For long-term storage, at least six months in the case of seasonal vehicles, heavy-duty poly tarps are ideal. Made out of rip-stop polyethylene, such tarps are treated to be UV resistant, waterproof, rot proof, and mildew resistant. As a result, the material, when surrounding a boat or RV, blocks out the sunlight and keeps the water from accumulating directly on the surface.

If you own such a vehicle, know that these elements can damage the surface – and even internal parts – over time. UV rays fade and crack a vehicle’s surface and can even damage internal parts. Water that accumulates wears away the surface and attracts mold, mildew, and dry rot, which further damage the vehicle. Because such a vehicle was a significant investment, don’t you want to get all you can out of it?

To cover your boat or RV with a poly tarp, find material that’s the right size. Before purchasing any tarp, measure the height, length, and width of a vehicle, and include all add-ons and appendages in your dimensions. A tarp should be able to cover all of this. For RVs, additionally, manufacturers also make tarps specifically shaped for the vehicle. But, no matter the size, shape, or vehicle being stored, the tarp needs to be secured. To prevent the tarp from blowing away or moving in the winter, secure it with bungee cords or clips.

Carports and portable garages essentially come in two types: powder-coated or galvanized steel. Other strong varieties, such as square tube shelters and truss buildings, are also on the market, but these, too, are divided between the two types of frame compositions. Although both are designed to handle the elements, galvanized steel – coating steel with zinc for rust and corrosion resistance – ends up holding up better than powder-coated varieties, which have paint baked onto the metal. While in the short term both may protect your vehicle for a season, a powder-coated steel carport may end up experiencing more wear and tear and is not practical for long-term use.

Galvanized steel carports, on the other hand, are designed to last several years – sometimes even up to 15 – when left outdoors. If you have a galvanized steel carport with a polyethylene cover for long-term use, check the polyethylene, as the lifespan of the material ends up being shorter than that of steel. If the polyethylene is torn, worn, or frayed, find a replacement cover of the appropriate size before the vehicle goes into storage.

On the other hand, a valance carport may not provide you with sufficient coverage in colder weather, and if a boat or RV is going to be stored under it for several months, the structure needs to be fully enclosed. To enclose the carport, find polyethylene side walls and replacement panels of the right fit to modify the structure.

First, make sure the shelter itself meets your – and your vehicle’s – needs. Consider the weather of your location. Do you experience large amounts of snow or rain in winter? Make sure, then, that the structure is strong enough to hold up to it. At the same time, the portable garage or carport should provide all-around protection against water, moisture, and UV rays, and an enclosed shelter is often ideal in this respect. However, if you presently use a valance carport or portable garage for shelter, modify it with appropriate side walls and front and rear panels.

If, on the other hand, you haven’t even purchased a carport or portable garage, find one that not only meets your physical needs but is also large enough for the vehicle and meets local ordinances. Before even looking at carports and portable garages, measure your vehicle – its width, length, and height. Add any appendages, such as a vent on an RV, into the dimensions as well.

At the same time, many areas have ordinances for portable structures, and they may restrict where you can add your carport or portable garage and how large it can be. Research these before looking at carports and portable garages, as they may end up posing limitations on the type of shelter you can buy. Otherwise, a carport or portable garage that violates these ordinances or building codes may need to be taken down or modified, and your boat or RV won’t be adequately protected as a result.

Currently, as explained in the Daytona Beach News-Journal, standards for storing and protecting RVs are more strict. The vehicles cannot be parked in a front yard for more than 72 hours and they cannot block streets, setbacks, or right of ways. Garages and carports are the preferred protective shelters. Both of these, however, must not exceed 40 feet.

Because Flager Beach, it seems, wants to emphasize its fishing image, boats can be displayed more, as the town considers them to be visually pleasing. Large RVs, however, are more often eyesores. Flager Beach, in order to have more boats seen around town, gives boat storage more leeway.

A second issue concerning storage is brought up on the News-Journal Piece: what do you do when you own two recreational vehicles? The town, it appears, wants to restrict the number of vehicles, both boats and RVs, that a household can own.

The recreational vehicle-related ordinances in Flager Beach are uncertain, but they set a specific example for those owning and storing such vehicles: check any local ordinances for that specific vehicle and for storage before you purchase not only a boat or RV but also a shelter. Storing a vehicle in a carport to the back or side of a house is standard, but an area may have different regulations for boats and RVs, as well as restrictions on the size of the portable storage building.

If you go to a retailer, you might see several types of canopies. All, as you can see, have a powder-coated or galvanized steel frame. Most have a polyethylene tarp on top, although some are made entirely of steel. Which one is best for your vehicle?

For everyday storage, go with a valance style. Valance-style canopies, also called carports, offer a standard level of coverage. The steel frame can withstand high winds (usually up to 95 MPH for most models) and heavy snow. The polyethylene tarp or steel top also keeps out UV rays and water. Not only protected from the sun and moisture, your vehicle will be dry nearly every day.

Portable shelters like canopies may be needed for a specific use, such as to cover a boat or RV in colder months. Instead of leaving the vehicle outdoors (this actually damages the surface over time), protect it with an enclosed canopy. With the same steel and polyethylene composition, these canopies have walls on all sides and a zipper or roll-up door. As moisture buildup is another concern, these structures allow air to circulate underneath.

Location and time are two additional factors to consider. Will this portable building be used all year long, or is it only erected in the colder months? If the canopy will be kept permanently outdoors, galvanized steel is better for long-term use; powder-coated steel does not have as long of a lifespan. Location, as well, must be considered. Some towns, cities, and neighborhoods have ordinances for portable shelters, in which location and size are restricted.

Portable garages are an affordable option for storing either of these seasonal vehicles. The shelter should have dimensions of the vehicle – measure the vehicle before you purchase anything – and should be installed in concrete into the ground. These shelters consist of a galvanized steel frame and an enclosed polyethylene canopy. To protect the vehicle inside, the canopy has been treated to be UV resistant, waterproof, and mold, mildew, and rot resistant. The strength of the frame, additionally, keeps the shelter from collapsing from wind or snow.

After the structure has been installed fully, the vehicle can go inside. For the six or more months the vehicle is in storage, however, it should be checked on occasion for mildew, mold, or dry rot build up – not likely, but it can happen – or animals living inside the shelter.

Tarps are another option for storing a vehicle. Many manufacturers carry tarps large enough to cover seasonal vehicles. Like purchasing a canopy, you should also know the dimensions of the vehicle before you buy. Tarps are draped around the vehicle and secured at the bottom by bungee cords or tie-downs.

In all cases, a tarp or a canopy protects the vehicle from exposure to water and UV rays, both of which can damage the surface of the vehicle. Water, additionally, builds up and attracts mildew and rot. As an option for storing, a canopy or a tarp gives protection and breathability to a boat or RV.

For permanent outdoor canopies, what is the difference between a portable garage and an RV or boat shelter? Typically, it’s the size and the selection on Canopy Hut’s new product pages reflects this. The shelters on the boat canopy page can cover at least one boat, while the RV shelters are all long canopy structures with walls designed to cover at least one RV. The larger RV shelters are both wide and long to hold two RVs. In addition, other permanent outdoor shelters Canopy Hut now carries include car canopies, which are enclosed or open carports for one or more cars to fit under in all kinds of weather. All of these permanent outdoor canopies are by Shelterlogic.

The other new products now offered by Canopy Hut are temporary shelters that can be set up outdoors with ease. These shelters are called party tents, pop-up canopies, or wedding tents depending on the size – wedding tents are typically the largest of this kind – and Canopy Hut now has trade show canopies. If you’re planning on attending a trade show outdoors with many items to protect, one of these canopy structures can be folded up in your car and can be set up quickly once at the trade show. As this canopy is only for temporary use, it is designed to be taken out, put up, and transported with ease.

As mentioned in past posts on this blog, two ways to protect an RV from the elements during the months not in use include a canopy shelter, much like a large carport or portable garage, is an option for protecting an RV and so is a large polyethylene tarp. Both methods allow for breathability and will prevent mildew and rot from forming and damaging the surface of an RV and will keep out UV rays which also have such damaging effects on an RV like fading the outer paint coating and damaging indoor plastic parts. Another option to increase breathability inside an RV is with an RV vent, which can be seen in the following YouTube video:

When purchasing an RV cover, be it an RV tarp or an RV canopy, the vent also needs to be taken into account when choosing the size of the shelter. All appendages to the RV need to be added into the dimensions of the shelter for appropriate protection. One example can be seen in a video for the Shelters of America website:

The point showing enough space for the RV in the shelter, including any space for a vent cover, is approximately at 1:45. In the case of this video, the protecting shelter is a curved roof portable garage, with heavy duty polyethylene sides extending from one side to the other. In addition, the curved roof is beneficial in winter for preventing snow from accumulating on top. When choosing an RV canopy, make sure that the shelter is large enough for the RV to have space inside and has side and back walls and a zipper door in front. For additional breathability for the vehicle, an RV vent cover would allow air inside the vehicle while the overall vehicle is being protected from the elements.

Protecting an RV with a portable garage is a long term solution. The portable garage itself is a low-maintenance structure and the structure consists of a metal frame supporting a metal or polyethylene canopy. The portable garage needs to partially enclose the vehicle to allow for circulation, and, if a polyethylene canopy is used, the material is breathable and is both UV and anti-fungal treated. Therefore, the structure will keep out the sun, which fades the RV’s paint and created internal and external cracks in plastic, and allows for circulation to prevent dry rot and mildew. The structure itself can stand up to high winds (up to 95 MPH) and snow.

Another short-term solution to protecting your RV is with a tarp, which is usually referred to as an RV cover. Similar to a portable garage, an RV is a heavy-duty tarp made from polyethylene which is UV treated and, because of its breathability, will allow moisture not to be trapped under the cover and cause mildew and dry rot. When choosing an RV cover, try to find one that is custom fit, as opposed to one size fits all. The size of your RV is not only determined the vehicle’s dimensions but also by any appendages, such as an air conditioner.