Covering the sides of a carport is a choice between four infills, and the right one depends entirely on which side you are closing and what you are trying to keep out.
The four options
| Infill | Stops | Lets through | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IBR or corrugated sheeting | Rain, wind, sun | Nothing | Matches the roof; adds wind load to the frame |
| Shade cloth, tensioned | Most sun, dust, some rain | Air and light | Cheapest; no meaningful wind load |
| Polycarbonate | Rain and wind | Light | Keeps the bay bright; more costly per panel |
| Slatted / louvre infill | Direct sun, line of sight | Air | Screening rather than weatherproofing |
Which side to close first
In Pretoria it is usually the west. Late afternoon sun comes in low from that side and reaches under a roof that shades perfectly at midday - which is why roof depth, not width, is the thing that fails on west-facing driveways. Closing the western side does more for a parked car than adding roof area. The same logic drives the builds in Pretoria West and Atteridgeville.
Second priority is whichever side your summer storms arrive from - on the Highveld typically the north-west - because that is the direction wind-driven rain gets under the roof.
What closing a side does to the structure
A solid panel turns a porous structure into one that catches wind. A carport frame designed for an open bay resists uplift on the roof only; add a sheeted side and it now takes lateral load as well, carried back into the same footings. On an exposed site that means the footings and bracing need to suit the finished structure, not the original open one - the point made in Will a Carport Blow Away?
Shade cloth avoids this entirely because it is porous. If cost and wind are both concerns, shade net on the sides under a solid roof is the common compromise. For sheeted infills matched to the roof, see steel and IBR carports.
Price the infill with the build
Sides are quoted with the structure, not after it - see carport prices in Pretoria.
Before you build
The rest are on carport questions answered for Pretoria - including whether a carport is cheaper than walling it in properly: Is a Carport Cheaper Than a Garage?.
Related detail
Can sides be added to an existing carport?
Yes, often - but the frame has to be checked first. A solid infill turns an open structure into one that catches wind, and that load goes back into footings sized for an open bay.
Does closing in a side need approval?
Yes, it can - closing a side can change how the structure is classified, which is exactly the question the approval page answers. Check before you sheet a side, not after.
Closing a side is also what decides whether the frame is still safe in a storm, which is worked through under attaching a carport to the house.
KB Carports builds carports in Pretoria across Tshwane - free on-site measure, and a written quote that states the steel, the footing method and the clearance height.