How to Remove a Metal Carport in 5 Steps

Removing a metal carport is an easy process, so long as you have a few basic tools and know the proper order in which to disassemble the parts. Before starting though, take note of the type of metal your carport is made from.

A steel carport will be significantly heavier than an aluminum carport, so take care when handling larger pieces, and always have at least one helping hand ready to assist you.

Step 1 - Siding and Roofing

Siding (if you have any) and roofing will always come off first. These are the parts where you are most likely to need an extra person or two to help you with. Especially to hold the loose end of a side while you unscrew the other side, and when you are taking the roof sheets off. When taking off the roof sheets, have at least one person guiding the sheeting down from ground level while another person holds your ladder for you.

If your uprights are designed to be telescoping, then you may want to think about lowering them all the way after removing any siding, for added ease. Before you do, however, be sure that you have one person on each corner, and that there are no side supports that will cause problems with lowering.

If you can lower them though, it will make removing the roof as well as the roof framework much easier to dismantle.

As you remove your screws and bolts for the siding and the roof, be sure to place them somewhere that they won’t be lost (a plastic zip-lock bag will work perfectly).

Step 2 - Trusses and Purlins

You’ll want to remove purlins first if they are present. These are the steel members which the roof sheets are laid on and screwed to. You’ll need your ladder again, though depending on the size of the purlins and trusses, you probably won’t have to have somebody holding it for you. Having somebody else present to hold the trusses as you remove them though is recommended.

Step 3 - The Girts

Girts are similar to purlins, except that they are the members that girt your structure around the sides of your carport and to which the siding was screwed. Girts may or may not be present in your particular model. If you have wall sheets then you have girts. Remove them next.

Step 4 - Top Rails

Remove the top rails next. Be sure that as you remove rails from your uprights that the uprights themselves don’t overbalance and fall over, which may happen depending on how they are placed in the bottom rails. If you are worried this may happen, have a second hand to support them while you pull the top rails out.

Step 5 - Uprights and Bottom Rails

All that is left is the beams, columns, and the bottom sheeting angle if your carport had walls. Disconnect the beams from one another where they join, and disconnect them from the columns and remove the beams one at a time in reverse order of their assembly if you have that information available.

Carefully lower each beam or other steel members to the ground one at a time. Once the columns are standing alone with nothing connected to them you can take them down also. This will typically require two people to do.

That’s all there is to breaking down a basic metal carport. For more detailed information, refer to your owner’s manual or contact the manufacturer.