Specialty Structures

While the standard A-Frame and Regular style carports meet most residential needs, there are several specialized structure designs engineered for highly specific use cases, ranging from aesthetic preferences to multi-functional storage.

For agricultural equivalents of these layouts, see agricultural buildings; for open-air storage without full enclosure, see lean-to structures.

1. Hexagon Buildings

The Hexagon roof style provides a unique visual appeal and exceptional interior roof clearance. Because of its 6-sided roof design, the vaulted ceiling is significantly higher than standard carports, making it perfect for storing tall equipment like heavy machinery, RVs/Motorhomes, and boats.

• Enclosure Requirements: To maintain structural integrity, the long sides of a hexagon building must be fully enclosed.
• End Options: The front and back ends are versatile; they can be left completely open, fully enclosed with garage doors, or finished with a gabled end.
• Roof Styles: Hexagon buildings can be manufactured with either Standard (horizontal) or A-Frame (vertical) roof panels.

2. Utility Carports

Utility carports offer the best of both worlds: open-air shelter for vehicles and a secure, enclosed space for tool storage.

Essentially, a utility carport is a standard metal structure where only a portion of the length is enclosed to create a storage room (typically at the back), while the front remains an open carport. For example, a 20-foot long structure might feature 10 feet of open parking space and a 10-foot enclosed utility room.

3. Side-Entry Buildings

A side-entry building is a standard unit that has been modified to have its primary garage doors or large openings on the side (the length) rather than on the gabled front or back ends.

[!NOTE] Headroom Reduction: Creating large openings on the side of a building requires the installation of heavy-duty headers to support the roof load between the leg posts. These headers typically take away at least 1 foot of headroom. For instance, if you require 10 feet of clearance for an RV, you must order the building with at least 11-foot side legs.

The framed-out openings are fully trimmed out with steel J-trim or L-trim to ensure there is no sharp exposed metal, providing a clean, finished look.

4. Mini Storages

Pre-configured mini storage units are compact, fully enclosed steel buildings designed for backyard storage. Unlike standard garages built directly on a concrete pad or raw dirt, mini storages often come standard with a 3/4” pressure-treated wood floor.

• Standard Features: They typically include the selected roof style, fully enclosed sides and ends, the wood floor, and a standard 6’ x 6’ roll-up door.
• Customizations: The roll-up door can easily be swapped for a standard walk-in door, and the wood floor can be removed if the customer prefers to pour a custom concrete pad. Some mini storage designs also include a front porch, though it’s important to note that the porch area subtracts from the total enclosed storage space rather than extending the building’s footprint.

Specialty Structure Comparison

Structure	Distinguishing Feature	Best For
Hexagon	6-sided roof, tall vaulted clearance	RVs, boats, heavy machinery
Utility carport	Part-open, part-enclosed in one footprint	Vehicle + tool storage combined
Side-entry	Door opening on the long wall instead of the gable end	Awkward lots, drive-through access
Mini storage	Compact, wood-floored, fully enclosed	Backyard storage without a concrete pad

Once you’ve picked a layout, run it through the sizing estimator to confirm width, length, and leg height fit your site.