UNIVERSAL INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR CARPORTS FRAME SIZES: WIDTH: 10, 12’, 14’, 16, 18’, 20’, 24’, AND 30’ ON CENTER FRAME SPACING: 4’, 4 1/2’, AND 5’ FRAME LENGTH: 4’ ON CENTER 20’-2”, 4 1/2’ ON CENTER 18’ AND 5’ ON CENTER 20’ EAVE HEIGHTS: START AT 7’ TO 12 1/2’ . Our unique assembly process quickly transforms the individual pieces into a finished structure that will give you a lifetime of service. Great care has been taken to ensure complete satisfaction with your purchase.
SAFETY, HAZARD, AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS CAUTION: Read the following safety warnings and all instructions in their entirety prior to installation. If you have questions or are missing any parts, contact Mid-South Metal Products, Inc. (DBA, VersaTube Building systems) customer service at 1800-900-7222 before proceeding. CAUTION: VersaTube Building Systems designs and manufactures framing products to meet minimum load requirements in most areas.
ATTENTION: IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ THE FOLLOWING NOTE BEFORE STARTING THE ASSEMBLY OF YOUR CARPORT NOTE: If during the installation process you have difficulty fitting frame components together, use an adjustable wrench to open the end of the receiving tube as shown below. Close wrench down around bent portion of tube and bend wall outward. It may also be helpful to hit the center of the swage at the end of the tube to create more of a lead.
BASIC CARPORT PARTS LIST BASE RAILS 4’ ON CENTER FRAMES: 8’ STARTER BASE RAIL, 2” X 3” X 96 1/2” rail with 3 welded vertical pins. QTY. 2, part # 71-4783 8’ BASE EXTENSION RAIL, 2” X 3” X 100 3/4” rail with 2 welded vertical pins, swaged one end. QTY. 2, part # 71-4782 4’ BASE EXTENSION RAIL, 3” X 3” X 53” rail with 1 welded vertical pin. Swaged one end. OTY. 2, part #71-7020 4 1/2’ ON CENTER FRAMES: END BASE RAIL, 2” X 3” X 83 3/4” rail with 2 welded vertical pins, swaged one end. QTY.
SITE PREPARATION FOR CARPORTS The Versatube carport frame is designed to be placed on a foundation that is level side to side and sloped about 1/8” per foot front to back or back to front. That foundation can be: prepared ground (leveled and re-compacted), a concrete footing, or a concrete mono slab with built-in footing. It is important that you create one of these conditions prior to your carport or building installation.
ASSEMBLING AND POSITIONING THE BASE RAILS: Layout the base rails on your slab or footing or prepared ground. The base rails should be 10’, 12’, 14’, 16’, 18’, 20’, 24’, or 30’ apart (outside to outside) depending on the carport that you purchased. The length from the front to the back of the base rail assembly will be 1/2” longer than the frame length. (Example: If you have a 20’ x 20’ frame, the length of the base rail assembly will be 20’-1/2”.
ANCHORING CARPORT BASE RAILS: These instructions offer three anchoring methods: (1) To a concrete slab or concrete footings with concrete wedge anchor bolts. (2) To the ground with Versatube Ground Anchors. (3) To the ground with Versatube Rebar Anchors and concrete.
ANCHORING TO GROUND WITH CONCRETE PIERS DIGGING HOLES FOR CONCRETE Mark the locations of the rails and the anchor holes on the ground. Move the base rails to one side and dig holes at each anchor point for concrete. You may want to rent a gas-powered post hole digger with an 8” or 12” diameter auger for this job. HOLE SIZE: Counties with 70 or 80 mph Exposure C wind: Use a 12” diameter hole 14” deep or a 8” diameter hole 18” deep.
ROOF/WALL FRAME ASSEMBLY Before you start the assembly of the Roof/Wall sections, stack the Peak tubes, line up the ends and mark a line on the top of each peak 17 1/8” or 3 5/8” from one end. This will be the location of the edge of your first run of sheet metal panels on the roof of the carport. If your carport is 10’, 12’,18’, 24’, or 30’ wide place the mark at 17 1/8” from the end. If your carport is 14’ or 20’ wide, place the mark 3 5/8” from the end.
TRUSS BRACING: TYPE (2) COLLAR TIE WITH VERTICAL, TYPE (3) COLLAR TIE WITH WEB BRACES Your carport may or may not require a truss brace depending on carport width and the wind and snow load in your county. 10’, 12’ and 14’ wide carports do not require truss braces. 16’, 18’, and 20’ carports often do not require a brace. 24’ and 30’ wide carports require a brace. Check with your dealer If you have questions.
INSTALLING VERTICAL BRACE FOR BRACE TYPE (2) TRUSS BRACE The Center Vertical Brace is 1 1/2” square x 19 1/4” long on 16 wide carport, 22 1/4” on 18’ wide, 25 1/4” long on 20’ wide, 31 1/4” wide on 24’ wide and 40 1/4” long on 30’ wide. Fasten the brace to the Collar Tie and the Frame Peak with Single Purlin Brackets. Use two screws in the bracket tongue and one screw in each side flange as shown. Fasten the brackets to the vertical brace first.
STEP 3: INSTALL WEB BRACE 2: (On 18’ & 20’ carports 24”) (On 24’ carport 30”) (On 30’ wide carport 36”) Loosely attach Web Bracket 2 to the other end of Web Brace 1. Place the Web Bracket on the Collar Tie (make sure the collar tie is straight and fasten the face of the bracket to the collar tie with a self-drilling screw. Remove the hex nut and attach one end of Web Brace 2 to the Web Bracket 2 assembly.
INSTALLING ROOF/WALL FRAMES SECTIONS TO BASE RAILS NOTE: This assembly will require at least two people. 24’ and 30’ frames may require more. When raising a larger frame, the third person can walk the center of the frame up a ladder placed inside the carport. Start at one end of the building and place a Roof/Wall frame assembly (one with no truss brace) on the first base rail vertical pins. Fasten joints with two screws each.
INSTALLING HORIZONTAL SHEET METAL ON THE CARPORT FRAME: Different lengths, styles, and gauges of sheet metal panels can be installed on the Versatube frame. With the use of optional roof purlins, you can also install vertical sheet metal panels. For the purpose of these assembly instructions, we will be using sheet metal panels run horizontally. These instructions will cover the installation of roof and partial side panel coverage only.
INSTALLING THE FIRST PANELS ON A 14’ OR 20’ WIDE CARPORT When you install sheet metal panels on a 14’ or 20’ wide carport, the first course of panels down the peak will be positioned to one side of the roof and the first panels on the other side of the roof will overlap these panels 10” or to the second major rib. See illustration below. If you have a 14’ or 20’ wide carport, you should have marked all of the peaks on the frame sections 3 5/8” from one end.
INSTALLING PANEL TWO If you have not removed the protective paper on the butyl tape that you applied to panel 1, do that at this time. Now, position panel two as shown below with a 2” overlap on panel one. Press the panels together well to create a good seal with the butyl caulk. The lower (under lap) edge of the panel should line up with the marks on the peaks.
Install all panels down the peak of the carport before moving on to the second lower course of panels. INSTALLING THE SECOND LOWER COURSE OF PANELS ON CARPORTS 10’, 12’, 16’, 18’, 24’ AND 30’ WIDE The second course of panels will be installed starting at the opposite end of the carport. Slide the under lap edge of the first panel of the second course under the lower edge of the last panel in the first course. Note: On one side of the roof, you will be inserting a under lap edge under an under lap edge.
INSTALLING THE 2ND PANEL, 2ND COURSE AND ADDITIONAL PANELS 2ND COURSE 10’, 12’, 16’, 18’, 24’, AND 30’ WIDE CARPORTS: See the chart on the bottom of page 17 for panel sizes required for the on center frame spacing of your carport. The additional panel/panels in the second course must be positioned with the under lap edge to the upper side of the panel. The upper under lap edge of the panel will lap under the panel above and the end of the panel will lap under the panel you just installed.
INSTALLING VINYL EDGE TRIM: Install vinyl edge trim on front, back and side edges of sheet metal panels. Start at one corner and push the trim securely over the sheet metal edge. Install the trim on the gable ends first starting at one corner, up along the gable and down to the other corner. Install vinyl edge trim on both side edges of the carport. Clip the trim flush with the edge of the trim on the gable ends. It may help to use a small hammer to fit trim over major ribs.
