Learning About Portable Garages and Shelters

I'm really impressed at how much my customers research their options before plunking down a good piece of change on a portable garage.

When I first started the website, and was learning the ropes, I spent a LOT of time on the phone with my account manager at MDM Rhino Shelters, the one-and-only Dave Clayton (who is absolutely marvelous - not only with me, but also with my customers). Oh... And let's not forget Ardita and Steve... oh yeah, and Bill, Donnie, and Barb... Sigh. EVERYONE is awesome over there at MDM! :)

But I digress... I just felt like these guys and gals deserve some applause for all the time they spend wit me and my customers.
Anyway, one of the things I've learned is that the people shopping for a portable garage are truly doing their homework. And well they should. Because this is the type of purchase that really is NOT easily returnable once purchased. So... here are some questions:

Please note that I can only speak about the MDM Rhino Brand Shelter, and not about any other brand since I honestly don't know a lot about them.

Q. How well does the shelter handle snow and wind?
Answer: The MDM Rhino Brand Shelters are not engineered; therefore, we cannot offer a wind or snow rating. What I can tell you is what Donnie (the manager at MDM) has told me. Donnie has mentioned that the shelters up to the 30x30x15 (3-Car Round Top) unit has been known to be able to hold up to 40 pounds of snow per square foot.

Again, this is not a guarantee or engineering specification; rather, it is an observation. Another thing to keep in mind that these ARE fabric, so if you happen to live in a hurricane-prone area, you should not expect the shelter to withstand such winds. However, the portable garage, if anchored correctly, should be able to withstand ordinary weather.

Q. What's the best way to keep the snow off?
Answer: The portable garages will shed most ordinary snows quite easily; however, it is critical that you do not allow a heavy snow to accumulate. If you are expecting a heavy, wet snow or blizzard where a couple of feet or more are bound to accumulate, go ahead and clear the snow from the top and from pushing in on the sides.

Usually a broom is sufficient for clearing snow. In some cases, all that may be needed is to go inside the shelter, and tap the roof and sides with the broom to encourage the snow to shed. Up north where I live, we have "snow rakes," which are a kind of shovel with a long handle that we use to pull excess snow down from our house roofs. That would work too. Just as in a normal home situation, you wouldn't want undue weight or stress on the roof.

Remember, also, that the MDM frames on their portable garages are galvanized steel and quite strong (Note: the party tent and metal carport frames are "powder coated" steel, and not the same galvanized steel as the garages.)

Note: A quick word about the CycleShelter Motorcycle Shelter, which you can read about here - Click Here To Read My Lens on the CycleShelter Motorcycle Shelter - These CycleShelters are NOT meant to be used as a permanent outdoor storage solution for motorcycles since it's more of a "tent" and quite light.

Many of the questions I receive about portable garages have are concerned with shipping. And, since a portable garage or shelter can weigh anywhere from a few hundred pounds to a few thousand pounds, shipping is a very serious consideration. Here, I address the most common questions.

Q. Do you ship to Europe/Africa/UK/South America/Mexico...?
Answer: Although there may be dealers who DO ship to foreign locations (and perhaps MDM itself may do this for their own customers), I do not offer this service. And there are several reasons. The cost is very high to ship overseas. There are also too many horror stories of "the portable garage that never made it to its destination." Here's one my account manager related to me recently: After more than 2 years, a party tent that was en route to somewhere in Africa just didn't make it. There is absolutely NO record of it once it left the US. Sorry folks, I just won't risk it. So, again: No, I do not offer shipping to locations outside the US (with one exception... Please see the next question...).

Q. But I see that you have information on shipping to Canada... Do you, in fact, ship to Canada?
Answer: Sometimes. But only under very specific circumstances. For nearly all of our portable garages (with the exception of a lightweight item such as the CycleShelter), you must either have, or be willing to get a Customs Broker before you place an order with us. This is required, and there are no exceptions. MDM Rhino Shelters, who ships the orders to my customers requires this information from me when the order is placed. That means I need this information from you when the order is placed. For complete information about our policies about shipping to Canada, please see our Canadian Information Page.

Q. Where can I locate a Customs Broker?
Answer: I have had customers from Canada find Customs Brokers in their local Yellow Pages. Although I cannot recommend a Customs Broker, on my site I do have the name of one on the Canadian Information Page that I mention above. That may be a good place to start. You could certainly call them and see if they could help you. They can also tell you what their fees are, and what their role is in helping you get your order.

Don't forget the option of having your order shipped to a location near the border on the US side if you live within driving distance!

Q. Is there anything else I should know before I consider purchasing a portable garage from your US based site?
Answer: There are a few things. Again, while there are plenty of independent dealers out there who sell the MDM Rhino Brand line of shelters, I can only speak for my own operation. My site cannot accept any credit cards from a non-US account. All credit card purchases from Canadian customers must be paid through PayPal - via a special invoice that I supply. If a person wishes to pay by Wire Transfer in US Funds, that is acceptable. Transfers must clear before any orders are placed.

Also, it is critical that you are aware that the MDM Rhino Brand Shelters are manufactured in China, and the cartons are clearly marked as such. I have had customers ask if there is any way to mask this, and the answer is "No." It is what it is.

Finally, all quotes are sent in US Dollars, and we cannot quote in Canadian Dollars.

I know that it sounds as though there are quite a few restrictions - and there are. I wish it were a little easier for me to get products to Canada. Again, it's certainly not impossible. There are just more hoops to jump through. I do hope you'll read the information at the Canadian Information Page that I mentioned above.

The tubing on our instant garages are high quality galvanized structural steel tubing that is designed not to rust. The frames are also pre-drilled and are assembled with carriage bolts so that there are no power tools required during assembly.

Diameter of the Frame Members
The shelters from the 5x10x8 "Cycle Cabana" up to the 14x24x10 "Mariner" size frames use a strong 1-5/8" diameter tubing. All the larger shelters - from the 12x20x12 Gambrel style on up to the 40x60x18 Domed Truss Building use an even stronger 2-3/8" diameter tubing. (On the website, whichever product you click on will have a Specification Table below the description, giving the frame diameter as well as other technical information).

Which Shelters do NOT use Galvanized Steel?
Please note the the lighter weight shelters such as the party tents, party canopies, and Metal/Steel carports use powder coated finish on an all steel frame.

How do they Galvanize the Frame Members>
The process for making these strong frames is as follows:
- The "flat strip steel" is cold-formed and induction welded (I don't really understand what this means, but if there are any steel workers out there who can explain this to me, I'd love to include the information! I did work in Sheet Metal during my years in Antarctica, but I am unfamiliar with this terminology.)
- Then, there is something called "coating baths." In the first "coating bath" the process bonds zinc to the hot tubing - and then there is a "conversion coating" that gives the steel an additional layer of protection. This helps the frame resist corrosion and rust.
- Finally, a second (and final) protective coating bath offers an additional barrier to protect the frame further from corrosion. This "bath" involves a clear organic polymer, which also helps give the frame a brighter finish.

Another question I am frequently asked is "How strong is the material in the portable garages?" or a variation of the question - "What is the material made of?"

The Weight of the Material
The material used in the MDM Rhino portable garage buildings is a 3-layer Polyethylene fabric that weighs 10 ounces per square yard (or 12 ounces per square metre). In thickness, this is 24 mils thick.

Three Different Layers
The exterior layer - the Green, Grey, or Tan that you see on the website - and the interior layer - the white layer that adds a nice bright tone to the inside of the shelter - surround the all-important middle layer of the fabric. This middle layer is what MDM calls "Inner Black Scrim."

This middle layer, the Inner Black Scrim, is treated with a UV coating that blocks 100% of the sunlight from penetrating through the material. If you picture a typical tarp baking in the sun, year after year, you can probably visualize what would happen to the tarp before long since UV rays can harm material. In the case of the Rhino portable garages, the Inner Black Scrim helps to protect the fabric from this type of harm (not to mention the rip-stop quality of the material, which helps keep it from shredding), thereby extending the life of the covers and door panels.

But wait...There's More (about how the material is treated!)
The cover - both inside and outside - is treated chemically as well which not only protects the material from UV rays, but also makes the material waterproof. And since a lot of people use the Rhino Shelter instant garages for temporary work spaces and workshops, and also use heaters during the winter months, the main covers and door panels are also treated with a chemical that makes them fire retardant in a way that meets even the California building code called CPIA-84.

What about STRONGER or LIGHTER Portable Garage options?
I also get questions from people asking if this is the strongest portable garage fabric available. The answer is no - there ARE heavier duty covers (12 ounces per square yard) out there that I am aware of. There are also LIGHTER covers. For example, our party tents and greenhouse covers are lighter - 8 ounces per square yard - and these structures are typically used seasonally or for backyard parties and the covers are easily removed and stored.

There are several portable garage brands out there that use the lighter weight 8 ounce per square yard fabric for the GARAGES - so, be aware of that in the event that you see an instant garage that looks very inexpensive. Likewise, be aware of the higher cost that will be incurred if you are looking at a heavier weight (12 ounces) shelter. Be sure you are comparing apples to apples.

Cool Video about "Heat Welding"
To see how the fabric is "heat welded" and processed, take a look at the YouTube video below!