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Portable Garages
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Rootes75



Joined: 30 Apr 2013
Posts: 3788
Location: The Somerset Levels

PostPosted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 1:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stopped in the yard to check on the Hillman in the portable garage after a couple days of hard frost down here in Somerset.

Not good news.

The car was soaking wet on the outside and the windows were all misted up and upon checking the headlining was damp to the touch.

The inside of the tent roof was covered in water droplets and if the wind picked up or you touch the sides causing any vibration it all then falls on the car. I can tell you I am not too happy, the car has its original paint and interior and its so important to me to keep it that way.

In the damp of the garage I can already see some cracks in the old paint expanding.
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alastairq



Joined: 14 Oct 2016
Posts: 1950
Location: East Yorkshire

PostPosted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 7:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How tight are the end walls/doors?

You can never have too much ventilation with a portable garage.
The little air vents some come with aren't enough really.
Nice big gaps round the end walls/doors is good...rain & snow won't get in, but the draft on a windy day helps keep things dry.
Also, what is the ground?
If simply soil, or even concrete, then that won't help reduce moisture..quite the opposite, really.

Maybe you can get hold of some impervious membrane, such as thin stokboard, or similar plastic sheets for the floor?

A portable tent will never be a substitute for a decent dry garage that's well insulated. Even an uninsulated garage will allow a build up of condensation.

But, if the intention was to protect the ca from the worst of the weather, then a portable garage beats a cover every time.
I would look to increasing the ventilation.....what looks like a badly fitting end door is absolutely ideal. Mine has huge gaps each end, and can get drafty indeed...but the condensation is minimal....a decent bout of sunshine also helps, warms the tent material up quickly.
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Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
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Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces.
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Rootes75



Joined: 30 Apr 2013
Posts: 3788
Location: The Somerset Levels

PostPosted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 3:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, there's plenty of ventilation as the front and rear are not fixed to the floor, it ensures a good breeze flows through.

It was only ever going to be temporary but I didn't think it would condense this much. We might revert back to having the lorry in the tent and the car back in the shed.

It sort of defeats the object though as the lorry needs the power/light and extra room while we crack on with the restoration.
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alastairq



Joined: 14 Oct 2016
Posts: 1950
Location: East Yorkshire

PostPosted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My ventilation is largely at the tops of the end sheets.
Thus far, evn on frosty mornings, the amounts of condensation on the inside of the roof weren't overly excessive.

Since I am in & out of the tent on an almost daily basis [there are other things besides a car stored in there]...if the sun is shining [tent is 'south' facing] I open the front door right up, and leave the sunshine to warm the contents through.
The car itself is an open car, yet doesn't suffer unduly from the aging effects of the weather..
A tent, like any other non-wood shelter, is never going to be condensation-free.
Especially in the colder weather.

Even a caravan is going to suffer some effects of frosty weather, despite insulation.
The only low level heating I can think of that doesn't make the condensation issue worse would be electric heating...which is costly, and possibly, not feasible from a supply view.
A fan heater timed to switch on & off might be a reasonable answer to condensation formation?

My Mustang is simply under a car port. Protected from the worst of the weather, and under a plastic roof which inhibits the passage of ultraviolet , the car hasn't really suffered much from the effects of frost or condensation...especially as I leave a quarterlight ajar.

I used to leave a pair of those bags that soak up moisture from Frost & co...but I didn't find them too successful....and prone to splitting and spilling the dia-wotsit earth all over the plot!
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Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
----------------------------------------------
Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces.
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6286
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 4:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

alastairq wrote:
My ventilation is largely at the tops of the end sheets.
Thus far, evn on frosty mornings, the amounts of condensation on the inside of the roof weren't overly excessive.

Since I am in & out of the tent on an almost daily basis [there are other things besides a car stored in there]...if the sun is shining [tent is 'south' facing] I open the front door right up, and leave the sunshine to warm the contents through.
The car itself is an open car, yet doesn't suffer unduly from the aging effects of the weather..
A tent, like any other non-wood shelter, is never going to be condensation-free.
Especially in the colder weather.

Even a caravan is going to suffer some effects of frosty weather, despite insulation.
The only low level heating I can think of that doesn't make the condensation issue worse would be electric heating...which is costly, and possibly, not feasible from a supply view.
A fan heater timed to switch on & off might be a reasonable answer to condensation formation?

My Mustang is simply under a car port. Protected from the worst of the weather, and under a plastic roof which inhibits the passage of ultraviolet , the car hasn't really suffered much from the effects of frost or condensation...especially as I leave a quarterlight ajar.

I used to leave a pair of those bags that soak up moisture from Frost & co...but I didn't find them too successful....and prone to splitting and spilling the dia-wotsit earth all over the plot!


You used to be able to get bags of magnesium scrap to put in the boot of your car.

(It's what they put next to iron water pipes but now it's all plastic .... Rolling Eyes )
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Bitumen Boy



Joined: 26 Jan 2012
Posts: 1733
Location: Above the snow line in old Monmouthshire

PostPosted: Sat Jan 22, 2022 1:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can, given a sewing machine, make your own dessicant bags. The same stuff is available at modest cost, sold as "silica gel cat litter" (of all things), you just need some suitable cloth to hold it all together.

If contemplating the use of electricity, I wouldn't bother with heaters. An adsorption type dehumidifier (better at low temperatures than the more common compressor types) will give far better results for lower consumption, but then the tent would need to be sealed as well as is possible.
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Rootes75



Joined: 30 Apr 2013
Posts: 3788
Location: The Somerset Levels

PostPosted: Sat Jan 22, 2022 6:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Checked the car today, shes dried out a lot as the temperature has gone up a little.

Both ends allow a nice flow of air through but when I go down to work on the lorry I make sure I unzip the front door and roll it open.
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Rootes75



Joined: 30 Apr 2013
Posts: 3788
Location: The Somerset Levels

PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2022 3:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What a day..what a storm.
Down here in Somerset it hit us very hard. I ended up having to take ths day off work as I couldnt get in and also to nurse the portable garage through.

The nursing lasted till around lunchtime when we got really hit by the storm winds, the Clarke garage is no more....

The winds were so strong they actually dislodged the anchors in the concrete, they also bent beyond repair over half the upright poles. At one point all we could do was hold onto the posts to stop them hitting the car. In the end the garage simply took off on one side and it took over an hour to dismantle it enough to stop the poles further hutting the car.

We saved the car but in places the poles have scraped body panels down to the primer...its the original 85 year old paint...

The garage is gone, its beyond repair. Some of the poles have simply bent so far then just snapped under the force of the wind. At the end of the day I know its money gone but being there to hold the poles off of the car we ultinately saved the car. Imagine if I had gone to work and this had all come loose when I wasnt there, the car would have been wrecked.

Lesson learnt, the portable garage for us does not work, the search goes on for a new unit to rent/buy.
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alastairq



Joined: 14 Oct 2016
Posts: 1950
Location: East Yorkshire

PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2022 3:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh dear.

Still better than having a garage or lockup collapse onto the car instead?

Up here, especially where my home is located, the winds were barely above 'stiff breeze' levels...a different story slightly further towards to top of the ridge though.
My home and garden is protected by the lie of the land, and by a couple of weather-belt treelines. The noise was like listening to a very heavy surf, however.
But, my DAncover portable garage worked very well indeed.

Mind, the cover itself is heavy duty pvc, so is difficult to tear.
I did go out and inside it during the worst of the wind, and it was surprisingly warm & calm inside...

I do think that one has to be very selective about where one plants these tents.
Sticking them up in a open location will not lead to longevity....So picking a sheltered site is favourite.
The same applies to these modern sheds and garages [of a more permanent nature].....build them in an exposed position, and the roof won't last too long.

I do think much of our more building schemes [houses, garden fences, etc] are built to look good, but not to withstand the worst that nature might throw at us. We live today in what I think is a very temporary society.
There are fences, and 'fences!'

There are also garages, and 'garages!'
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Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
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Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces.
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6286
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2022 5:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nothing car related but we lost part of the cattery roof and some fencing panels broken. I was desperately trying to hold down what remained of the flat roof and covered it with house bricks.

I don't think it was as bad as some storms we have had. Last time we had two of next door's fencing panels land on the cattery roof. Another time a cowl came off a chimney and we had several trees down. One time I had a mature tree land on my garage and that was a home insurance job.

All in all, it could have been worse. Surprised
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Rootes75



Joined: 30 Apr 2013
Posts: 3788
Location: The Somerset Levels

PostPosted: Fri Feb 25, 2022 1:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So after another storm over the weekend we arrived down the yard to find the Hillman totally waterlogged and rain dripping in everywhere.

Enough was enough. I headed down to the local garage, we have know the owner for many many years and after politely asking if he had an storage for the short term...

He was really good, he has let me store the old girl for a week or so until I can sort something out, the charge...nothing. He said if you can't help a friend out what can you do?


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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6286
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Fri Feb 25, 2022 3:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A good friend indeed. Wink

(I trust you will buy him a drink for his trouble ?)
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Rick
Site Admin


Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22429
Location: UK

PostPosted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry to read of your nightmare time with the Hillman, the battering that we got from the last named storms has confirmed my thoughts for some time, that I can't have anything old outside. Anything old has to be in the garage, it'll mean selling off a couple of projects but lately trying to keep covers on anything outside has been a nightmare - especially the Commer, whose cover is now very tatty. Ok the recent run of weather doesn't happen too often, but when it does, it's a struggle to keep cars dry and un-damaged.
The lean-to at the bottom of the garden is also pretty fragile now so I don't see that lasting much longer. It's bad enough worrying about bits of the house blowing away, without car covers etc also in the mix. I'm so glad that we had a tree taken down last year, as I think it would have come down on its own had we not.
Last year I began the process of cutting back a bit with project cars, and I'll need to do more of the same this year to get the rest stored properly.
RJ
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Rootes75



Joined: 30 Apr 2013
Posts: 3788
Location: The Somerset Levels

PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2022 3:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Totally agree Rick, storing vehicles outside just simply doesn't work does it.

I am enquiring about a couple of larger storage sheds near us, more money a month but for the sake of getting everything under cover its worth it.

We did get a bit annoyed again on Sunday, the big Hillman is in the local garage and we agreed for a 2 week period. Sunday morning comes and the garage owner pulls into our yard and tbh was not very pleasant, he now says we agreed 7 days and he thought we would have picked the car up by now!

Just goes to show you cant rely on other people and you have to get it sorted by yourself!
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alastairq



Joined: 14 Oct 2016
Posts: 1950
Location: East Yorkshire

PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2022 4:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Storage, as distinct from 'garaging' or 'parking, is always going to be a problem....unless one has a darned good income.
I originally paid over-the-top a bit in rent for my present abode...which I have occupied for almost 8 years now [a record for private renting in this day & age, perhaps?]
But, I have a wide driveway, plus a hard-cored area for my tent [originally my LL kept his caravan on it]...and I've built a decent car port. Also a large-ish workshop, with a bit of vehicular access[outside, but alongside].
Thus I can store all my accumulated spares [junk], plus tools etc....
Admittedly the whole plot is on a bit of a hillside [not overly much though]...
Thus, I can also store my Cannon, the Ford Pop chassis, the 4Trak and a couple of trailers, too. But I still need to get the mower out!!
Worth it really, especially now I'm retired, because I can be pretty much self-contained with my playthings. Being orf the beaten track a bit is useful for 'security'....leaving a collecting box for the poor of the Parish by the front gate helps too.

Let's hope the LL doesn't decide to raise the rent any time soon???


Aside from that....if anyone has a tent for garaging, or looking for one, then I suggest going for a make that offers a really heavy duty cover. Too many regular tents have a fabric that is fine for average weather, but not for the more extreme stuff. As I have said before, mine has been up for 7 years now, and whilst being quite well sheltered from the worst of mother nature, has withstood countless storms, snow and baking sunshine rather well considering. If I had opted for a cheaper [thinner, lighter] cover, that might not have been the case at all.
The type of material I'm thinking about is similar in weight toa typical tarpaulin used on big lorries. Although mine has also got a 'weave' in it. it does fray, mainly from rubbing, etc..but not irreparable..DAncover sent me a large piece of the same material, and some evo stik-type glue, [Pattex] when I made them aware of certain rubbing issues.

I recommend Dancover, but they're no longer as cheap as they were.

They also offered as accessories, straps that could be placed over the top of the cover, secured positively into the ground [anchors] either side, to prevent the tent lifting off. I haven't got these, as there isn't much room twixt the tent side and a stout wood fence. These straps have ratchets like lorries use, to tighten up with, and pressure pads to lay between straps and tent top. The straps are also quite wide..not the sort used on little car trailers.
Of course, another alternative [for vehicle storage] is a shipping container?
Or, maybe, the body of a redundant van?
Mounted off the ground, the floors are usually quite stout. [I'm talking LGV bodyshells here, not Morris Minor!]
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Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
----------------------------------------------
Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces.
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