The covered parking structure that doesn't look bolted on.
TimberShield carports are permanent heavy timber architecture engineered for a 40 to 60 year design lifespan. Where galvanized metal carports peel and corrode every 10 to 15 years and aluminum prefab structures read as utility shelter, a TimberShield carport reads as part of the property — built in 10×14 Douglas Fir with IBC-stamped engineering, optional tinted laminated tempered glass roof, and a V-leg geometry that supports any parking configuration from a single residential bay to a six-bay community array.
The American covered parking market is dominated by two extremes: cheap prefab metal carports built for utility, and custom site-built wood pavilions built one-off without standardized engineering. Heavy timber carports occupy the missing middle — the permanence and engineering of a real building combined with the published pricing and 8-to-12-week timelines of a pre-engineered structure.
For luxury homeowners on Mercer Island, Bellevue, Scottsdale, and Sonoma, multifamily developers and HOAs in the Pacific Northwest, and fleet operators that want a single architectural identity across multiple depot locations, the TimberShield carport is the only structure in the category that's appraiser-friendly, HOA-friendly, and built to last as long as the property it serves.
Get a Custom Quote →Five property types. One structural system.
Single-family homes & luxury estates
Single-bay TS-12 to four-bay TS-44 configurations for residential driveways. Lakefront estates, custom home additions, garage extensions. The architecture matches Pacific Northwest cedar-and-stone construction in a way that prefab metal never can.
Apartment & condo communities
Multi-bay TS-44 and TS-64 with EX-20 extensions for community covered parking arrays. Property managers report rent premiums on covered stalls and faster lease-up timelines. HOA-friendly architectural quality avoids the "trailer park" perception of metal carports.
Homeowner associations & planned communities
Where existing CC&Rs prohibit prefab metal structures, heavy timber carports typically pass architectural review. We provide stamped engineering drawings and rendered visualizations for HOA board submittals — making approval significantly more straightforward than alternative options.
Corporate fleet depots
Multi-site fleet operators get a single architectural identity across all depot locations. Published model pricing makes multi-site rollouts cleanly budgetable, and the 40-to-60-year lifespan compounds the savings vs. metal canopy replacement cycles.
Luxury estate driveways & courtyards
Custom multi-bay carports designed as part of the original estate architecture — porte-cochère-style entries, covered garage extensions, courtyard parking. Tinted glass roof and integrated lighting upgrade the carport into an architectural feature rather than a parking accessory.
Heavy timber vs. metal vs. aluminum vs. custom wood.
Four real categories of covered parking — each at a different tier of permanence, architecture, and total cost of ownership. Heavy timber is the only category that combines IBC engineering, custom architectural quality, and published pricing.
| Feature | TimberShield Heavy Timber | Galvanized Metal Carport | Aluminum Prefab | Custom Site-Built Wood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design lifespan | 40–60 years | 10–15 years | 15–20 years | 15–25 years |
| Architectural quality | Premium permanent | Utility | Utility | Variable |
| IBC engineered & stamped | Yes — included | Varies | Yes | Rarely |
| Custom sizing | Modular bay system | Limited stock sizes | Limited stock sizes | Yes, custom |
| HOA architectural review | Typically approved | Often rejected | Often rejected | Case-by-case |
| Adds property value | Capital improvement | No | Partial | Partial |
| EV-charger ready | Pre-engineered | Field retrofit | Field retrofit | Field retrofit |
| Maintenance cycle | Recoat 2–4 yrs | Repaint 5–7 yrs | Minimal | Restain 2–3 yrs |
| Install timeline | 2–5 days | 1–3 days | 1–2 days | 3–6 weeks |
| Published pricing | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (one-off bids) |
"We evaluated steel carports, wood pergolas, and three other vendors. TimberShield was the only one that could provide stamped engineering for our permit and actually looked good doing it.
One V-leg per two stalls. No center posts.
The TimberShield V-leg geometry was designed around vehicle access from day one. Each V-leg supports two parking bays, with the cap beam spanning between V-legs and no center posts in vehicle paths. The 18-foot depth accommodates a full vehicle plus driver-side and passenger-side door swing plus ADA-compliant clearance. Front eave at 13'6" and rear eave at 9'0" handle full-size SUVs, pickup trucks, and Class 1 fleet vehicles.
- Two bays per V-leg. Clean parking layout — V-legs sit between stall pairs, not in the middle of any stall.
- 18-foot depth. Full vehicle plus both door swings plus accessible clearance — no scraping doors against the timber.
- 13'6" front eave. Overhead clearance for full-size SUVs, pickups, and lifted vehicles. Most metal carports clear 8'.
- Modular scalability. Single-bay TS-12 to six-bay TS-64. Add EX-20 extensions to scale to 84'+ for multifamily and fleet applications.
- Engineered for snow and wind. 120–150 MPH wind, 25–80 PSF snow load per AHJ requirements.
Sized from single-car to community array.
Five core configurations cover residential through commercial. Larger carport arrays scale by chaining TS-64 base structures with EX-20 extensions — 84 feet, 104 feet, and beyond for multifamily and fleet deployments.
Every model includes the 24-gauge Commercial Metal Roof metal roof. Upgrades available: tinted structural laminated tempered glass roof, integrated dimmable LED soffit lighting, gutters and downspouts, side wind screens, and pre-engineered EV charger mounting hardware — all quoted on the site-specific proposal.
Built to commercial code — finished to architectural standard.
Structural
- 10×14 Douglas Fir V-legs and cap beam
- 15° V angle, 2:12 cap beam pitch
- Steel base plate anchored to concrete footings
- IBC engineered for 120–150 MPH wind, 25–80 PSF snow
- Stamped engineering drawings included
Dimensions
- 18-foot depth (fixed by V-leg geometry)
- 12-foot bay width (modular)
- 13'6" front eave clearance
- 9'0" rear eave clearance
- Single-bay to multi-bay configurations
Roof & Finish Options
- Standard: 24-gauge Commercial Metal Roof metal
- Upgrade: tinted laminated tempered glass roof
- Penetrating oil finish on all Douglas Fir
- Gutter and downspout systems available
- Solar-racking compatible roof
Optional Upgrades
- Integrated dimmable LED soffit lighting
- Pre-engineered EV charger mounting hardware
- Underground conduit routing
- Side wind screens and partial enclosures
- Custom stain colors and finish treatments
Heavy timber carports for EV charging — covered separately.
Every TimberShield carport is pre-engineered for Level 2 and DC Fast Charging integration — overhead charger mounting points and underground conduit routing designed into the structure. For projects where EV charging infrastructure is the primary driver, our dedicated EV Charging Canopies page covers compatibility with Tesla, ChargePoint, Blink, EVgo, Wallbox, and Electrify America, plus the specific engineering considerations for multifamily, retail, fleet, and luxury estate EV deployments.
See EV Charging Canopies →Carport questions Shawn gets every week.
What is the difference between a TimberShield carport and a metal carport?
A TimberShield carport is permanent heavy timber architecture engineered for a 40 to 60 year design lifespan. Metal carports are utility structures designed for 10 to 15 years of service before paint failure and corrosion require replacement. The decision usually comes down to two questions: how long do you want the structure to last, and how much does it matter that it looks like part of the property rather than bolted to it.
Will a heavy timber carport add property value?
Heavy timber carports are appraiser-friendly capital improvements. They add permanent covered square footage to the property with stamped IBC engineering and a 40 to 60 year design lifespan. Several of our residential clients have reported appraisal upticks specifically attributed to the carport structure. Metal carports and fabric structures are generally treated as temporary improvements with limited or no appraisal impact.
Can I add EV chargers to a TimberShield carport now or later?
Yes. Every TimberShield carport is pre-engineered for overhead charger mounting and underground conduit routing. You can install Level 2 or DC Fast Charging hardware at original construction or retrofit at any point in the future. For projects where EV charging infrastructure is the primary driver, our dedicated EV Charging Canopies page covers Level 2 and DCFC integration in depth.
What is the maintenance like on a Douglas Fir carport?
Properly finished Douglas Fir is low maintenance. We apply a penetrating oil finish before delivery; you'll want to re-coat every 2 to 4 years depending on sun and rain exposure. Unlike paint, the oil soaks in and never peels. A pressure wash and one-day re-coat is all it takes — a small fraction of the maintenance burden of repainting a metal carport every 5 to 7 years.
Can I have a custom-sized carport built?
Within structural limits, yes. The 18-foot depth (front to back) is fixed by the V-leg geometry, which is why every bay is a perfect car-plus-door-swing configuration. Width is modular in 12-foot bay increments — single-bay, two-bay, four-bay, six-bay, and longer using EX-20 extensions. Custom widths between standard sizes can be engineered. We have built carports from single-bay residential up to multi-bay multifamily community parking arrays.
How long does carport installation take?
Most carport projects install in 2 to 5 days on-site once concrete footings have cured (footings take 7 to 14 days). A standard single-bay TS-12 or two-bay TS-24 typically installs in 2 to 3 days. Larger multi-bay TS-44 and TS-64 structures take 3 to 5 days. From signed contract to completed install, plan 8 to 12 weeks total.
Will a TimberShield carport meet HOA architectural review requirements?
TimberShield carports pass HOA architectural review more easily than metal alternatives because the heavy timber aesthetic typically aligns with residential design guidelines that prohibit prefab metal structures. We provide stamped engineering drawings, structural calculations, and rendered visualizations to support HOA submittals — making approval significantly more straightforward than alternative options.
Cover your parking. Make it part of the property.
Send Shawn your site dimensions, bay count, and target opening date. Site-specific itemized quote within one business day — structure, roof option, finish, footings, delivery, and install.