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Home / Articles / Side Entry vs. End Entry Carports: Which Fits Your Driveway?
Side Entry Vs. End Entry Carport
15Jul 2026Metal Buildings

Side Entry vs. End Entry Carports: Which Fits Your Driveway?

Side Entry Vs. End Entry Carport

You've picked your carport size. Maybe you've even picked a color. Then you hit the part nobody warns you about: which way should your building and its doors face?

It's not a small decision. Point the doors the wrong way and you're backing in at an angle every day, or losing yard space to a turning radius you never planned for.

The choice comes down to two entry styles, a side entry carport or an end entry carport. One opens along the long wall. The other opens at the gable end. Which one fits your property depends on your driveway shape, not on which one looks better in a photo.

Key Takeaways

  • End entry carports open at the gable ends, the classic straight-through layout most driveways are already built for.
  • Side entry carports open along the long wall, which works better when your driveway runs alongside the building instead of straight into it.
  • Side entry layouts make it easier to park more than one vehicle under a single roofline without backing around each other.
  • Entry style and roof style are separate decisions. Both layouts pair with regular, boxed eave, or vertical roofing when the building is shorter than 36 feet. Vertical roofing is required at 36 feet or longer.
  • Coast to Coast builds side entry carports and utility buildings from compact 18x20 models up to enclosed garages as large as 30x40x11.
  • Corner lots and shared driveways usually favor side entry. Long, straight driveways usually favor end entry.
  • Not sure which one fits your site? Design Your Building online or call (866) 681-7846, and a building specialist will look at your measurements with you.

What Actually Separates a Side Entry Carport From an End Entry Carport

An end entry carport opens at the gable end, the narrow side of the building. Drive straight in, drive straight out. It's the layout most people picture when they hear the word carport, and it's the default on most of our regular-style and A-frame models.

A side entry carport flips that around. The opening runs along the long wall instead, so you pull in from the side rather than the front. Our 18x30 side entry carport is a good example. It covers 540 square feet and gives you access from the side instead of the ends, which matters if your vehicles line up parallel to the building rather than straight into it.

End entry is the default because most driveways are built for it

Most residential driveways run in a straight shot from the street or garage pad back to the yard. An end entry carport matches that geometry without any extra maneuvering. Pull in, park, done. That's why it's the standard layout on smaller carports like our 12x21 and 18x20 regular-style models.

Side entry solves one specific site problem

Side entry fixes one particular layout headache: a driveway that doesn't line up with a straight-through opening.

If your driveway runs along the side of your house instead of straight back, or you're on a corner lot with your parking area facing a side street, an end entry design forces you to turn sharply just to line up with the opening. Side entry removes that turn. The building faces the direction your vehicle is already traveling.

Compare both layouts: Browse custom metal carports or use the 3D Building Estimator to test the size, roof, colors, and openings that fit your property.

How Your Driveway Shape Decides The Winner

Look at your driveway before you look at the building. The shape does most of the deciding for you. A straight driveway that runs directly from the street to your parking pad almost always calls for end entry. There's nothing to work around, so the simpler layout wins.

An L-shaped driveway, one that bends around the side of your house, or a driveway shared with a neighbor usually points to side entry instead. So does a narrow lot where you'd rather use the depth of your yard than fight for width at the front.

Side entry does need a little more room to swing a vehicle in from the side. Exactly how much depends on your vehicle size and where the building sits on your lot, so it's worth having a Coast to Coast specialist check your measurements against a real site plan before you lock anything in.

Parking More Than One Vehicle? Here's Why Side Entry Often Wins

If you're storing more than one thing that needs to roll in and out, side entry usually makes your life easier. Our 20x30 side entry utility building offers 600 square feet split between open and enclosed protection, all accessed from one long opening. Instead of backing three vehicles out in sequence through a single gable-end door, you line them up side by side and pull each one straight out. Nobody has to wait on anybody else.

That single-opening layout is also why side entry shows up so often on utility buildings. You get an open bay for vehicles and an enclosed section for tools or feed, both reachable from the same side without walking around the whole structure.

Roof Style, Size, And The Choices That Ride Along With Entry Style

Entry style tells you which way you drive in. Roof style is a completely different decision, and it works the same way no matter which entry you pick.

Regular, boxed eave, and vertical roofing are all available on side entry and end entry buildings alike. If your structure runs 36 feet or longer, a vertical roof is required regardless of entry style, since the added framing keeps long roof runs from leaking at the seams.

Size ranges just as wide as the roof options do. Our 18x20 side entry carport stands 7 feet tall with 360 square feet of coverage, plenty for a family vehicle and a shaded gathering space. Step up to a fully enclosed 24x35x11 or 30x40x11 side entry garage and you're looking at roll-up doors, walk-in doors, windows, and a 20-year rust-through warranty. Same entry logic. Very different building. For the full rundown on how each roof style performs in wind, rain, and snow, see our roof style breakdown.

What Changes The Cost, And What To Ask About

Side entry buildings sometimes need extra framing around the wall opening, especially on larger garages with roll-up doors cut into the side instead of the end. That can shift the price a little compared to an identically sized end entry building, but it isn't a fixed rule. Pricing varies by size, roof style, door count, and where you're located, so the honest answer is to get both layouts quoted side by side instead of assuming one costs more.

If budget is the main thing standing between you and the right layout, ask about our rent-to-own program. Availability depends on the building and location, so ask whether your side entry or end entry model qualifies. Before your building goes in, it's also worth reading up on pouring a slab foundation, since a side entry layout can change where that pad needs to sit relative to your driveway.

Want both layouts priced for your site? Request A Quote or call (866) 681-7846 with your driveway and vehicle measurements.

Side Entry Vs. End Entry at a Glance

Factor Side entry carport End entry carport
Opening placement Along the long wall At the gable end
Best driveway fit Runs alongside the building or wraps a corner Runs straight into the building
Multiple vehicles Park side by side, pull out independently Park nose to tail through the open ends
Common Coast to Coast sizes 18x20, 18x30, 20x30, 24x35x11, 30x40x11 12x21, 18x20, 20x20, 18x30 regular style
Roof style options Regular, boxed eave, or vertical Regular, boxed eave, or vertical
Turning space needed Extra width to swing in from the side Straight shot in, minimal turning room
Typical buyers Corner lots, shared driveways, multi-vehicle homes Standard driveways, single daily-driver households

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the real difference between a side entry and an end entry carport?

An end entry carport opens at the narrow gable end, so you drive straight through. A side entry carport opens along the long wall instead, so you pull in from the side.

Which style works better for a narrow or corner lot driveway?

Side entry usually wins here. If your driveway runs along the side of your house, wraps around a corner, or is shared with a neighbor, a side entry layout lets you use that space without backing straight into a wall.

Can I park more than one vehicle under a side entry carport?

Yes, and it's one of the main reasons people choose this layout. A single opening along the long wall gives you room to line up two or three vehicles side by side, so nobody has to back around another vehicle to get out.

Does a side entry carport cost more than an end entry carport?

It depends on the size and options you choose, not the entry style by itself. Side entry buildings sometimes need extra framing around the wall opening, but pricing varies by size, roof style, and customizations. A Coast to Coast building specialist can quote both layouts side by side so you're comparing real numbers.

Can I get a vertical roof on a side entry carport?

Yes. Entry style and roof style are separate choices, so you can pair a side entry layout with our regular, boxed eave, or vertical roof, whichever fits your weather and budget. Buildings 36 feet or longer require a vertical roof regardless of entry style.

What sizes do side entry carports come in?

We build them from compact 18x20 models up to larger enclosed garages like our 24x35x11 and 30x40x11 side entry buildings.

The bottom line

Your driveway already told you which entry style makes sense. You just have to look at it the right way. A straight shot in from the street usually points to end entry. A driveway that runs along the side of your house, wraps a corner, or gets shared with a neighbor usually points to side entry. Roof style, size, doors, and color are still entirely yours to pick either way.

Ready to match the layout to your actual driveway instead of guessing? Design Your Building online or call Coast to Coast Carports at (866) 681-7846, and one of our specialists will help you pick the entry style that fits your site the first time.

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