Wooden Carport Styles, Frames and Sizes, and How to Read Them
A wooden carport is an open-sided shelter on a wood frame, sold in slope, peak, hip, flat and pavilion roof styles. A 14x17 pavilion listing read on October 6, 2026 lists an inside base width of 12 feet, so the size in the name is not the width between the posts.
Sources: seller listings read October 6, 2026 (Backyard Discovery, Yardistry, Palmako through Outdoor Living Retreat, Big Timber Structures, Western Timber Frame), Google shopping results, and an Architecture Toolbox lumber size table updated March 18, 2023.
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What is a wooden carport?
A wooden carport is a carport with a wood frame: posts, beams and rafters that carry a roof over an open parking bay. Sellers pair the frame with a steel or aluminum roof, and Palmako lists a flat roof of tongue and groove boards. Wood carport and wooden carport are two spellings of one product, and Google returned the same sellers for both on October 6, 2026. The wood carport guide covers kit prices, posts and permits. This guide covers styles, frame types and sizes. Several listings carry a dual name, such as the Backyard Discovery Norwood Carport/Gazebo.
Which styles of wooden carport can you buy?
Sellers name the roof shape in the product title or the collection filter. The table sorts six styles by what each listing states, with the price shown on October 6, 2026.
| Style as listed | Example and size | Roof as listed | Frame as listed | Price shown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slope | Example and sizeBackyard Discovery Kingsport, 20x12 | Roof as listedSlope roof, steel | Frame as listedCedar | Price shown$2,599 (regular $3,799) |
| Peak | Example and sizeBackyard Discovery Norwood, 20x12 | Roof as listedPeak roof, 29-gauge steel | Frame as listed100% cedar, 6x6 posts | Price shown$3,499 (regular $4,499) |
| Hip | Example and sizeBackyard Discovery Barrington, 24x12 | Roof as listedHip roof, steel | Frame as listedCedar | Price shown$4,299 (regular $5,299) |
| Pavilion | Example and sizeYardistry carport pavilion, 14x17 | Roof as listedAluminum roof | Frame as listedFSC certified lumber, 6x6 posts | Price shown$5,499.99 (was $5,999.99) |
| Flat | Example and sizePalmako Karl XL, 18 ft 3 in x 24 ft | Roof as listedFlat roof, 3/4 in tongue and groove boards | Frame as listedLaminated Nordic spruce, 4-3/4 in posts | Price shown$10,049 untreated, up to $13,349 |
| Timber frame | Example and sizeBig Timber Structures, 14x16 | Roof as listedR panel roofing, 6/12 pitch | Frame as listedDouglas fir, 6x6 posts | Price shown$12,271 (regular $14,480), delivery and installation included |
Western Timber Frame lists four timber frame styles: gable, shed roof pavilion, open lattice and porte-cochere, free-standing or attached to a house. It prints no prices.
The first five rows are kits that the buyer or a hired crew assembles. Backyard Discovery lists assembly services at $1,280 on the Norwood, and Yardistry lists $1,180. Big Timber includes delivery and installation. The Palmako listing ships from Estonia in three to six weeks. Narrower guides cover a wooden lean to carport and a wood carport attached to a house.
What frame types do wooden carports use?
Posts, beams and rafters carry the roof, and each seller describes them at a different level of detail. The table shows what the pages state.
| Frame type | Example | Posts and parts as listed | Wood as listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar kit | ExampleBackyard Discovery Norwood | Posts and parts as listed6 in x 6 in cedar posts, pre-cut, pre-drilled and pre-stained | Wood as listed100% cedar |
| Bracketed lumber | ExampleYardistry pavilion | Posts and parts as listed6 in x 6 in posts with mounting brackets, truss brackets and gussets | Wood as listedFSC certified lumber, species not named |
| Solid timber | ExampleBig Timber Structures | Posts and parts as listed6x6 solid wood posts, 4x8 solid wood headers, 2x6 rafters at 24 in | Wood as listedDouglas fir, western red cedar upgrade |
| Full-size timber | ExampleWestern Timber Frame | Posts and parts as listedFull 6x6 posts, rough-sawn | Wood as listedDouglas fir, coast redwood, incense cedar or western red cedar |
| Laminated spruce | ExamplePalmako Karl XL | Posts and parts as listedPosts 4-3/4 in thick | Wood as listedLaminated Nordic spruce, five treatment options |
| Glued laminated timber | ExampleEcoHouseMart NB-53, 24x24 | Posts and parts as listed12 in posts | Wood as listedGlued laminated timber, northern white spruce |
Western Timber Frame says a lumberyard 6x6 measures 5.5 by 5.5 inches after milling, and that its own 6x6 is a full 6x6. The other pages state 6x6 without saying which size ships.
How do you read the size in a listing?
A name such as 14x17 or 20x12 is a label, and sellers measure it in different ways. The table sets each name beside the measurements printed on the same page.
| Listing and name | Measurements on the page | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Yardistry 14x17 pavilion | Measurements on the pageRoof 16 ft 10.75 in by 14 ft 3.75 in. Base outside the posts 16 ft 10.75 in by 13 ft. Base inside 15 ft 5.75 in by 12 ft | ReadingThe 14 ft name is close to the roof width. The inside width is 12 ft |
| Backyard Discovery Norwood 20x12 | Measurements on the pageWidth 226.25 in (18 ft 10.25 in), depth 129.25 in (10 ft 9.25 in), height 122 in (10 ft 2 in) | ReadingThe listed width is 13.75 in under the 20 ft name, and the depth is 14.75 in under 12 ft. The page states no meaning for the name |
| Palmako Karl XL | Measurements on the page219 in by 288 in (18 ft 3 in by 24 ft). Wall height 89 in, total height 100 in | ReadingThe name and the inches match. Wall height is 7 ft 5 in |
Ask each seller what the name measures: the roof edge, the outside of the posts or the inside of the posts. Then compare the inside width and the height with your vehicle, measured with the doors open and any roof rack in place.
Lumber sizes work the same way. A nominal size is a label, and the milled piece is smaller. The table follows the Architecture Toolbox list, which cites the NIST softwood lumber standard.
What does a lumber size mean in inches?
Architecture Toolbox, updated March 18, 2023, lists these nominal and actual sizes for the pieces named on carport pages.
| Nominal size | Actual size in inches |
|---|---|
| 2x6 | Actual size in inches1.5 x 5.5 |
| 4x4 | Actual size in inches3.5 x 3.5 |
| 4x6 | Actual size in inches3.5 x 5.5 |
| 4x8 | Actual size in inches3.5 x 7.25 |
| 6x6 | Actual size in inches5.5 x 5.5 |
| 6x8 | Actual size in inches5.5 x 7.5 |
A 5.5 in post is a lumberyard 6x6. Veikous prints its posts as 5.5 x 5.5 in, which is the milled size. Palmako's 4-3/4 in laminated post is a different product, so compare thickness in inches and not the name.
What do the listings say about wind, snow and anchoring?
Rating statements are the seller's own, and one of the pages read names a standard. Backyard Discovery lists the Norwood as engineered for winds up to 100 mph and snow loads up to 30 inches, or 12,600 pounds. It says the carport must be anchored as its manual specifies. Big Timber lists a 130 mph, 3-second gust wind rating, a snow load package at $2,100 and site-specific engineering at $1,050 to $1,250. Western Timber Frame says engineered structures start at 115 mph and cites ASCE 7-22 for loads. Yardistry says its pavilion is designed for strong winds and snow and prints no number, and Palmako prints none. Ask any seller which wind speed, snow load and code edition a rating covers, and for which site.
What do the warranty and lead-time statements say?
Warranty wording is the seller's own, and the terms differ in what they cover.
| Seller | Statement on the page read | Where read |
|---|---|---|
| Backyard Discovery | Statement on the page readA 5-year warranty on the Norwood | Where readNorwood product page |
| Yardistry | Statement on the page readOne year against defects, and five years against rot and decay for the lumber | Where read14x17 product page |
| Palmako | Statement on the page readFive years if the wood is treated and maintained as the care guide says. Ships from Estonia in three to six weeks | Where readOutdoor Living Retreat page |
| Big Timber Structures | Statement on the page readUp to a 30-year limited paint warranty on the metal roof | Where readBig Timber product page |
| Western Timber Frame | Statement on the page readThe guide states no warranty | Where readWestern Timber Frame guide |
Read each warranty for its conditions, and ask whether treatment and upkeep are required to keep it.
Should you buy a kit, an installed timber frame or plans?
Kits arrive as parts, and the buyer or a hired crew builds them. An installed timber frame such as Big Timber's comes with delivery and installation. Plans sell the drawing alone, from $105 to $499 on Google product cards on October 6, 2026, with lumber, hardware and roofing extra. The wood carport guide compares seven dated prices per square foot. The wood carport kit listings guide and the wood carport plans guide go deeper on each route.
What should you ask a seller before you order?
Listings are short on the details that decide a purchase. The table lists seven questions and what the pages read state.
| Question to ask | What the pages read state |
|---|---|
| What does the named size measure? | What the pages read stateYardistry prints roof, outside-post and inside-post sizes. Backyard Discovery states no meaning. Palmako's name matches its inches |
| Is the post a full-size 6x6? | What the pages read stateWestern Timber Frame says its 6x6 is full size. Backyard Discovery, Yardistry and Big Timber print 6x6 and state no milled size |
| What are the species and the treatment? | What the pages read stateBackyard Discovery lists cedar and Big Timber lists Douglas fir. Yardistry lists FSC certified lumber and no species. No page lists a use category for its posts |
| What are the roof material and the clearance? | What the pages read stateBackyard Discovery lists a 29-gauge steel roof and 122 in of height. Yardistry lists aluminum and a 10 ft 8.75 in roof height. Palmako lists 89 in of wall height |
| What do the ratings cover? | What the pages read stateSee the wind, snow and anchoring section. Only Western Timber Frame names a standard |
| Is assembly or installation included? | What the pages read stateBackyard Discovery and Yardistry sell assembly as an add-on. Big Timber includes installation. Palmako is a self-assembly kit |
| What anchoring does it need? | What the pages read stateBackyard Discovery says to anchor as its manual specifies. Yardistry lists anchoring at $99 to $149. Big Timber sells an anchor kit at $149. Palmako says a concrete foundation is not required |
Which code and permit lines should you check?
Carports shall be open on at least two sides (IRC R309.2, as printed in Minnesota Rules 1309.0309, read October 5, 2026). Western Timber Frame says most jurisdictions require a building permit for a permanent carport, and Big Timber lists permit pulling at $500 to $875. Permit rules differ by place and by size, so ask your local building office before you order.
Common questions about wooden carports
Yes. Both spellings name a carport with a wood frame, and Google returned the same sellers for both on October 6, 2026. The wood carport guide covers kit prices, posts and permits.
Listings read on October 6, 2026 ran from $2,599 for a 20x12 Backyard Discovery kit to $12,271 for a 14x16 installed Big Timber frame. Prices cover different work, so compare per square foot.
No source read ranks species. Backyard Discovery lists cedar, Big Timber lists Douglas fir, Palmako lists laminated spruce and Yardistry lists FSC certified lumber. Ask for the species, grade and post treatment.
One metal carport seller says metal costs 30 to 50% less than wood (carports.net, June 8, 2026). That is a seller claim. Price a same-size metal listing before you decide.
Build steps sit in the plans guide and the how-to pages. Plan sets list from $105 to $499 on Google product cards, with lumber and roofing extra.
It depends on the seller. A Yardistry 14x17 lists a roof 14 ft 3.75 in wide and an inside base width of 12 ft, so read the measurements on the page.
A lumberyard 6x6 measures 5.5 by 5.5 inches after milling. Western Timber Frame says its 6x6 is a full 6x6, so ask each seller which size ships.
Rules vary by place. Pierce County, WA says all carports need one (guide updated December 3, 2024). Ask your local building office before you order.
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