Building styles

Metal shelters

A metal shelter is an open or partially enclosed steel roof for people, animals, and equipment — picnic pavilions, livestock loafing sheds, boat covers, and long community spans. It is the versatile middle of the Carport.com line: more purpose-built than a generic carport, less of a lockable box than a garage. 14-gauge American frames, 29-gauge panels, three roofs, certified packages for wind and snow. Free delivery and installation on a level site. Kits available.

  • Picnic to livestock
  • Open or partial walls
  • Certified packages
  • Free delivery & install
Customize online Design your shelter Start from a carport or building in the designer. Instant local price. Open the designer Prefer a person (855) 227-7678 Picnic, livestock, or equipment? That choice sets height and how enclosed we go. Call now

Shop by photo

Start from a shelter you can see

Browse open picnic spans, gabled car shelters, and partial-wall livestock covers. Long community pavilions (including extra-long vertical roofs) live in this catalog too. Price the photo or design the span.

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Metal shelter guide

Shelter means a roof with a job

In this industry “shelter” covers everything from a park pavilion to a three-sided cattle loafing shed. The steel is the same. The specification is the job: table layout and open sides for people; windbreaks and certified loads for animals; extra length for boats and implements. Carport.com already builds those as carports and barns — this category is the photo set and language for multi-use roofs.

People, animals, equipment

  • Picnic / pavilion — open sides, Vertical roof on long spans, maybe a gable for a park look.
  • Livestock loafing — three-sided, open south or east, Valley/Vertical if you also store hay.
  • Boat and implement — extra length, leg height for trailers, partial walls against driven rain.
  • Community and commercial yards — see also commercial for occupancy.

How enclosed should it be?

  • Open — maximum breeze, picnic and smoking areas.
  • Gables or side skirts — cut wind-driven rain without boxing it in.
  • Three-sided — livestock and equipment default.
  • Full enclosure is a garage or storage building, not a shelter.

Loads, not just photos

  • Certified wind/snow when the pavilion is public or the county requires it.
  • 12-gauge on tall or long shelters.
  • Leg height is clearance for a trailer or a horse.
  • About 30 days typical install on a level site.

Product details

Frame
14-gauge galvanized American steel standard; 12-gauge upgrade for heavier wind or snow
Sheeting
29-gauge roof and wall panels
Roof pitch
3/12 on Regular, A-frame (boxed-eave), and Vertical
Clearance
Set by leg height, not peak roof height
Install
Free delivery and professional installation on a level site in 40+ states. About 30 days typical. Deposit holds the order; balance due at delivery.
Warranty
20-year rust-through frame warranty; certified wind/snow packages available

Shelter vs. carport vs. barn

A carport is a vehicle roof. A shelter is the same open steel aimed at people, animals, or mixed equipment. A barn adds lean-to stalls and a working aisle. If you need to lock it, you wanted a garage or storage building.

Shelter uses

  • Picnic pavilions and parks
  • Livestock loafing sheds
  • Boat and trailer covers
  • Tractor parking
  • Church and school outdoor rooms
  • Equipment and hay shade

Don’t see your shelter span?

Design the length and how open the sides stay. Instant local price. Free delivery and installation on a level site.

Design with instant pricing Call (855) 227-7678

Metal shelter questions

What is a metal shelter?

An open or partially enclosed steel roof for people, animals, or equipment. Carport.com shelters use 14-gauge American frames, 29-gauge panels, and the same Regular, A-frame, and Vertical roofs as our carports.

Shelter vs. carport?

Same structural family. “Carport” is parking. “Shelter” is the language for picnic pavilions, livestock loafing sheds, and mixed equipment covers. Shop either catalog; spec the sides and height to the use.

Can a shelter be certified for a park or farm?

Yes. Public pavilions and many ag buildings need engineered wind/snow. Certified packages are available.

Can I enclose a shelter later?

Often yes — gables, side panels, or a full conversion toward a garage. Designing the frame for future walls is easier than fighting an undersized carport later.

What about livestock?

Three-sided loafing sheds and barn lean-tos are the usual spec. Keep hay dry under Vertical or Valley roofs. See metal barns if you need stalls and an aisle.

Is installation included?

Free delivery and professional installation on a level site in 40+ states. Kits available.

How long can a shelter be?

This catalog includes extra-long picnic and commercial spans. Call (855) 227-7678 for lengths past the designer’s listed options.

How do I get a shelter price?

Photo or designer, ZIP-based. Describe picnic vs. livestock vs. equipment so we set height and enclosure.