You don’t want your carport to fly away like a kite. Securely anchoring your carport can keep your carport from suddenly disappearing during a windstorm. Regardless of where you live, using carport anchors and keeping them properly maintained is essential to ensure your carport’s stability.
Loose anchors can make it vulnerable to wind, leading to collapse and potential injury. Water damage and structural stress can also occur, resulting in costly repairs. Regularly checking and maintaining your carport’s anchors ensures its stability and saves you trouble down the road.
Read more to learn all about anchors for carports, how to anchor your carport, and how to prepare a level dirt, gravel, asphalt, or concrete foundation for a carport.
Types of Anchors for Carports
The anchor you’ll need for your carport depends on the area it rests on. Here’s a chart that breaks down the different types of anchor accessories and what type of foundation they’re best for:
| Anchor type | Best for | How They Work |
| Concrete bolts | Carports on concrete | These are typically wedge-shaped anchors that expand as you tighten a bolt, creating a secure hold in the concrete. |
| Rebar anchors | Carports on asphalt | These long steel rods are hammered directly through the asphalt and into the ground below. |
| Mobile home anchors | Carports on dirt and gravel | These screw-shaped anchors are twisted into the ground with a pry bar or power tool, providing a strong grip in most soil conditions. |
Learn how to anchor a carport depending on the type of foundation you have below.
How to Anchor a Carport to Dirt or Gravel
The most secure way to anchor your carport to dirt is with mobile home anchors. Here’s how to tackle this project:
Materials Needed:
Mobile home anchors for each post | Work gloves |
Pry bar | Safety glasses |
Steps:
- Prep the anchor points. These anchors can be screwed into the ground by hand with a pry bar. Locate the designated anchor points on your carport base rails. These will usually be pre-drilled holes or marked spots for drilling.
- Slip the pry bar into the notch at the top and make a half-turn twist.
- Repeat until all your anchors are in.
Pro Tip: If the dirt is particularly hard or compacted, a dead blow hammer can be helpful to drive the anchor initially. Strike the top of the anchor with the dead blow hammer while simultaneously applying downward pressure and turning the pry bar.
Many people prefer to use power tools to make the job easier. If you know how to weld or you have a friend who can weld a few pieces of metal together, you can make your own improvised tool to connect to a power tool like an impact wrench.
For more help, check out this video showing someone anchoring a carport to gravel with a homemade tool:
How to Anchor a Carport to Concrete
If you have a concrete foundation, you should use concrete anchors to fasten the base rail of your carport to the concrete. Here’s how you can do it:
Materials Needed:
Concrete anchors | Wrench or ratchet |
Hammer drill | Safety glasses |
Drill bit | Work gloves |
Steps:
- Find the designated anchor points on your carport’s base rails. These will likely be pre-drilled holes or marked locations for drilling.
- Select concrete anchors with the appropriate size and weight capacity for your carport. Consider the wind load in your area and consult the carport manufacturer’s recommendations for specific anchor requirements.
- Mark the concrete through the holes in the base rail to indicate drilling locations. Equip your hammer drill with the appropriate size drill bit for your chosen concrete anchors. Carefully drill holes into the concrete at the marked locations.
- Ensure all debris is cleaned from the holes to ensure the anchors fit as snugly as possible.
- Place the anchor within the drilled hole and tap gently with a hammer to securely place it. Then, use a wrench or ratchet to tighten the anchor.
- Repeat with the remaining anchors.
Pro Tip: Concrete anchors should not be used near the edge of the concrete where they could cause the concrete to break. You should make sure the concrete anchor is at least 4 inches from the edge.
To see this in action, the video below shows how to install a concrete anchor
How to Anchor a Carport to Asphalt
Securing your carport to an asphalt base requires a slightly different approach compared to concrete or dirt. Here’s how to tackle anchoring your carport to asphalt:
Materials Needed:
| Rebar anchors | Ratchet |
| Sledgehammer | Safety glasses |
| Wrench | Work gloves |
Steps:
- Locate the designated anchor points on your carport’s base rails. Slide the rebar anchor through the holes in the base rail, ensuring the hooked end points downward towards the asphalt.
- Using a heavy sledgehammer, forcefully pound the top of the rebar anchor straight down into the asphalt.
- Continue driving it until you’ve firmly embedded the hooked end in the ground beneath the asphalt.
- Repeat for the remaining anchors.
Pro Tip: Another option is to pound in the rebar anchor beside a post and bolt the post to the anchor.
Driving rebar anchors directly into asphalt can be a challenge, especially for thicker asphalt layers. This method may require a lot of effort and may be better suited for smaller carports or those with pre-drilled pilot holes in the asphalt. Be sure to consult a professional to create these safely.
Secure Your Carport with Alan’s Factory Outlet
Anchoring your carport is crucial to ensure its stability and protect your vehicle from the elements. By following the appropriate methods for your foundation type, you can create a secure and long-lasting shelter for your belongings.
While DIY carport anchoring can be cost-effective, a professional can help take the hassle out of the job and ensure it’s done properly. Consider ordering a customizable metal carport with free installation from Alan’s Factory Outlet.
