How to Choose a Portable Car Garage that will Outlive You

12x24 Dutch Barn Portable Garage from Sheds Unlimited
In our throw-away society, there are few things made that are built to last anymore. We’ve become used to simply throwing out an item rather than buying parts for it. From can openers to electric heaters and popcorn poppers to vacuum cleaners it seems NOTHING is made like it was in the good ole days!

Of course, some of us remember when cars seemed to give up the ghost at 100,000 miles or slightly more. So perhaps with all the competition, foreign and otherwise, cars are one thing that has gotten better with time. My Honda is still going strong at 170,000 miles, and it seems more and more cars both foreign and domestic are lasting up past 200,000 miles.

Which brings us to the subject at hand. Choosing a PORTABLE CAR GARAGE or a car, truck or motorcycle that will outlive you! 

Think of it. Why do so many people park a major investment like a car or motorcycle out in the weather? The car dashboard doesn’t like UV rays any better than they do! And imagine the hurt feelings of their favorite Ford when it’s left at the mercy of rain and snow, not to mention hail! 

For starters, we'll consider the size of the vehicle that needs a safe haven from inclement weather and then mention a few must-have features on your portable car garage so it will really last a lifetime!


Here we go!
Measure Your Car and Then Add more Space for Other Things

Determine the Size of your Portable Car Garage by Measuring Your Vehicle

Naturally, if you’re looking for a home for your midsized car you don’t want to buy a 12x15 Portable Car Garage only to discover that old Bessy measures 15’1” and will barely fit in without crashing through the rear wall! The recommended size of a one-car portable garage should be no less than 12’ wide and 20’ long. 

Of course, you can get away with a 10x18 portable car garage, but then when its parked inside and you want to open the doors, you might be squeezing out of your car and have a harder time getting around to the exit. 

If you’re looking for a portable garage for a pickup truck, then a 12x24 portable garage or larger is recommended. And if you’re like the normal person you also want to make space for the pool equipment, garden tractor, bicycles and other stuff you could possibly store along with your car or pickup.

The only time you should consider a smaller portable garage is if you need a motorcycle garage. In that case, a smaller garage or even a portable shed could do. Take a look at these fancy portable Modern Sheds that could make your motorcycle shine!

In short, it’s wise to actually measure your car, truck or motorcycle and then give yourself plenty of extra space on the end (and even along the sides) to allow plenty of room for tools, shelving to hold all your vehicle paraphernalia, etc.

Floor Joist on a Shed is Typically at 16-inch center, A Garage should be at least 12-inch on Center

Make Sure Your Portable Car Garage is Ready for the Weight 

You don’t want to have your portable car garage in place, pull your tank neatly inside only to hear the crunch of cheap plywood underneath. Pick a portable garage with a heavy duty floor made to support your car with ease. However, you may want to park your tank outside!

In most cases, a heavy floor means you add extra 2x4 floor joist under the plywood to help with the weight of the vehicle. The typical shed floor has floor joist every 16 inches, but a garage should have a minimum of 12 inches on center. 

This MUST be done during construction as you will not be able to pull up the floor and add more floor joist later! In extreme cases where you have an extra heavy tank to like I mentioned above, you might consider going with floor joist every 8 inches. And if you really want to go over the top, you could add another layer of plywood on the floor for extra reinforcement. Now you will have a portable garage that will hold a dump truck loaded with stones! (We didn't test this, but I'm assuming this would be the case).

While we're talking about the floor, another thing to consider is a pressure treated floor to keep it from rotting away prematurely. Pressure treated floors on a portable car garage are a very small investment that will keep your floor in good shape even if you repeatedly drive the car inside from a rainstorm. 

Remember, we’re aiming for a portable car garage that will last a lifetime!
Add Vinyl to Your Portable Garage and then no worries about painting it in the future!

How Much do you Like Painting? Vinyl Siding makes your Portable Car Garage Maintenance Free

I just suggested adding a treated floor to your portable single car garage so the floor will last a lifetime. Next, you should consider vinyl siding as another upgrade that will add to the life of your garage with a small extra investment. 

Spending a day painting is one of those things that can seem a bit too much like work! And that is what you might be doing in 10 years if you buy a painted garage. Keep in mind that, though a painted portable car garage should stay nice for years, it may be more economical (and less time consuming) in the long run to consider maintenance free vinyl siding that will truly outlive you (unless perchance you happen to be a toddler!). 

If you know you won’t manage painting your portable car garage every 10 years or so, consider a vinyl sided garage. There is a great color selection of vinyl siding available from the choice of colors at Sheds Unlimited. Don’t see what you want? Vinyl siding can also be special ordered. The existing siding on your house can even be matched if that is what you want.

Will the Portable Garage Builder Stand Behind his Building? 

We all know how a salesman can have a great pitch when its time to buy something. But what about when the roof starts leaking in six months? Is he still as excited about backing up his product then? You must be sure that when you are choosing a portable garage to store your car, truck or cycle, that the warranty is as good as the sales pitch!

At the beginning, I mentioned that very few things these days are built to last. There are some exceptions… The Leatherman Wave, with a 25-year warranty; or maybe the Fisher Infinium space pen, which has enough ink to last the average person 80 years! Now at $105.00, this pen is a bit pricey, and knowing me I would be more liable to lose this jewel of a pen than wear it out. 

Your portable car garage, reasonable and wise investment though it may be, will, of course, be even more pricey than the Fisher Infinium, so why not make sure it’s backed with a decent warranty? Check out the Sheds Unlimited warranty here and then read on for another tip to help you ensure the company has happy customers. 
Add a Loft and some Shelves

When all else fails, look up and add Some Lofts or an Attic in your Portable Garage!

Maybe you’re limited when it comes to floor plan space on your property or in the backyard. Or maybe like everyone else on the block, there seems to be a mysterious buildup of stuff in your attic. To your regret, the one car garage you have delivered to your property might soon be full and overflowing. Think ahead and make sure you get the most out of your space. 

Furthermore, to be sure you're getting the most out of your garage, you can add lofts or go with a two-story modular garage that has a full second floor. It could store stuff, be a man cave, an art studio or a very small garage with a studio apartment! And here is something I'm offering for free: a great resource with 10 ideas for making your portable garage more useful and getting the most out of the space you have!

There are many more options to make sure you have the space you need. Two car garages from the Amish in Lancaster County have been an increasingly popular choice for people and better yet, a two or three car garage with attic space gives you room the boys (and dad) to tinker plus a place for all the farm, lawn or garden tools. 

If an attic or loft leaves you wanting still more space, a full two story two car garage can help you store almost twice the amount of goodies in the same footprint. Out of sight, but easy to reach! 
A Happy Sheds Unlimited Garage Customer in Maryland

Read What Your Portable Car Garage Builder's Customers

Word of mouth is still one of the best advertising tools out there; satisfied customers don’t lie! Before taking the plunge and investing your hard earned money, do yourself a favor and check the reviews of the garage builder you plan to buy from! One or two reviews is not enough. Here at Sheds Unlimited, you can read over 400 reviews by shed and prefab garage customers. Read the Sheds Unlimited Reviews

We all want to make the best buying choices throughout our lives. I hope this guide can help you make the best choice when you are shopping for an Amish made Portable Car Garage…that will outlive you!

Don't go for the Cheapest Garage in Town

Last, but not least, don't just look at the price. Cheap and quality don't always go together! 

When it comes to the cost of a car garage, you should be sure you are looking at quality as well as price. Compare materials used and workmanship of the garage builder you are considering. 

Looking for more than a portable garage?

Read a blog post on "How much does a Two Car Garage Cost" for ideas on the cost of a two car garage.

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