How to Repair a Sagging Carport

If you are having trouble with your carport starting to sag, there are a number of things that can cause it, often depending on the type of carport that you have. Below is a list of methods for fixing most sagging problems in a carport, whether it is a metal carport, wooden carport, or even a simple, fabric-covered portable carport.

Step 1 – Loose Canopy

Portable carports are the ones that are most likely to sag, as they take much more wear and tear from constantly setting them up and taking them down. Also, due to their nature of being easy to assemble and disassemble, they are limited in their self-supporting and long-lasting ability; few permanent supports can be built-in.

A loose canopy is one of the most common problems for portable carports. First, check to see if your supports and uprights are perfectly vertical and in place as they should be. If they are, then you probably need to simply tighten up your canopy covering over your framing. Check to be sure ropes and cords are pulled tight and secured, and nothing has coming untied. If everything is secure and it is still sagging, you may simply need a slightly smaller canopy.

Step 2 – Spreader Bar

A removable spreader bar is another solution for your sagging canopy, especially if your canopy is slightly too large for your particular carport. Spreader bars attach between the top of you’re your frame in the form of a triangle (often one that is adjustable) to push your canopy up. Not only will this prevent sagging, but can also allow taller objects to comfortably fit into your carport.

Step 3 – Sagging Supports

When you check your uprights and supports, you may find that the problem isn’t the canopy at all. Sometimes, your supports aren’t doing their job. This is especially common in telescoping support bars that are coming loose. For a quick fix with telescoping bars, you can always tape them at the desired length, though this makes it harder to tear back down. Sooner or later, you’ll have to replace them.

If your uprights and supports can’t support the weight of your canopy without bending inward, and you don’t want to buy a lighter canopy, you can also tie cords off at the top of your uprights, pull them back into place, and stake the other ends into the ground.

Step 4 – Metal Carports

More likely than not, if you have a steel or aluminum carport, you aren’t going to have problems with the roof sagging. However, sometimes you may have to worry about supports that are starting to bend or buckle; this commonly happens in cases such as winter when the weight of snow on the roof is more than the carport was designed to handle. As a preventative measure, you can make a point of using a long-handled broom to wipe the snow off regularly, but if the supports are already starting to buckle, you probably need to replace them.

Step 5 – Wooden Carports

The same applies to wooden carports as what applies to metal ones, except wooden roofs are more likely to sag than metal. Again, keep it clear of things like heavy snow if your carport wasn’t designed to take it. Once the roof starts to sag, you will probably have to pry it up or unscrew it and replace it with a new one. Luckily, if your support structure is still sound, this is a fairly easy process and you can pick up replacement lumber/plywood at a local store instead of ordering specific replacement parts.

Beyond these simple fixes, if you are having an issue with sagging in your carport and can’t discern why, or if the problem is something covered in your warranty, be sure to contact the manufacturer.