[Shop-talk] Steel Car Port

[Bob Nogueira]

Guys, I need to build a car port so I can get more room in the garage to work
the cars that are not running.   Ibm thinking of building it all out of
steel. Basic structure would be four posts  with a perimeter frame  using  11
gauge   3 inch square steel tubing for the  posts and a 16b X 18b
rectangle on top of the posts. I would also use four  3b  by 1.5 inch  14
gauge  rectangle tubes as joists .
All  would be butt welded.   Covering would be  corrugated  steel panels. The
highest load would  about  4 inches of snow.

Question:   Am I pushing it by trying to spam 16 feet with a 3 inch 11 gauge
square steel tube?

I know some may think this is a dumb question but looking at  other carports
it seems that they are all over the place,  some  are built like a bridge
while others look like they shouldnbt be able to stand by themselves.
What I havenbt seen is any built from  3 inch steel tubing.


Thanks

Bob Nogueira