Carports America - Terminology

45-Degree Trim Kit These trim kits are sometimes used for a more ornate appearance at the upper left and upper right corners of garage doors and larger door openings. The consist of J-Trim and 2' braces to support the trim kit.

Base rails The square tubing along the base and sides of the building onto which the legs are attached.

Bow The bow is a single piece of square tubing bent to shape to make the roof of the building.

Concrete Anchors Sometimes referred to as concrete wedge anchors. Concrete anchors used in building installations on concrete in place of the rebar, to secure the building to the surface.

Corner Braces (Leg Braces) Corner braces are U-shape steel channels that are used to help reinforce the structure of the building. On all of our buildings, four 2 feet long leg braces come standard and they are installed on each corner of the building. Additional corner braces are available at an additional cost. We recommend the use of 2 feet long corner braces on each building leg (2 per bow). For buildings with legs that are taller than 8 feet, we recommend that customers upgrade to 3 feet long corner braces on each corner and we also recommend that they be installed on each leg of the building (2 per bow).

Extended Gable Ends Steel panels, usually installed horizontally, with the same curve as the bow of the building. They are usually up to one panel deeper than the traditional gable end. They can be installed on either end of the building and they extend down, usually, up to three feet down from the top of the legs up. Extended gable ends can be installed vertically at an additional cost.


Gable Ends A steel panel, usually installed with horizontally-mounted panels, with the same curve as the bow of the building. They can be installed on either end of the building and they extend from the 4 inched below the top of the legs, upward. Gable ends can be installed vertically at an additional cost.

Garage Door Our garage doors are the roll-up type. As the door is raised, they roll into a cylinder or barrel shape above the door opening. We offer a variety of sizes up to 10' x 10'. Please note there are no windows in our garage doors and they are only available in white.

Hat Channel Sometimes referred to as perlins, hat channel is used on carports and garages with vertical roof systems and/or vertical sides and ends. It supports the panels on those systems.

Header Headers are placed at the top of the door frame when a door opening is requested, whether it is an opening with or without a door (walk-in or garage) is installed.


J-Trim J-trim is used as trim underneath extra paneling on the sides of carports (optional), around walk-in doors, garage doors, and windows to provide a finished appearance. We offer 13 different colors.


L-Trim L-trim is used as trim on the ends of the panels of regular style carports to provide a finished look. L-trim is also used one the exterior corners of garages. We offer 13 different colors.


Lag bolts/screws Lag bolts/screws are used to secure the building, in the place of rebar or concrete anchors, when installing on wood. If lag bolts are needed, they must be supplied by the customer at the time of installation.


Legs Legs are the vertically installed lengths of square tubing that connect the bows or trusses (top) to the base rail (bottom). 12 Gauge legs are 6 feet to 12 feet in length. 14 Gauge legs are 5 feet to 12 feet in length.


Mobile Home Anchors Mobile home anchors are used to secure the building in an installation where concrete is not used. The disc at the lower end of the anchor is helical in design. They can be installed as an option on all other buildings at an additional charge.


Panels Our panels are 29 gauge steel. They are 3' wide and they are available in standard lengths of 21', 26', and 31'. We offer 13 different colors.


Rebar Anchors Rebar is a common steel reinforcing bar. Our rebar anchors are made from this reinforcing bar and they are approximately 30" long. They have a 5/8" nut welded onto one end. They are installed through a hole drilled into the the base rail and they secure the building in both ground and asphalt installations.


Ridge Cap Ridge cap is a piece of metal that sits on the ridge of the roof or all vertical roof carports and garages, connecting both sides of the roof.


Snow Braces Snow braces U-shaped steel channels that are installed at the center bend of the bow all structures to reinforce the roof. They are also sometimes referred to as center braces or peak braces.


Truss A truss is a triangular shaped structure that is made of steel and they are stronger than a bow. They are standard on buildings larger than 24' wide. Trusses are optional on buildings that are 24' wide and less.


Tubing The tubing forms the frames of our structures. We offer as standard, the 14 gauge 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" square tubing. As an option, our buildings can be constructed with a stronger 12 gauge 2-1/4" x 2-1/4" square tubing, at an additional charge.


Walk-in doors Our optional walk in doors are 34" x 72" and they have a 9" x 9" window, and they are white..


Windows Our optional windows are 30" x 27".