Propane57 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 5:36 am
Just wondering about your building there Eugen. I’d like to get some thing like that. But a little smaller to house a couple on tractors to give me some space in my garage. How do they handle high winds. ? Is my main question.
Noel
Noel, the short answer is no.
The long answer. There is only company that makes the good tents, Shelter Logic, and I found that Canadian Tire is the best source to buy it from, because they go on sale from time to time. Shelter Logic makes tents that are rated for high wind and snow, but they are in the $2000 and up territory. And those don't come in small sizes. When I bought the first tent, or portable garage/shelter, as they call it, I didn't know anything about them and it was an impulse buy because it was one sale and seemed strong. The size is 20L x 13W x 12H feet. You can see it in my pictures here on the forum. The roof profile is not very steep, so it was a nightmare in the winter. The snow would accumulate and I had to beat it from the inside to get the snow off the roof in fear it would collapse. Although we're not far from Lake Huron, we got trees almost all around us, so we don't get high winds on a regular basis. But I can tell you that it survived a few storms with high winds, including the one that brought down a huge ash tree next to the house. I don't know how it would handle daily high winds, but I think it would do well, if you anchor it properly all around it. The anchors that came with it are like an auger that you screw into the ground. I used an impact gun to do that, all four corners. You need to be careful how you install the tarp too, needs to be taught. If the tarp is loose it's bad, both with snow and wind. Wind will weaken the tarp if it's loose.
The next tent I got is the brown one you see, and it was double the price, but no more trouble with the snow, it's really tall, about 16 feet, and 20 feet long, and 13 wide. No more trouble with snow, the roof is steep and the snow doesn't stay too long on it. It is still not guaranteed rated for snow and wind, but I can tell you that last winter I did nothing to it, it's just fine. Just a much better tent this one, and I have now two.
I can tell you this for sure, because I've seen a lot of the smaller tents here in the village. Shreds and collapse is what they're called. It seems with these tents you go big or go home, seriously.
The other aspect is that the tarp number one enemy is UV. If they get full sun all day, it may last 2-3 years, and then it disintegrates. Some people put an extra cheaper sacrificial tarp on top which they replace every 2 years.
Also, if the tent has nothing under it, you get a lot of humidity coming up from the ground, and if you have rust sensitive things stored in it, they will still rust. Ask me how I know? I thought gravel would be enough, which I put in my first tent; it's not enough. The next two tents got both 6 mil poly sheet under, and a 20x16 tarp on top. One of them gravel on top of the tarp. No more humidity in the tent. Hopefully this lasts until, with God's will, I can build a shop. But who knows if or when that will happen.
I bet you didn't expect this long ramble.
- See? Brown one no worries. The other one, stress.
I am shocked! 
There are lots who use them around here.