ShelterLogic DIY Garage on a Budget - Part 2

When you first get started and are staring at all the different pieces, it might seem like a daunting task. Start building the frame first by bolting the brackets on the different frame pieces. Don’t tighten anything yet, just get it aligned and have the bolt holding things together. This is easily a one-person job. One thing I noticed when I was starting this process was just how well-made the pieces are. All the steel is made in the USA, and is thick.

You can assemble all of the different arches that make up the frame. This is a very quick process and I had them ready in well under an hour. Just a tip, but have a file handy in case there are any burrs from where they drilled the holes for the bolts. When you’re sliding two sections of heavy-gauge steel tubing together, it doesn’t take much to clog up the works. I only came across two, which was a sign of how well made this product is.

Unlike some DIY garage packages, you don’t need a contractor to get the building together. You will, however, need a couple extra hands to help with some things. I cashed in a couple of favors with a buddy and paid my neighbor off in beer. It also helped that I had a Polaris Ranger XP 1000 Back Country with a Polaris Pro 4500 lb. winch. That really helped with the heavy lifting and holding the arches in place.

The included instructions called for three people. I had five including my teenage son, so when we got to rolling on things, the whole project went together rather quickly.

Critical to the success of this or any building project is to take measurements and ensure you’re squared up. This is a big reason to not tighten all of your bolts right away. You’re more than likely going to need to shift things a little here and there. We measured each end and then measured corner to opposite corner to get things accurate. A good, outdoor tape measure is a must have for doing this and they don’t cost much either, if you don’t already have one. Once we had this set, it was time to set the anchors.

We had to adapt things a little for our plans. I had originally planned to set our DIY garage on a concrete slab, which would have made things easier. However, plans can sometimes go sideways, and I did not have the time to wait extra weeks for concrete. To adapt, I used the dirt anchors and cables, but I drove them into concrete that I poured myself. I still plan for a slab to be poured, but I can do that down the road with ease.

Another reason not to tighten all the bolts is that you’re going to have to loosen the ends so you can put the end covers on. They loop through the support poles and add even more rigidity to the structure. Having a few extra hands makes doing this easier, especially when fastening the top of the ends to the frame.

When it comes time to set the big cover over, it is much easier to do if you have access to a winch. You start by running the support rod through the sleeves on the sides of the cover. The instructions call for the use of ropes and pulleys to pull the cover over the top of the frame and set it in place. We tried it once by following the instructions, but when it didn’t quite come over with ease, I jumped on the Ranger and we used the winch. The cover and ends all secure to the frame using ratchet straps built onto the ends, and smaller straps inside securing the support pole to the frame. From there, it is a simple matter of making sure all the bolts are tight and the canopy is stretched out correctly.