# Converting carport into a room



## md2lgyk (Jan 6, 2009)

What sort of "room" are you planning? If you're thinking bedroom, den, etc., you likely can't just close in the space as the carport floor probably isn't on any footers.


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## troybliss (Aug 13, 2009)

md2lgyk said:


> What sort of "room" are you planning? If you're thinking bedroom, den, etc., you likely can't just close in the space as the carport floor probably isn't on any footers.


it will be a den.


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

He's right, you'd first need to evaluate the presence or lack of sufficient frost footings that support the carport slab. There are significant differences in how a habitable room is built versus how a carport is built. 

Does the brick wall have a concrete foundation...I mean is it a brick veneer? If it is solid brick you're not going to be able to build a structure on top of it. :no: 

The attachment of the rim joists to the existing brick of the house is probably possible since your house has a foundation. However you need to retain a structural engineer to evaluate the loads on the structure and the existing footings or piers to see if they're even adequate. Attachment of the rim joists is typically an engineer-specified connection...Attaching to the brick will not be good enough in most cases.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Where are you located?
Snow area, frost depth?


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## KennMacMoragh (Aug 14, 2009)

Hard to advise a good design for you without seeing it. But the posts for your carport should be sitting on piers that go below the frost line, if they're not, that's wrong. You will need some beams for your floor, maybe you can hang the beams on your existing carport posts, but again, I'd have to see it. 

And I'm not sure what you mean with the brick. The house can't be sitting on just brick, I think you're either talking about CMU's or a brick veneer around your foundation. But if you need a ledger board attached to the house, you should be able to simply nail it to the wood floor frame of your existing house. If there's a brick veneer in your way, demo it out? Or if the floor joists you want to put in are running parallel with the house and not straight into them, then you shouldn't even need to connect the joists to the house. But again, it's hard to tell without seeing what you're doing.


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## troybliss (Aug 13, 2009)

KennMacMoragh said:


> Hard to advise a good design for you without seeing it. But the posts for your carport should be sitting on piers that go below the frost line, if they're not, that's wrong. You will need some beams for your floor, maybe you can hang the beams on your existing carport posts, but again, I'd have to see it.
> 
> And I'm not sure what you mean with the brick. The house can't be sitting on just brick, I think you're either talking about CMU's or a brick veneer around your foundation. But if you need a ledger board attached to the house, you should be able to simply nail it to the wood floor frame of your existing house. If there's a brick veneer in your way, demo it out? Or if the floor joists you want to put in are running parallel with the house and not straight into them, then you shouldn't even need to connect the joists to the house. But again, it's hard to tell without seeing what you're doing.


the house is located down south. the house is completely brick but for some reason, there is lap siding on the inside wall of the carport, but below that, there is exposed brick showing, about 4 feet high. thats the wall that the joists will be attached to.


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## KennMacMoragh (Aug 14, 2009)

The walls are solid brick? What is the floor to your house built with?


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## buddy builder (Jul 26, 2009)

you can go to all kinds of expense and different ways to attach your ribbon for your joists to the bricks, but the truth is if i understand correctly you don't need much tying in to the bricks. the weight of the floor is what you should worry about since your existing wall is being used as part of the room. as you support the other two sides that are open so do you want to support the walls next to the brick. what i'm saying is don't try to "hang" the weight on the brick wall. support it from underneath. you can use tapcon screws, anchor bolts, and a host of other ways to "attach" the joists and that is all and good. i would probably use liquid nails and #8 (3") cut nails if it is what i'm thinking you have. i presume you have a concrete carport and can use it for support all the way around. think about this, if you moved that room you are adding out into the front yard where there was no brick wall, wouldn't you support it on all four walls the same way? there you go. tying to the brick wall is a bonus, not a necessity. in a nutshell "support" the weight, don't "hang it." from the south? i'm from south alabama. thanks, buddy builder


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