I might get. The seller asks that the ad side is placed down so it's not visible to respect the wishes of the former advertiser, but if it's a cool ad it may make my garage more interesting looking, lol
I ordered several of the billboard vinyls, over a year ago. They come in several different widths and lengths, and can be cut to size. I placed the black side out, long enough to have a foot on the ground on either side. And more than a year later, they’re doing very well. Cost to cover two of these harbor freight frames with the heavier vinyl… $75 plus shipping.
Excellent video, and I was reading last night that Blue is the most UV resistant color, so maybe a blue tarp would be good. On second thought, most blue tarps are the very light duty so unless they make a blue HD tarp a dark colored HD tarp would be best. Thanks for sharing.
The wood back makes it rigid and helps to keep it from moving in high wind. I may be doing another one so I will record. Sadly the wood sheeting now has tripled in cost here in Canada.....was $12 now $35
Excellent video sir !! I've been looking at getting a car shelter like this and now I'm confident my invest can be made to last ...by the way, love the shelves and racks you put in the last one you showed !!!
I used 2x3 fastened to the tubular frame then plywood with shingles for the roof....no cheap tarp or Mickey mouse tape....I live in Connecticut and holds the snow load...no more brushing off after snow storm.....wasn't cheap...
Should have watched this first. I seen reviews about how the top was weak and would start leaking etc. So I bought a 20x10' tarp to go with it. Obviously not big enough but will have to work for the first year. Hopefully
I bought mine at Costco’s over 20 years ago and it’s still up but it had Thicker pipes and I also put cement blocks on the sides that were heavy and then I wrapped them in the rope in the holes of the blocks and put dog Anchors in the ground put four or five ropes over the top and anchor on both sides Had some brake drums put them on the bottom of poles . We had fifty mile hour winds here and heavy snow one time we didnt get out their to snow rake it in time it damage some of the cross Pieces so then I had to put slats across the top to make it stronger wooden Slats
just courous as to how to fastened the wood to the rear to install your wall? Didyou make a video of that. Love the idea of the tarp over it. I am planning on doing the same with mine. Thanks for the great idea.
Self tapping metal screw through wood and into metal tubes. Then I connected sheets in center of shed with 2 x 4s that fastened to a post driven in ground on inside of shed
I spent $100 for 3 gallons of plasti dip and sprayed the while thing down. Now it's rubberized, and a lot thicker. Works and will make it last so much longer
My original is starting to rip and thin out. I am about to place a layer of flex seal paint on the original before I place a new regular tarp over it. I should of done this before.
Yes, good idea. They were too thick for me too use because the garage was already put together, I hadn't thought of doing this until I had garage up for a few weeks. I ended up using the noodles that you put around water lines/pipes to help keep them from freezing. Not as thick as pool noodles and cost less I think.
I put it on an old torn up flat roof that tar would never fix. This stuff is nice and rubbery when it dries. It is white and reflects UV rays. It is EASY to use also. It is soooo god I wouldn't even bother with a tarp. Just coat the actual shed material and you are good to go.
You can also make it last forever if you do like I did and bought the rolls of canvas measured amounts owed them together fitted it on top and then covered in cement so you have a cement canvas reels and then built the front with wood and put doors
Even easier - and more reliable way - to make these last for YEARS... just run a coat of outdoor latex paint over the factory cover with a paint roller. 100% UV protection and really lasts.
@@adriangutierrez9170 Any cheap exterior latex paint. Walmart, Lowe's, Home Depot, Menards. The same stuff you use to paint your house, she'd, etc. Just roll a quick coat of it on over your canopy tarp. I have done the same to a few normal tarps as well that had to cover a car or something important in the back yard for an extended period of time. Standard exterior-grade latex paint is UV rated and keeps the sun off your UV-sensitive tarp, essentially preserving it for as long as the coat of paint holds up. If you apply to a tarp when it is fresh and (most importantly) NEW, it will hold up easily for 5-7 years. Even longer if you keep up and be sure to re-coat the paint as needed.
Wish I had thought to do this before mine fell apart. I replaced the top with a new tarp but that didn’t work super well. I just ordered a new one. I think I’m gonna put corroborated metal on the old one
I have two of these things believe it or not going on thirty-five years old basically do the same thing except I use 16 or higher mil tarps that I get on eBay I use a company white duck tarps but there are other companies you can use and I guess it depends where you live but I get a good 5 to 8 years before I replace the heavy tarps that I put on the top I have not tried the gorilla tape but I will I use heavy duty black uv-treated ty-wraps made by Thomas & Betts they cost double the price of other brands but they're very strong they have steel in the middle and the 16 mil tarps are strong enough you can make a hole without even using grommets and when you pull the ty- wrap Tight it does not rip the tarp also sooner or later the zippers will fail need something custom like you did with wood with a window that looks nice or in my case since I'm a retired mechanic I made doors out of welding conduit piping with light gauge sheet metal pop riveted to the frame also for the snow load I use steel cables in between the spans for support I've had over two feet of snow just sitting on them without having to brush it off no problem sorry for the long comment I'm just trying to help people good luck
The OSB back wall really should be done before putting on original cover but can be done after by loosening the canvas to expose tubing. I placed the Osb against the end, 2 sheets side by side to start and then mark them to cut roof angle. I then drilled 1/4" holes and used carriage bolts to produce a smooth finish on the outside. I also used a wood preserver on the osb and after 8 years it is still solid. I did not add the wood to my original shelter until about 2 years in when I wanted it to be more solid.
This is great. I'm also thinking since these shelter frames are prone to collapsing under load from snow and ice I can probably use uv protection spray to help with it if you think your frame has gotten weak over time
Buy 12 foot metal roofs ...sheets add walls ...if your like screw them down.... Clear silicone the screws for leaks add a roof v joist across for the opening. Up where they meet. And add double doors too..screw poles to joints and if y got it on a cement floor L bracket anchoring them down
My question is, why spend the money on garage in the box if you’re only going to cover it up with a tarp? Why not save the money and get some PVC pipe and build a tarp structure
Why not just fit metal R panels to roof and sides? Run it with the length of the building, screw it to the tubing with roofing screws. It will last 30 or more years. Hint, install cross tubing to tie the gable bottoms together to form a truss. Attach the tie tubing to the bends at the top of the walls. Makes it extremely strong. Works great 👍
thanks man for making this vid.. even though it was a good while ago.. i'm dealing with the same issue. thought about putting a wood top on but this will solve my problem cheaply..
i put form n wrap each joint n corners so windy blows the tarp wont rub against the pipe joint n corner anymore also putin on chicken wired n tightin it then cover it ...this is for winter time test .
These Shelterlotic covers are crap. Within a few months we had small pinholes everywhere. Within a year and a half, the whole thing had collapsed. What garbage they are. This is a great idea - I should have done this. In our area, there are metal shelterlogic frames everywhere on people's properties, clearly victims of the wind and snow!
I wonder if it helps to use gorilla tape to reinforce the inside of the corners where the tubes wear out the tarp material? Seems like that would be a weak point
Yes I think it would help. The main trick I found is to not make the main cover really tight when assembled because when the hot sun hits it will tighten up a lot and potentially rip the friction points
This idea is not long serving. The tarps break down in the sun and last MAYBE 1 summer. Folks use them for emergency roof repairs after Hurricanes in Florida. And after 4-7 months in the sun they are already breaking down. There is NO way to preserve them that is longer lasting UNLESS you use APB metal on the roof and the sides. It also reinforces the structure against wind. other than that, tarps are a BAD IDEA for fixing the problem. Spend the 7-6-800 bucks and have someone make you pre-cut APB metal for 17 feet and your shed will last more than 5 years without much effort. Maybe a new coat of paint every 4-5 years and you are GOLDEN.
My Harbor Freight portable garage lasted less than 1 year! Pathetic, cheap, flimsy tarp material and FL's sun were the main factors. My fix was to remove the trashed top piece and replace it with a nice, strong 20' X 20' cloth tarp made of 12 oz. canvas from Amazon. With extra grommets and bungee cord, the whole thing cost me $200.
Thanks for the detailed video. At about 1:55 i see that you added some cables on the sides from corner to corner. Can you elaborate on this or maybe even provide another video describing your process? I'm about to build a 10 X 10 from H.F. and i'm hoping to do it in such a way that i don't need to worry about it blowing over in the rare wind storms that we experience.
Hi sorry for late reply, I will try to show a video on that. It does help as creating an "X" shape on the inside wall ensures it cannot rock from front to back. The other thing that keeps mine from blowing down in storms is that I make the back end solid with wood instead of the tarp. You also need to ensure your anchors are solid of course. Then best way is to pour concrete footings in at least the four corners and then bolt the feet on.
Unless the over-tarp is UV blocking, you haven't stopped UV penetration. Maybe reduced it *some*. Also, by adding a dark color tarp over the top, you are now causing heat death of the underlying fabric. Many factors go into the disintegration of these materials.
Yes, it would create more heat but that does not seem to affect it. I have been experimenting with this for over 12 years now with multiple tents. The bottom line is the medium duty tarp blocks a lot of the UV hitting the roof and the tent that I did this from new on still has a perfect top that has original color and quality when lifting the tarp off each year. If it is not covered and you use it as is your tent is destroyed in about 3 years if it is in direct sun most of the day...or less. I have seen the silver tents completely ruined by the sun in 2 years! It would be nice if manufacturers made them with more UV protection but that is not in their interest if they want to sell more.
lol Yep! Most of em leading back to the F!%ging EPA requiring plastic product manufacturers to make garbage, self degrading plastics that have almost no UV resistance anymore! It's sad. Plastics used to be actually "bullet proof" if made correctly and would last easily 10 years in direct sunlight in the harshest UV climates on earth. (Phoenix Az. for one. Even 3M excludes us from their "Guaranteed not to color fade" impregnated vinyl guarantee) Simple proof of how tough plastics can be made is ask any cable Tv installer that worked in the 80's how strong those plastic POD domes are! Most of them are STILL sledge hammer proof after 40 years of direct sun exposure here in Az.
Old TH-cam before overt madness was so much better. When i search for videos like this, the results are all the same, none from small creators or giving truly useful advice. Thank you!
I did the same thing, but you made the video about it so everyone will know about it before the roof tears. You are saving millions of people millions of dollars, so I hope they appreciate that. - TAV ♥️🇺🇸🌎👍
Yes thank a lot for you all that share information here.
I should do the same.
Thanks from Canada 🇨🇦
Thanks. It has served me well over the years and makes them last a long time for just a little effort each year.
Not really a tarp for 50 buck each year would be 500 bucks in 10 years when the tent cost less if you just replace it. Wash the green crap off of it and don't place things up against it that can tear the cover and your good for at least 5 years or even more, then go to harbor freight and buy another one for 150 bucks. Do the math, I paid 150 for mine, if I add $50 for ten years each year in 10 yrs time I paid $650, when all I need to do in 5 or more years is pay $150 or $175 to replace it? 10 years $300-325 is better then $650 which is double.
@@elementalpediaif one of these last you 5 years then I’d just replace it every 5 years but some people live where there’s 4 seasons with some brutal summers and winters so these don’t last but a year or two at the most before it starts to rip apart. Not sure how much the harbor freight shed cost but I just purchased a shed logic 10’x10’x8’ brand and I paid $260 at Menards.
At the end of the day YMMV.
@@elementalpediamath is not your specialty friend.
We have high winds here (50mph+). I wound up throwing away the tarp, setting the frame in concrete and covering it with corregated steel. Works great.
Best idea for sure in high wind areas
How do you attatch the pieces of corregated steel? I would love to do this
@@2ColdAC I used self-tapping screws, 3/4 to 1" long. Be sure to use the ones with washers. You have to make sure you hit the center of the pipe-it takes a little practice. It is also a good idea to have a helper and start from the top so the overlaps will face down-to keep out rain. I also used galvanized roof flashing on the seams-roof and wall edges.
I use plain old white polyelastomeric roofing material ($25/gal) painted on a standard heavy duty tarp (Costco, Home Depot). I now have five years on the same tarp with minimal signs of failing while an untreated tarp is now leaking. AND the white takes standard latex paint colors just fine so my tarp matches my house color making far less of an eyesore. I am sure the carport tarp would benefit equally well. (Yep, my secret is out).
how many gals did it take?
Check the gallon container, it tells how many square feet it covers. So it depends on which size carport you have. Length of building times distance from ground on one side, over the top to ground on other side is square footage you need to cover. Buy extra gallon.
Neat ideas.
Will this stop the sun from burning holes in it
Thank you so much! You are saving me big bucks. My SL cover was torn after one season. I’m just going to do your hack. Well done!
Great IDEA! just ordered one for temporary storage and workspace while I DIY build a small workshop. in my Phoenix AZ Sunny yard...
I saw someone take UV resistant silicone and acetone, mixed them together, and applied that to the canopy top.
The acetone makes covering the material easier because it melts the silicone down into a liquid for easy application.
I don't know how long that will last, but I'm going to try it.
Worth a shot for sure.
Very well done. I particularly liked how you placed a wall at one end of the tent.
Great fix to your shelter. Mine is less than a year old, but I intend to copy your idea. I’m also going to reinforce the “rafter” tubes by adding galvanized pipe leftover from chain link fence. This should make it stronger and hold the weight of snow until I can brush it off. Thanks for sharing your idea.
My father-in law has a "shed in a box" and after 4 years....he bought some Sun-Tuff panels and screwed them to 1x3 strapping that he applied horizontally to the frames! It works great!! and the snow slides off easily!!
Good idea. After about 19 years I strap them as well and then put tin on to make it more permanent if desired.
I had a hunch to just throw a second tarp over, thanks for confirming a cheap and efficient way to take care of it!
God Bless you Skeeter. Saw your video and was inspired . truly thank you .
Love this tutorial. We have two outdoor garages that advertised lasting 10 yrs, and as you know, UV makes that impossible! Excellent ideas here, THANKS!
instaBlaster...
"change it once a year"?!?! Wow don't know where you live but the strongest "UV resistant" plastic tarps we can get our hands on here in AZ are in shreds in 60 to 90 days tops. The best methodology I've found for making the plastic ones last is cover them with HF 9x12 canvas tarps (sewn together if necessary) and roller painted with cheap $60-70 white roof coating. The canvas resists the UV and the plastic resists the rain.
what about coolaroo fabric?
Yep. AZ is a different beast. Our sun up here in Prescott at 5000ft is so intense the sun decides to eclipse if we leave a mirror on the ground.
Been doing this for years on out spa cover. Was replacing them every two years. They are expensive. Finally, did this 5 years ago and have not had to replace the spa cover since. I also do this on my portable garage. I do not even use the old canvas as it degraded years ago. I just put one of these tarps up every year or so and it is just fine. Good video. Thanks.
Thank you! I just bought one of these today and I will take your advice. As soon as I can I'm buying me a tarp. I also like what you did on the inside.
Thank you for this video. I have a round top and it went through one southern Ontario winter and you can practically see through the top of of it. I will give this a try.
On facebook, I keep seeing ads for tarps that last ten years, guarnteed. LOL
I'm planning to buy one and use it to cover a shed like yours. With my luck the company will sell a bunch of tarps then close up shop in two years so the warranty is worthless. But, I'm going to give it a try.
I learned this trick a few years back and it also works on those little chicken houses you buy at the supply stores. Keeps them dry from rotting and the sun. Here is south florida, NOTHING lasts 2 seasons in the sun. Now I have the chicken houses and canopy's that last years. Good tip!
A gallon of 303 aerospace uv protestant cost $50. Should last 2 year's for the original cover. Iv been doing that:)
Use a wet towel to remove excess, immediately wipe completely dry. Note: this product does not air dry. Extra buffing with a dry cloth increases bonding, repellency and longevity. "We recommend re-applying 303 Aerospace Protectant every 3-5 weeks for maximum UV protection." :/
@@cw5118 yes of course follow the instructions . im not saying to use the gallon at one time
We have a shelter logic up here in Alaska that has lasted over ten years. The biggest problem for us is snow load and we consistently remove the snow using a push broom from the inside. We don't get much wind up here in interior AK and not much UV for 6 months of winter, so that helps.
I did follow your steps the same way to help my top and boy what difference it makes, Great idea and thanks !!!!!!!!
Thanks for the info! Just put up the exact thing. Wind is a real bugger...
Nice, but I went one better. I bought a portable garage with the quonset hut style about 17 years ago. It is a 12" x 8' x 24' garage which came with the usual canvas material cover. After it was all set up, I bought seven (7) sheets of metal roofing 24' long x 3' wide and screwed the roofing over the canvas cover with self tapping metal screws on the metal rails of the garage. A garage this size takes 7 metal roofing sheets custom lengths from Home Depot. Screw 3 sheets on each side, and the last sheet over the top. To make a floor, I had some 2" x 11" x 12' boards and cut the boards to a size of 11' to make the wooden flooring. I did this about 17 years ago and the garage is still as sturdy as it was when I first did it. The canvas is still as good as it was when new.
Can you post pictures
@@victoriaalexander7532 - How do I do that? If you have an email address, I can send them to you, but other than that, I don't know how to post pictures here in TH-cam.
I bought metal sheets and had a friend screw it to the frame i did the roof frost added a roof metal cover in a v shape across the top Wrapped the walls with tarp I put lattice on the walls half way all-around added a door with PVC pipes. Iater I might add met walls all round . It strong sturdy water tight ..I used clear silicone caulking on the screws to seal the area
I recommend using a longer tarp. The ends should reach the ground and extend a few feet Cover the ends with cinder block. or you can wrap them into 4x4 s for tension.
I am glad I found this. Your right. The sun side of mine deteriorated and the shade side did not. I like your modifications
Great video
I’ve done this before for my father and I.
I also beefed up the frame with 2 X 4 with plywood gussets.
I was disappointed by the so called UV protected tarps lasting only a couple of years.
Yes UV will burn the tarps and snow load will destroy the frame.
Just got a new one that has pin holes all over already out of the box. so off I go to get some tarps for extra UV protection.
I saw another video here where the guy added sheet metal. Even better.
The next step up would be building a garage but much more $$$ now.
This was VERY VERY HELPFUL! Great video and THANK YOU for sharing it!
Covering top with another tarp boy if that ain't a damn good idea I don't know what is! Heck yeah appreciate you!! 🤠👏
Thank you for your tips and advice.
I will try this out on mine🤙🏼
thanks man, appreciate this. I was looking for solutions cause my first one already RIPPED right down the whole side from the elements. Looking for a new one now but also looking to lengthen the life of it asap. Thanks!
Using Craigslist and mostly free stuff, I added 2/2 redwood purlins to my roof (attaching with steel U shaped 2 hole pipe strap to poles) and fiberglass corrugated roofing. That made a more permanent solution.
How interesting Carol. I have the 12x20' canopy and usually my silver tarps last a couple years at least, but my current tarp has ripped to shreads after 2 months of intense sun so I was considering the corrugated poly and wondered how much weight the frame could safely hold. Love to see pictures of your construction or a u tube link.
This is excellent Carlos. I have a spare frame and was thinking about turning it into a green house. After seeing you did the roof I am sure I could do the sides as well. Thamk You!
I did the same thing but used zip ties to attach the purlins to the metal pipes. I also diagonally braced the sides with 1 x 3s. I did the support fixes and the tarp hack after I lost original cover to a heavy snow fall. This year I am installing a 12mm tarp from Harbor Freight.
@@berniec1949 I found using fiberglass corrugated sheets was a much better solution than tarps. I promise to post pictures of mine soon
@@carolguida454 That will be interesting.
What a wonderful idea. Thanks so much for sharing
I will give you a thumbs up but I must say after spending 3 hours setting it up and bolting it down to 2 X 6's and weighting it down with railroad tracks on all 4 sides. That same night sometime after midnight it was lifted up by wind and hit the corner of my house damaging the gutter and ripping off my down spout. It landed in my front yard. Some of the metal poles where Bent and twisted. It start from my rear garage on the lower level and was semi protected by 4' tall 9 inch wide wing walls. What a waste of time and money. I should have used the lag bolts furnished but the Wife didn't want me to drill in the concrete, nor just let me put it in our 3 acre yard where I could have secured it tightly to the ground. WOMEN !
Now I'm just going to buy a $1500.00 installed metal carport. Oh well it was kinda fun putting it together. Although the instructions where lacking and confusing.
Here today, gone tomorrow. 😎
Yep, the best solution is to pour cement footings in ground to bolt the tent feet onto...I have seen many of these tents upside down in fields after a wind storm. At the very least get extra of those corner spiral anchors and put them at each foot in stead of just the 4 corners.
@@skeeterhandyman9572 I put at least 5 anchors down each side of my tent to prevent this from happening.
I add grommets and then use ratchet straps or ropes to secure. Gorilla tape too. Tape over grommet is smart.
I also drape a tarp on the inside for a defacto floor.
Mines ripped from sun damage but the harbor freight frame is still good. Thinking about just buying a tarp to zip tie over it or something
I do the same thing but also found silver tarps last longer then brown or dark green even if there the same weight! the darker colors just seam to absorb more uv.
Thanks, exactly what is happening to my shelter, same shelter.
Thank you very much for the idea and the how too - we did our's today
Awesome. I hope it works well for you!
Close to 20 years on mine. Winter shelter stored in shed for spring, summer and fall. Even so, fabric on 20 ft shelter has shrunk. Cut 4 inches off frame for better fit.
Your idea is good. Thanks. Already I'm getting small holes. Most are near the base due to two factors. One is metal inside rubbing on the inside of the garage (some stuff I had stored) and thereby making small holes. Another cause being the cover hitting on the garage frame pipe during winds (about 2-3 feet from ground level). That cover is very fragile but that's understandable due to the low price.
I've seen recommendations for vinyl tarps, which are supposed to last much longer. There is an interesting listing for billboard ads on eBay which are available for pretty reasonable price, 11 mil thickness, which I may look into.
12x24 for 26 + 21 shipping.
Not sure how well it works, but I'm curious to see what random ad I might get. The seller asks that the ad side is placed down so it's not visible to respect the wishes of the former advertiser, but if it's a cool ad it may make my garage more interesting looking, lol
Those banners and stuff work pretty well.
I ordered several of the billboard vinyls, over a year ago. They come in several different widths and lengths, and can be cut to size. I placed the black side out, long enough to have a foot on the ground on either side. And more than a year later, they’re doing very well.
Cost to cover two of these harbor freight frames with the heavier vinyl… $75 plus shipping.
Excellent video, and I was reading last night that Blue is the most UV resistant color, so maybe a blue tarp would be good. On second thought, most blue tarps are the very light duty so unless they make a blue HD tarp a dark colored HD tarp would be best. Thanks for sharing.
Effective, simple and cheap. Awesome!. Thanks very much.
Use a silver tarp.... they seem to reflect some of the heat and UV that eats these traps up. The silver tarps last me at least twice as long.
Good Idea! I also like the wood back on it. Can you make a video of how you did that
!!
The wood back makes it rigid and helps to keep it from moving in high wind. I may be doing another one so I will record. Sadly the wood sheeting now has tripled in cost here in Canada.....was $12 now $35
Excellent video sir !! I've been looking at getting a car shelter like this and now I'm confident my invest can be made to last ...by the way, love the shelves and racks you put in the last one you showed !!!
I used 2x3 fastened to the tubular frame then plywood with shingles for the roof....no cheap tarp or Mickey mouse tape....I live in Connecticut and holds the snow load...no more brushing off after snow storm.....wasn't cheap...
Yep after my 10yrs of tarping, I convert to permanent using trusses, strapping and tin roof which ends all the maintenance.
Should have watched this first. I seen reviews about how the top was weak and would start leaking etc. So I bought a 20x10' tarp to go with it. Obviously not big enough but will have to work for the first year. Hopefully
I bought mine at Costco’s over 20 years ago and it’s still up but it had Thicker pipes and I also put cement blocks on the sides that were heavy and then I wrapped them in the rope in the holes of the blocks and put dog Anchors in the ground put four or five ropes over the top and anchor on both sides Had some brake drums put them on the bottom of poles . We had fifty mile hour winds here and heavy snow one time we didnt get out their to snow rake it in time it damage some of the cross Pieces so then I had to put slats across the top to make it stronger wooden Slats
Got any pics?
just courous as to how to fastened the wood to the rear to install your wall? Didyou make a video of that. Love the idea of the tarp over it. I am planning on doing the same with mine. Thanks for the great idea.
Self tapping metal screw through wood and into metal tubes. Then I connected sheets in center of shed with 2 x 4s that fastened to a post driven in ground on inside of shed
I spent $100 for 3 gallons of plasti dip and sprayed the while thing down. Now it's rubberized, and a lot thicker. Works and will make it last so much longer
can you do a video of it of how it looks please
I would like to know how it goes. poly tarps and canopy covers only last 3 months in Texas
I wonder of sno-seal would work?
My original is starting to rip and thin out. I am about to place a layer of flex seal paint on the original before I place a new regular tarp over it. I should of done this before.
foam pool noodles on the pipes to help keep the wind damage at bay
around the entire poles or only the outer half?
Yes, good idea. They were too thick for me too use because the garage was already put together, I hadn't thought of doing this until I had garage up for a few weeks. I ended up using the noodles that you put around water lines/pipes to help keep them from freezing. Not as thick as pool noodles and cost less I think.
spraying some 303 UV shield twice a year might help, good for plastic and vinyl.
That is a good idea, I just found that spray to be quite expensive given the amount required for the square footage of the tent.
@@skeeterhandyman9572 ELASTOMERIC ROOF COATING = 7 years When it gets old paint more on.
I put it on an old torn up flat roof that tar would never fix. This stuff is nice and rubbery when it dries. It is white and reflects UV rays. It is EASY to use also. It is soooo god I wouldn't even bother with a tarp. Just coat the actual shed material and you are good to go.
@Phillip Anderson It would. Put it on after.
It won't do any good against wind damage.
You can also make it last forever if you do like I did and bought the rolls of canvas measured amounts owed them together fitted it on top and then covered in cement so you have a cement canvas reels and then built the front with wood and put doors
Thanks man saw a few other things ill be doing as well great vid
Very Smart Idea, makes good sense.
Even easier - and more reliable way - to make these last for YEARS... just run a coat of outdoor latex paint over the factory cover with a paint roller. 100% UV protection and really lasts.
This though.
Where can I get this product? Can I get it at Menards or home Depot? And what is called again? Thank you for any help
@@adriangutierrez9170 Any cheap exterior latex paint. Walmart, Lowe's, Home Depot, Menards. The same stuff you use to paint your house, she'd, etc. Just roll a quick coat of it on over your canopy tarp.
I have done the same to a few normal tarps as well that had to cover a car or something important in the back yard for an extended period of time.
Standard exterior-grade latex paint is UV rated and keeps the sun off your UV-sensitive tarp, essentially preserving it for as long as the coat of paint holds up. If you apply to a tarp when it is fresh and (most importantly) NEW, it will hold up easily for 5-7 years. Even longer if you keep up and be sure to re-coat the paint as needed.
@@deanrantala thank you for your reply and your good tips, I really appreciate,I did not know that, but now I will give it a try, thank you again
Good idea.
A SACRIFIICIAL TARP! GOOD JPB!!
You might have been further ahead if you just used 2x4s and plywood !
Wish I had thought to do this before mine fell apart. I replaced the top with a new tarp but that didn’t work super well. I just ordered a new one. I think I’m gonna put corroborated metal on the old one
When it goes bad again. Try boat shrink wrap.
I have two of these things believe it or not going on thirty-five years old basically do the same thing except I use 16 or higher mil tarps that I get on eBay I use a company white duck tarps but there are other companies you can use and I guess it depends where you live but I get a good 5 to 8 years before I replace the heavy tarps that I put on the top I have not tried the gorilla tape but I will I use heavy duty black uv-treated ty-wraps made by Thomas & Betts they cost double the price of other brands but they're very strong they have steel in the middle and the 16 mil tarps are strong enough you can make a hole without even using grommets and when you pull the ty- wrap Tight it does not rip the tarp also sooner or later the zippers will fail need something custom like you did with wood with a window that looks nice or in my case since I'm a retired mechanic I made doors out of welding conduit piping with light gauge sheet metal pop riveted to the frame also for the snow load I use steel cables in between the spans for support I've had over two feet of snow just sitting on them without having to brush it off no problem sorry for the long comment I'm just trying to help people good luck
Whoa. I'm outta breath just reading this. That is one "long" sentence. Can't imagine speaking it.
Excellent video
Awesome job!! Smart, Innovative idea :)
This was great! Do you have any advice on setting them up? Especially with the wood back wall?
The OSB back wall really should be done before putting on original cover but can be done after by loosening the canvas to expose tubing. I placed the Osb against the end, 2 sheets side by side to start and then mark them to cut roof angle. I then drilled 1/4" holes and used carriage bolts to produce a smooth finish on the outside. I also used a wood preserver on the osb and after 8 years it is still solid. I did not add the wood to my original shelter until about 2 years in when I wanted it to be more solid.
This is great. I'm also thinking since these shelter frames are prone to collapsing under load from snow and ice I can probably use uv protection spray to help with it if you think your frame has gotten weak over time
Yes very important to remove snow . The newer models have much smaller tubing then the old ones
Buy 12 foot metal roofs ...sheets add walls ...if your like screw them down.... Clear silicone the screws for leaks add a roof v joist across for the opening. Up where they meet. And add double doors too..screw poles to joints and if y got it on a cement floor L bracket anchoring them down
You gave me a great idea,thank you
Good video but you didn't utilize the replacement plan?
Nicely Done !! 👍👍
My question is, why spend the money on garage in the box if you’re only going to cover it up with a tarp? Why not save the money and get some PVC pipe and build a tarp structure
You might have to pull permits and build to code if it's permanent. These are considered portable, so you don't have to permit it in because it moves.
Why not just fit metal R panels to roof and sides? Run it with the length of the building, screw it to the tubing with roofing screws. It will last 30 or more years. Hint, install cross tubing to tie the gable bottoms together to form a truss. Attach the tie tubing to the bends at the top of the walls. Makes it extremely strong. Works great 👍
Have you done this? got any pictures?
@@ProBrosMac Apparently not.
Very informative! I'll incorporate this mod in my new shelter thanks!
Dude just get 20x20 and it will visually look uniform and one lol .
Just a military tent I got at local Quonset hut surplus ✌️
thanks man for making this vid.. even though it was a good while ago.. i'm dealing with the same issue. thought about putting a wood top on but this will solve my problem cheaply..
just ran into the same problem I,M going to do this tranks brother BILL
Would elastometric coating, maybe a little water diluted work to repel uv rays??
i put form n wrap each joint n corners so windy blows the tarp wont rub against the pipe joint n corner anymore also putin on chicken wired n tightin it then cover it ...this is for winter time test .
Lucky me. mine is gonna go in the shade. We have plenty (too much) shade as we live in a forest. That should extend it's life a bit, whuh?
‘cept for falling debris . If I had shade, I wouldn’t need the carport cover.
my shelter logic didn't even make it to 6 months and started to fall apart I finally had to do what you did.
Oh wow...I typically got 3 years out of original before I started tarping each year.
These Shelterlotic covers are crap. Within a few months we had small pinholes everywhere. Within a year and a half, the whole thing had collapsed. What garbage they are. This is a great idea - I should have done this. In our area, there are metal shelterlogic frames everywhere on people's properties, clearly victims of the wind and snow!
I jus installed mine, thanks for the idea.
Are the portable carports here the kind sold at Harbor Freight? Right now on sale with coupon for $109
I wonder if it helps to use gorilla tape to reinforce the inside of the corners where the tubes wear out the tarp material? Seems like that would be a weak point
Yes I think it would help. The main trick I found is to not make the main cover really tight when assembled because when the hot sun hits it will tighten up a lot and potentially rip the friction points
I’ve seen some tents out there with some kind of black paint on them. Anyone know what that is?
This idea is not long serving. The tarps break down in the sun and last MAYBE 1 summer. Folks use them for emergency roof repairs after Hurricanes in Florida. And after 4-7 months in the sun they are already breaking down. There is NO way to preserve them that is longer lasting UNLESS you use APB metal on the roof and the sides. It also reinforces the structure against wind. other than that, tarps are a BAD IDEA for fixing the problem. Spend the 7-6-800 bucks and have someone make you pre-cut APB metal for 17 feet and your shed will last more than 5 years without much effort. Maybe a new coat of paint every 4-5 years and you are GOLDEN.
Good stuff, liked and subd’.
My Harbor Freight portable garage lasted less than 1 year! Pathetic, cheap, flimsy tarp material and FL's sun were the main factors. My fix was to remove the trashed top piece and replace it with a nice, strong 20' X 20' cloth tarp made of 12 oz. canvas from Amazon. With extra grommets and bungee cord, the whole thing cost me $200.
A heavy wind will blow it over. Happened to mine.
Try rolling the door so the curl is to the inside so it does not collect water and debris.
Thanks for the detailed video. At about 1:55 i see that you added some cables on the sides from corner to corner. Can you elaborate on this or maybe even provide another video describing your process? I'm about to build a 10 X 10 from H.F. and i'm hoping to do it in such a way that i don't need to worry about it blowing over in the rare wind storms that we experience.
JJ BRADSHAW Christian
Hi sorry for late reply, I will try to show a video on that. It does help as creating an "X" shape on the inside wall ensures it cannot rock from front to back. The other thing that keeps mine from blowing down in storms is that I make the back end solid with wood instead of the tarp. You also need to ensure your anchors are solid of course. Then best way is to pour concrete footings in at least the four corners and then bolt the feet on.
the tarp gets destroyed after only one year? i would think it would last at least a couple years.
Great help, thanks
Acrylic house paint works and lasts
Unless the over-tarp is UV blocking, you haven't stopped UV penetration. Maybe reduced it *some*. Also, by adding a dark color tarp over the top, you are now causing heat death of the underlying fabric. Many factors go into the disintegration of these materials.
Yes, it would create more heat but that does not seem to affect it. I have been experimenting with this for over 12 years now with multiple tents. The bottom line is the medium duty tarp blocks a lot of the UV hitting the roof and the tent that I did this from new on still has a perfect top that has original color and quality when lifting the tarp off each year. If it is not covered and you use it as is your tent is destroyed in about 3 years if it is in direct sun most of the day...or less. I have seen the silver tents completely ruined by the sun in 2 years! It would be nice if manufacturers made them with more UV protection but that is not in their interest if they want to sell more.
lol Yep! Most of em leading back to the F!%ging EPA requiring plastic product manufacturers to make garbage, self degrading plastics that have almost no UV resistance anymore! It's sad. Plastics used to be actually "bullet proof" if made correctly and would last easily 10 years in direct sunlight in the harshest UV climates on earth. (Phoenix Az. for one. Even 3M excludes us from their "Guaranteed not to color fade" impregnated vinyl guarantee) Simple proof of how tough plastics can be made is ask any cable Tv installer that worked in the 80's how strong those plastic POD domes are! Most of them are STILL sledge hammer proof after 40 years of direct sun exposure here in Az.
at the end, you said the tarp have to change once a year? does that defeat the purpose.
I get 80 plus mph wind where I live, have fun using tape etc here haha
Must create humidity between the two layers. If the UV won't eat your tarp the mold will.
Doesn't appear so. Everytime I replace tarp original is perfectly clean underneath