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Canopies is a somewhat general term for any type of shelter that protects and covers and object or people. In terms of outdoor shelter, this includes both permanent buildings like portable garages and temporary shelters like pop-up canopies. Essentially, a canopy structure is one that has a metal frame and a protective top, which can be made from a cloth or plastic material like polyester or polyethylene. All canopy structures, regardless of use, have a galvanized or powder-coated steel frame, which determines what type of uses for the structure. Polyester or polyethylene canopies, in addition, are treated to withstand the weather, including being waterproof, UV resistant, and mildew and rot resistant. Some, such as circus and festival canopies, are even treated to be fire retardant according to California fire codes.
The basic type of canopy shelter is a portable garage, or, by other names, a carport or portable shed. These are typically the strongest type of outdoor canopies, and all have a galvanized steel frame. These structures stay outdoors for most of the year and, to meet this need, the structure needs to withstand all types of weather. The canopy roof, in addition to being made of heavy-duty polyethylene, needs to be strong enough to snow and rain. Some shapes of canopies hold up better in the snow, such as rounded roof canopies. Other standard shapes include peaked and flat roofs.
These canopies come in a number of sizes. Some canopies are small enough to protect an individual car, while others can cover multiple vehicles. These larger structures may be seasonal canopies, or those that protect boats and RVs for several months. RV canopies, for example, are going to be slightly higher than the typical canopy structure, while boat canopies may be somewhat wider. These seasonal structures, aside from having a galvanized steel frame, are fully enclosed canopies, with walls on all sides and a zipper or roll-up front door. These vehicles can stay under one of these structures for several months and be protected from water, UV damage, and mold, mildew, or dry rot build-up.
All of the canopies mentioned previously have been permanent structures with galvanized steel frames and heavy-duty polyethylene tops. The other type of outdoor canopy sold is a temporary structure, usually called a pop-up or party canopy, that has a powder-coated steel frame and a polyester canopy on top. These structures are used as backyard and beach canopies and for flea markets, fairs, and trade shows, as they only have one to two pieces and can be transported easily. As temporary structures, these pop-up canopies can be folded up and taken anywhere to provide shade and shelter to people and objects.
Most dealers of canopies carry these two types of shelters. Some carry both tarps and canopies, the latter of which can serve as a replacement canopy for some outdoor structures.
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