What’s The Best Canopy Size For Auto Detailing?
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Having a canopy or a tent is crucial if you don’t have a garage for detailing vehicles. Canopies are a fantastic addon that you should have, especially if you’re a mobile car detailer. Today, I’ll show you the ideal size of the canopy that you’ll need for detailing cars.
Key Takeaways:
- The best canopy size for auto detailing is ca. 10x15ft, with at least 6.5ft in height.
- Anything larger is better so that you can wash even large SUVs, vans, etc.
Best Overall Canopy Size: 10x15ft
As I already showed you in the short answer, the best overall size of the car canopy is 10x15ft. With that size, it’ll be able to cover most average-sized vehicles.
Also, it should be at least 6.5ft tall. Most cars are up to 6ft tall, but in order to easily wash them, you need a bit more space above.
The Best Car Detailing Canopy: Caravan Portable 10×15 Canopy
I have found a perfect canopy for most of you out there. I deeply researched the market, and here’s the result.
You can choose plenty of canopies, but I recommend you get the Caravan 10x15 Titanshade Canopy.
It’s very easy to assemble, and it doesn’t take much space to store it.
| Specs | Caravan Portable Canopy |
|---|---|
| Size | 10x15ft |
| Square feet of shade | 150ft |
| Application | Commercial Grade Canopy |
| Height of the working area | +7ft |
| Frame material/design | Steel frame/full truss design |
| Top material | Polyester (UV Resistant and Waterproof) |
| Weight | ca. 70 pounds |
| Weight plates included | No |
How To Pick The Right Size Canopy?
If you still want to find another canopy or need other canopy sizes, here are the things you should check. When you get the answer to all the queries below, you’ll know the right size for you.
Place Where You’ll Work
Place of work is one of the most important things to choose the right size and type of canopy for your detailing business.
If you’re working at home and have a permanent spot to detail cars, there’s no need to assemble a canopy every day since you can set it up and let it stay there for weeks. If that’s the situation, I recommend buying a larger canopy.
On the other hand, if you’re a mobile detailer, you’ll need a portable and a bit smaller canopy so that it can fit everywhere.
What Size of Cars You Usually Detail
Another essential thing to determine the needed size of a canopy is the size of vehicles you’re usually detailing.
In Europe, most cars are either smaller city cars or limousines. SUVs are becoming more and more popular, but they’re not too big.
In the USA, people like to drive bigger cars and trucks, which means that you’ll need a larger canopy that’ll cover the whole vehicle.
So, if you’re from the USA, make sure to pick a larger canopy since you’ll mostly detail bigger cars.
Can You Assemble The Canopy By Yourself
If you’re a mobile detailer and you work alone, you’ll have to assemble the tent alone, so you need to have that in mind.
The canopy that I recommended to you is perfect for mobile detailers since you can set it up.
Even if you’re detailing at home, I’d still buy the canopy that requires only one person to set it up. That way, you’ll always be able to assemble or disassemble it if needed.
The Space Needed To Store The Canopy
If you don’t have a space to store the canopy, then what’s the point of it, right? If you’re working at home, it probably won’t be a problem because you can store it anywhere.
But, if you’re a mobile car detailer, you already know how hard it is to organize your van so that everything fits inside.
Always choose a canopy that doesn’t need much space to store it. Most portable tents require very little room to keep them, and that’s amazing.
Weight Of The Canopy
It would be dumb to buy a weighty canopy with today’s materials that you can’t even lift.
In my opinion, you shouldn’t choose any canopy that weighs more than 80-90 pounds. That way, you’ll be able to carry it wherever you want, by yourself.
Of course, if you’ll be detailing at home and you won’t be carrying the canopy everywhere, then you can choose the heavier ones.
What may add to the weight of the canopy are weight plates that you need in order to keep a tent in place if it’s windy. However, they’re small, so it’s not hard to lift them.
Other Things To Look at When Buying a Car Detailing Canopy
There are also some other things you should check before buying a tent or a canopy for auto detailing. Maybe they do not affect the detailing task, but they’re still important.
Time Needed To Set It Up
If you’re a mobile detailer, you know that time matters a lot. Actually, it always matters, but it’s much more critical if you’re detailing vehicles at client’s houses.
In my opinion, you should choose a canopy that takes less than 10 minutes to assemble. Everything else is too much and won’t be profitable, in my opinion.
Again, if you’re detailing at home, and you won’t assemble the canopy so often, the time it takes to set it up isn’t so important then.
Build Quality and Materials
If you want to buy a canopy for the long term, then you should buy a canopy that’s built from high-quality materials that’ll last.
At first, it may cost you a bit more, but the investment will pay off in the long term period.
When choosing the proper canopy, besides size and weight, I’d check the following:
- UV resistance: if it’s not UV resistant, it’ll quickly fade and tear off.
- Waterproof properties: it should be waterproof, so you can use it when it rains too.
- Quality but light materials: something like aluminum, PVC, etc., is an excellent choice.
- Warranty: you should always choose the canopy with a warranty. If the tent is a high-quality product, the company will always give you a guarantee.
Price
Last but not least is the amount of money you’re willing to invest in a canopy.
There are plenty of low-budget canopies, but I don’t think they’ll last you long. In my opinion, you can buy a high-quality canopy for $200-300.
I think that’s a fair price for something so crucial for your car detailing business.
Additional Canopy Features (Side Walls…)
Some canopies also have some additional features, such as side walls. Side walls are a fantastic addon that you should consider.
Sidewalls enable you to wash your car during windy days as well, but they also help to prevent exposure to the sun during the morning and late afternoon.
However, do note that side walls tend to increase the temperature inside the canopy, making it harder to wash your car during hot days.
Why Canopy Is Great For Your Detailing Business
Even though it’s not the main topic of this article, I want to remind you of all the positive sides of having a canopy, whether you’re a mobile detailer or you’re detailing at home.
Pros of having an auto detailing canopy:
- You can work in the shade, so it’s not hot.
- It’s crucial for all mobile detailers.
- Most auto detailing products shouldn’t be used in direct sunlight, and the canopy is a solution.
- Canopy can help you even on rainy days. Nobody likes dirty spots left after rain.
Conclusion
Having the right size canopy for your detailing business is very important because it can reduce the time and effort needed to wash vehicles on a sunny day and even during rainy days.
As I already said, I suggest you buy a 10x15ft canopy. It’ll cover most cars while not being too large to carry it everywhere.
