Portable garages are an outdoor structure that is usually made of steel and fabric. It is a great way to keep your car safe and also great for increasing your home storage.
However, if you can’t keep your portable garages on the ground, you might have a huge problem. Knowing how to secure your portable garage is important, especially with the different weather conditions that it may face.
What is the best way to secure your portable garage? Using different types of anchors such as rebar, concrete, asphalt, and mobile home anchor can get the job done. You can also use weights and water ballast to keep your portable garage secure.
Having a portable garage can help ensure that your car or other belongings are secure from any weather conditions. Knowing how to anchor it properly and what anchors to use is vital in owning a portable garage.
This article will discuss securing the different types of portable garages, such as polyethylene fabric and metal. It will also talk about the different ways how you can secure your portable garage on different surfaces and various types of anchors that are available in the market. Let’s go…
Securing Different Types of Portable Garage
A portable garage is a perfect alternative for a fixed garage for circumstances where you can’t permenantly fix a structure such as show events and rental properties.
These garages are usually made of durable steel or aluminum frames with fabric cover and available in different sizes and styles. Two examples of the materials that a portable garage comes in are polyethylene fabric and metal.
Polyethylene Fabric
The polyethylene fabric is made to endure any weather conditions while it provides a much lighter option. However, it may be tricky in keeping it secure since it’s a lighter material.
Your best option for anchoring a polyethylene fabric portable garage is concrete blocks. This material is excellent for those who prefer portability since the fabric is easier to work with.
With this material, there are different ways on how you can secure the portable garage. Different anchors are designed for different surfaces so that you ensure the safety of your portable garage wherever you are. Some examples of anchors that you can use are rebar, concrete, asphalt, and mobile home anchors. These would be discussed further as you read the article.
Another option would be to use water buts. So you would buy 10 gallon water drums and place them around each side of the portable garage and then fill them with water.
This amount of water weights a lot! You won’t have to worry about your portable garage pulling free from it’s anchors. The downside to this approach is that it relies on you having a large source of water available. Which might not always be the case in certain circumstances.
Metal
Portable garages made with metal and are great to stand up to snow, hail, and heavy winds. Since it’s made out of metal, it will last longer than the polyethylene fabric.
Securing metal portable garages are easier since most kits come with materials to anchor it. There are a couple of steps that you would need to do to secure your metal portable garage.
First, search for the holes for the anchors in the base rail. There should be a base rail on each side of the carport and usually flat and round. Most manufacturers typically have four holes on each side of the metal portable garage where you can place your anchors.
Second, you have to drill out each hole with a hole saw so that it can accommodate the spines of your carport. Take note that you have to use a hole saw that is the same diameter as the lower portion of the anchor. Third, insert the anchor through the top of the hole and rest against the ground. If you are using a 30-inch anchor, it is best to ask a helping hand to hold the anchor straight.
The next step is to hit the top of the anchor with a sledgehammer to drive the anchor into the ground. Continue this step until the bottom of the head is resting well on the surface. Once you’ve done all of these steps, continue to the other three base rail.
Securing Your Portable Garage on Different Surfaces
There are different anchors that are made for each surface, such as:
- dirt
- concrete slab
- asphalt
- wood surfaces
The largest anchor that you can get in the store is 60 inches long with a seven-inch diameter. When anchoring your portable garage on dirt, make sure that you get the earth anchor. These are great because you can easily push it down into the dirt, but firmly hold your portable garage on the ground.
On the other hand, if you are securing your portable garage on an asphalt or road tar, it is best to get the asphalt anchor. These anchors are tougher, sturdier, and more heavy-duty than other anchors on the market. They tend to have holes for drilling the foot of the anchor into the asphalt surface.
When it comes to the concrete surface, the anchors are usually drilled into the concrete slab. The wedges of the anchors are inserted on a pre-drilled hole at the base of the rail, which I briefly mentioned above. This will allow a secure hold for your portable garage, which can withstand any weather conditions it may face.
Lastly, we have the heavy-duty portable garages where regular anchors are not meant to be used. This is where the auger anchors come in because they can hold the heavy-duty portable garages you may have. These anchors have jaw-to-jaw turnbuckles, which makes it more durable than the other anchors. The auger anchors are great for both asphalt and earthy surfaces.
Securing Your Portable Garage in Heavy Winds
Another significant concern or portable garage owners are keeping it secured during the windy days!
The key is to keep your portable garage on a concrete or asphalt surface for the most durability and stability. The reason for this is because it’s durable enough that strong winds wont pull the anchors from their foundations. Where are soil and earth anchors could fail in these conditions.
You have to make sure that the anchors are buried deep so that it’s secured. The anchors used for securing the portable garage are usually four feet long, made of steel, and are screwed into the ground.
Taking precautions is always an essential part of owning a portable garage. You should always act before a huge storm event that may happen in your area. If you live in a place where tornadoes are prone to hit, might as well anchor your portable garage permanently.
Different Types of Anchor for Your Portable Garage
Rebar Anchor
Rebar anchors are great for low winds and more efficient when installed in sturdy soil. Having said this, it does not do too well in strong winds. These anchors are usually available in 32 inches long and 12 inches wide. During installation, the anchors are fixed on the base rail and then secured on the ground.
The rebar anchor looks like a very long, thin screw, which you’ll find in the picture below. Now, if you live in an area where you experience high winds, you might go for a different anchor to secure your portable garage.
A classic example of rebar anchors would be when fixing a circus tent to the ground. They are useful for their ease of use and the fact that they can be removed when the circus moves on!
Concrete Anchor
As the name suggests, these anchors are great for concrete surfaces where they provide the best results. Once the base rails are in place, you’ll fix these anchors in the middle of the hole and drill about three to four inches into the concrete.
After that, a concrete expansion will be placed inside the hole, and then the nut will be tightened, which will secure the base.There are different concrete anchors that are available in different lengths, depending on the dimensions of the foundation of your portable garage.
So, if you have a concrete slab that is four inches thick with no footer, a five and a half inches long with slabs deeper than four inches and eight inches wedge anchors is best to use. Concrete anchors are the best to use to secure your portable garage.
Asphalt Anchor
The asphalt anchor is usually 32 inches long and are inserted through pre-drilled holes in the base rail. A small hole would be created on your asphalt, and the anchor is driven into the ground, usually with a sledgehammer to get through to the asphalt surface.
These anchors have either a screw-like thread or barbs on the shaft to ensure that your portable garage will be secured. This anchor is only great on asphalt surfaces and cannot be used in concrete or soil.
The only thing that you need to take note of when using this anchor is to apply direct pressure on the anchor as it tends to break. Now, if you live in an area that usually experiences heavy winds, it is best to replace your asphalt surface with concrete.
Mobile Home Anchor
Mobile home anchors are also known as auger anchors. The mobile home anchor is also 32 inches long and are usually inserted through pre-drilled holes in the base rail. This type of anchor is also driven by a sledgehammer to secure it on the ground. It is best to use it in dirt or soil surfaces.
This provides a secure hold for fascening cables or straps that you may have on your portable garage. These anchors do not require cement for permanent placement unless it’s required by local building codes.
Conclusion
Owning a portable garage can be a huge convenience and savings since you don’t have to spend too much money on getting a permanent garage if you’re always on the go.
Securing them is easier than you thought as long as you select the right anchors to use. You can use specific anchors for different surfaces such as dirt, soil, concrete, and asphalt.
Now, get those portable garages secure so that it can face any weather conditions that you may have in the area!
If you are enjoying reading this article then you might find our articles worth checking out too:
- How to Anchor Carport to Asphalt – With Pictures!
- Extend Basement Under Your Yard? – Here’s How
- The BEST way to Secure A Portable Garage – With Pictures!
P.S.
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