Quick take: A clean, low-maintenance aluminum carport that covers two cars and keeps the sun off your paint. It’s open on the sides, so skip it if you need an enclosed garage.
The basics
- Size: 20×20 (also 10×20, 12×20 and 20×30)
- Frame: 6063-T5 aluminum
- Roof: 3mm commercial-grade polycarbonate panels
- UV protection: 99% of UVA and UVB blocked
- Heat: about 70% less solar heat
- Price: $12,000 for the 20×20 kit
- Warranty: 5 years on materials
What you get
The 20×20 kit from Carports Hawaii is a two-car aluminum carport. The frame uses 6063-T5 aluminum, the same alloy you see in architectural window frames and storefronts. It doesn’t rust, rot or need repainting, which matters if you park near salt air or in a place where the sun never takes a day off.
The roof is the part that sets it apart from the usual metal carport. The panels are 3mm commercial-grade polycarbonate. They block 99% of UVA and UVB and cut about 70% of the solar heat, so the car underneath stays cooler and the dash doesn’t crack. The panels are translucent, not opaque, so the space under the roof stays bright instead of feeling like a cave.
The look
Most carports look like an afterthought bolted to the side of a house. This one reads as a design choice. The lines are flat and the frame is slim. There’s nothing decorative to date it, and it sits next to modern or traditional homes without clashing. If the carport faces the street, that matters more than the spec sheet suggests.
Sizes
The kit comes in four fixed sizes: 10×20, 12×20, 20×20 and 20×30. The 20×20 fits two cars side by side. The 20×30 adds room for a third vehicle or extra storage space under cover.
Those four sizes are the kit only. Carports Hawaii also builds custom-sized carports, so a narrow side yard or an odd corner lot doesn’t rule you out. The kit ships as materials only. The 20×20 install took a two-person crew, and installation is available if you’d rather not do it yourself.
Who should skip it
Anyone who needs an enclosed garage. This is a roof on a frame, open on the sides. It shades, cools and keeps rain off, but it doesn’t lock. If you’re protecting tools, a project car or anything you’d hate to see walk away, build a garage.
Verdict
The 20×20 kit is a solid pick for anyone who wants real shade and a clean look without a garage-sized budget. The aluminum frame needs almost no upkeep, the polycarbonate roof does what a tarp or a steel panel can’t, and the 5-year materials warranty is reasonable for the price. With these specs, it’s easy to see why these structures withstand the harsh coastal conditions in Hawaii with salt air and unforgiving UV rays.
