Factors Considered in Engineering Steel Buildings

For many people who buy steel buildings, one of the deciding factors is that each metal building is custom engineered to meet all the building codes and safety standards of the region in which it will be erected. Have you ever thought about the factors that engineers must consider when developing the designs for the steel buildings they create? Here’s a brief overview of how engineers design steel buildings that will be stable, sturdy, durable, and, most important of all, suited for your region.

The Different Types of Loading

Loading is the most important factor that engineers must consider when creating a steel building design. Loading is expressed as the amount of weight a building must be able to support per square foot. Those figures are modified for each specific region of the country based upon the types of weather and environmental factors to which the metal building might be subjected. There are four types of loads for which steel buildings – and all other structures – must be engineered. Those loads are dead load, live load, snow load and wind load.

Dead Load: Can Your Steel Building Support Itself?

For starters, steel buildings must be able to support their own weight – the weight of all the steel and other materials that make up your building. Typically, steel buildings are engineered to support about 2.5 lbs. per sq. ft. in dead load.

Live Load: Will the Steel Building Support Your Weight?

The technical definition of live load is “temporary forces applied to a building.” In non-tech speak, that means the weight of anything that exerts any force on the building at all. It includes the weight of people walking around on it, the weight of rain falling on it and even debris that might drop onto the building from above. The industry standard live load for steel buildings is 20 lbs. per sq. ft.

Snow Load: Oh, the Weather Outside Is Frightful…

Snow might be technically temporary, but it’s treated differently than other types of live loads because it behaves differently. Among other things, it is a little less temporary than, say, rain that runs off the roof. In addition, it accumulates and can build up differently at different areas on the roof so that the pressure it exerts on the steel building is not at all uniform. In some regions, snow load is not really considered. In others, it’s of vital importance. Because the likelihood and severity of snow differs so widely from one region to the next, there is no standard for snow load for steel buildings. That’s one of the figures you’ll have to get from your local building codes office so the manufacturer can engineer the building to the correct specifications.

Wind Load: Steel Buildings Swaying in the Breeze?

The single most important external load that engineers must account for is wind load. The wind affects every single part of a building – often in unexpected ways. The effect of the wind on a steel building can change depending on nearly every design factor, including height, location and number of framed openings – doors and windows – and even the position of the building. Like snow load, every area has its own building codes that must be followed, so there is no standard wind load for steel buildings. If you want your building to be approved by your local code office, however, you’ll have make sure that the steel building manufacturer has the right wind load standard for your area.

In addition to these load-bearing standards, your local code office may also have other requirements and restrictions on steel buildings in your town. Always be sure that you check with your code and building office before placing your order.

Buying Steel Buildings: Delivery and Receipt of Your New Building

When you buy a new steel building, the fun doesn’t stop after you make all your choices and sign the contract. You have a lot of work to do between the time you sign the contract and the day your metal building is delivered. Here’s what you need to know about what happens after the purchase of steel buildings.

Double Check Delivery Arrangements

Generally, the manufacturer of your metal building will make the delivery arrangements based on the information on the purchase order. That information originally came from you, and is what you specified in the contract you signed. Errors happen, though, so always check with the steel building supplier to make sure that they have the right delivery address and delivery date. If they happen to have either of those important facts wrong, you could wind up with a construction crew sitting at the right place on the wrong date, or a truck showing up across town instead of at your worksite.

If anything happens to change the delivery date or address between the time you sign the contract and the shipping date, contact the steel buildings supplier immediately to notify them of the change. Expect to pay a little extra, since any changes to your order after the contract is signed will always cost you a little – or a lot – extra.

Site Preparation

Get your building site prepared for delivery and erection of your building. If your steel building will require a concrete slab foundation, hire a contractor to clear that ground and pour the slab. The foundation will be the single most important factor in getting your steel building right the first time. Unless you’re a professional contractor yourself, this is the one area where it almost always worth the expense of hiring a pro.

Clear a space for the steel building components to be placed when they’re offloaded from the truck. While you’re at it, don’t forget that the trucks delivering metal building components will need access to the work site and the staging area. Make sure that there’s a clear path to the staging area so that you can unload the components when they arrive.

Book Your Contractor If You’re Using One

While many steel buildings are DIY affairs, many homeowners choose to have their metal building erected by a professional contractor. Experienced erectors are often booked out months in advance during the building season, so make sure you get your dates reserved early. You’ll need at least a skeleton crew there for the delivery as well.

Receiving the Building

When the truck with your metal building arrives, you’ll need to verify that you’ve received all the materials, inspect the components for damage and offload them from the truck. The crew delivering steel buildings seldom is responsible for unloading it – that will be your responsibility. The inspection is vital – the manufacturer will only replace missing or damaged items if they’re notified immediately upon receipt of the building components.

Finally, it’s rare that construction begins on steel buildings immediately. If the building components will be sitting for more than a day or two, have a tarp or sheeting ready to cover them and protect them from the weather until construction begins.

Three Important Tips When Choosing Steel Buildings for Your Project

Steel buildings are among the most popular choice for new construction among business owners. Steel offers versatility, durability, high quality and, believe it or not, is environmentally friendly. If you’re considering purchasing a steel building to house your new company or expand your business, a little research can help you make the right choice and avoid costly mistakes. Here are a few tips to help you choose the best steel building suppliers and metal buildings for your project.

Consider the History of the Steel Building Supplier

The popularity of steel buildings has drawn a lot of new suppliers into the business, and while many of them are honest, legitimate companies that provide a good product, many of them are fly-by-night operators that will deliver a shoddy product – if they deliver a product at all. Before you decide to do business with a supplier of metal buildings, research the company. Find out how long they’ve been in business and check their profile with the Better Business Bureau in their region. While longevity is not necessarily a mark of quality, a company has to be doing something right to stay in business in a highly competitive construction sector like steel buildings.

Do Side by Side Comparisons

Don’t jump on the first steel building deal you run into. Shop around and compare features, benefits and prices at a number of different steel building suppliers. Don’t make price your bottom line – the prices quoted on a website, or even preliminary estimates and quotes, can be misleading because they may or may not include the same components. Instead, compare the availability of the steel building features you want and the experience the company has in supplying the type and size of metal building you are planning to build.

Get Comparison Quotes

Before you submit a request for a quote, make a visit to your local building codes office to get a copy of any ordinances regarding metal buildings where you plan to erect your new building so you’ll have a standard of comparison. Submit requests for quotes from at least three steel building suppliers to give yourself a good feel for a reasonable price for your specific steel building needs. Keep in mind that no quoted cost is final until you sign a contract – and that any changes you make to your steel building plans after signing a contract will cost you more money.

Steel buildings are an excellent choice for nearly any business structure. They offer affordability, versatility and durability. Make sure you get your money’s worth by researching the suppliers and companies you’re doing business with before you sign a contract with them.

Things to Consider When Choosing Steel Buildings for Larger Projects

Steel buildings are fast becoming the structure of choice for office buildings, houses of worship, barns and garages. They offer a number of advantages over other structures, including affordability, durability and a high degree of customization options. If you’re considering a steel building for your large-scale building project, these are the most important things you need to consider.

Local Building Codes

Every region of the country has its own building codes and zoning restrictions. Before setting your heart on a particular type or style of steel building, check your local building codes and zoning restrictions to make sure the structure you want is allowed. Some cities don’t allow steel buildings at all in some zones, and all cities have strict safety and construction codes that must be met or your building won’t pass inspection. When you check with your local codes office, get a copy of the building codes that apply to steel buildings where you intend to place your project. Your chosen manufacturer will need them in order to design your building and fabricate the components.

Your Needs

Before you start shopping around for deals on steel buildings, sit down and figure out exactly what your needs will be. What size building do you need? What will your building be used for? What kind of doors do you want it to have – roll-up doors, pedestrian doors, barn doors and other door styles are all available, but you’ll need to specify them when placing your order so that the engineers can take the openings into account when creating the plans for your metal building. The same holds true for other openings, such as for windows and skylights. Don’t be afraid to discuss your needs with the steel building supplier. If you’re working with an experienced supplier or with the manufacturer, they’ll be able to make recommendations for your building based on their own experience.

Construction Costs and Contractors

Smaller steel building projects, such as garages, barns and storage sheds, can be reasonably built as a do-it-yourself project if you have decent DIY skills. If you’re tackling a larger project, such as a warehouse, equipment storage barn or commercial building, though, you’ll need to hire a team of professional contractors. Shop around for a local contractor that specializes in metal building construction. In fact, many manufacturers of steel buildings maintain a list of certified contractors and building erectors that have experience with their building systems. Using a recommended contractor for erecting your metal building can pay off in shorter building times and more efficient processes.

These tips should help you make good choices when you’re shopping around for high-quality steel buildings. The more research you do before making your decision, the more likely it is that you’ll end up with a metal building that’s perfect for your needs.

Choosing the Right Steel Buildings Manufacturer

The benefits of steel buildings for nearly any use have made them very popular with homeowners who want storage buildings and garages, farmers who need to replace barns and business owners who need warehouses, office buildings and retail buildings. The rise in popularity has seen a corresponding increase in the number of manufacturers, merchants and brokers dealing in steel buildings. You’ll find metal building manufacturers and brokers throughout the United States, some of them better for your needs than others.

Choosing the right supplier for your metal building can make the entire process of choosing, designing, purchasing and erecting your steel building go much more smoothly. While there’s no tried-and-true method for choosing the perfect steel buildings fabricator, the following tips can help you avoid making a big mistake.

Certification

Check to see if the steel building fabricator you’re considering belongs to any professional organizations or associations. For the steel buildings industry, the association of note is the Metal Building Manufacturers Association. MBMA members must be certified through meticulous quality assurance programs. If you deal with a manufacturer that is a member of MBMA, you can be assured that both their buildings and their business processes will be top-notch.

Product Variety

Look for a manufacturer of steel buildings that makes the type of building you want to purchase. There are manufacturers that make a wide variety of building types for many different uses. If you know the type of building you want to buy, choose a manufacturer that specializes in that type. Otherwise, choose a manufacturer that offers a wide variety of steel buildings so that you’ll be able to choose the kind you want.

Cost

While cost is an important factor in choosing steel buildings, keep in mind that you often get what you pay for. Skip the flashy websites with big SALE signs – most professionals in the metal building industry will tell you that clearance sales, rebates and special offers are usually gimmicks. Look for bottom line prices, and make sure that you compare all associated costs before deciding on a low-priced steel building.

Expertise

If you’re not knowledgeable about the process of designing, purchasing and erecting steel buildings, it’s vital that you work with a manufacturer or supplier who knows his stuff. Ask questions and make sure that you’re comfortable with the answers you get because, if you’re new to buying steel buildings, your supplier will be your guide throughout the process. Choose one who is used to dealing with individuals and homeowners rather than a company that does most of its business with contractors and construction companies.

Shopping around for steel buildings can help you get the best price, but shopping around for the right steel building manufacturer can ensure that you get the best metal building for your needs and uses.

 Choosing the Right Steel Buildings Manufacturer

Design Elements of Steel Buildings

Small steel buildings – the type most commonly used as storage sheds, garages, barns and home offices or workshops – come in several different designs or styles. Each of the major style types has several variations, and can be fabricated in a wide variety of colors. When you add trim and custom design elements, you can end up with a completely unique steel building that perfectly suits the design aesthetic of your property and your community. When you’re choosing a steel building for your own property, consider these design elements to help you make your decision.

Shape

Standard styles for steel buildings include several different basic shapes. They include:

Quonset Buildings

The original hoop/arch style construction was used by the military during World War I and II. They’re easy to erect and tear down, and provide a great deal of stability and interior footage. Like most small steel buildings, they require no interior posts or supports, so you have completely unobstructed interior space.

P-Style Steel Buildings

One disadvantage of Quonset buildings is that the slope of the walls makes the area closest to the building walls difficult to use efficiently. The solution is the P-model metal building, which keeps the structural stability of the rounded dome roof but adds the functionality of straight walls.

A-Style Steel Buildings

The third common variation of small steel buildings is the A-frame steel building. It has both a pitched roof and straight sides, making it the most similar in shape to conventional buildings. It’s a good choice in an area where appearance is important and where building standards require a pitched roof for snow safety.

These styles of steel buildings can be made in widths as wide as 50 feet without any need for interior supports, and lengths as long as you have the space to build.

Trim Packages

Steel building trim packages include a trim piece anywhere two angles meet, as well as gutters. The trim can be the same color as your metal building or a contrasting or coordinating color. Many homeowners choose main colors and trim colors that match the existing buildings on their property.

Roof

The roof of your steel building is a separate design element, though it’s usually fabricated and delivered at the same time as the remaining components. Homeowners often choose energy efficient roofs, often painted in a light color to help keep the interior of the building cool. In cold regions, an energy efficient roof might be painted dark instead to help with heat conservation and snow melt.

In addition to the basic components of standard steel buildings, you can also choose many different styles of doors, windows and even skylights. By the time you’ll have a completely customized, one-of-a-kind metal building that’s perfect for your needs.

Tips on Choosing the Right Steel Buildings

So you’ve studied all your building options and have decided that steel buildings are the best choice for your storage or space needs. All that remains now is deciding among the many types and styles of steel buildings and all the manufacturers and brokers that provide metal buildings. You’re not alone. Every year, tens of thousands of people decide that steel buildings are exactly what they need for their garages, barns, storage buildings, home workshops and other structures. With all the choices and options available, you can be sure that the right configuration of metal building is available. The trick is making sure that you order exactly the steel building you need. These tips can help.

Size Considerations

When deciding on the size for your steel building, the most important factor is determining how much space you have available on which to erect it. It’s not enough just to measure the square footage you have on your property because many municipalities have strict rules about easement. Check with your city or town’s building code office so that you know how many feet you need between your building and the street, your main buildings and neighboring properties and make sure you consider those measurements when deciding on the amount of space you have for your building.

Building Permissions

Before making any decisions, check to be sure that steel buildings are allowed on your property. Your city’s zoning office will be able to tell you if there are any restrictions on the size or type of steel building you can erect on your property. While you’re there, get a copy of the building standards that your metal building will have to meet in order to pass inspection. You’ll need it when you’re ready to order.

Back to Sizing Considerations

Figure out the amount of interior square footage you’ll need for your project. For garages, you can easily find standard measurements for one or two car garages online. For storage or workshop space, draw up a floor plan to scale and figure up the square footage needed to fit all of your equipment or items. Add about 20 percent to your figures to allow for maneuvering space and elbow room.

Work with the Right Merchant

The merchant you choose will make a big difference in how easy it is to purchase your steel building. If you’re not familiar with steel buildings and the construction industry, you’ll do best if you work with a broker or manufacturer that regularly deals with customers new to the industry or residential customers. They’ll generally be more willing to guide you through the steps and process of purchasing and erecting steel buildings and help ensure that you get the best metal building for your needs.

Steel Buildings for Storage and More

Steel buildings are the hero in more than one homeowner’s tale of woe. With the right metal building, you can save Christmas, put away summer for later and hold onto memories for your daughter while she’s away at college.  Really.

If you own a house, you know that there is one thing you never have enough of – storage space. A full attic, a full basement and the rafters in your garage fill up an awful lot faster than you’d ever expect, leaving you trying to figure out where to put the patio furniture, the lawnmower, the Christmas ornaments and the bedroom set your daughter wants when she finally gets her own apartment. That’s where steel buildings come in handy. Attractive and functional, a high quality steel building provides additional storage space for the things that won’t fit down in your basement or up in your attic. Why choose steel buildings over other types of storage structures?

Convenience

One solution to your storage dilemma is to rent a storage locker or storage building in one of those U-store-it facilities that seem to be popping up everywhere. While renting storage space may seem like an economical choice, the cost can run up into the thousands of dollars over time – and that’s not counting the cost of running out to the storage unit whenever you need to store or retrieve something. When you erect a storage unit on your own property, you don’t have ongoing monthly rental costs and you have easy access to all of your belongings 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Appearance

Put aside everything you’ve heard about ugly steel buildings. Steel storage buildings for residential properties are a whole different animal than the cookie cutter storage units you see springing up like mushrooms. Today’s metal buildings are available in colors that match that most popular colors for houses and garages so they’ll fit right in with the other structures on your property, and they come in styles with peaked roofs, eaves, gutters and gables so that you can create a seamless match with your other buildings.

Low Maintenance

Once you erect your new storage building, you won’t have to think about maintenance for years. Aside from regularly inspecting it for damage, your biggest maintenance task will be hosing down the exterior a few times a year to remove dust and dirt. You won’t need to repaint for years, if ever, and your steel building will be impervious to rot, mold, mildew and termites.

Don’t trust your precious memories and belongings to a rental storage place. Check out the variety of steel buildings available to fill your needs.

Different Designs and Types of Steel Buildings

Steel buildings are ideal for many different uses, including garages, barns, workshops and storage buildings. The most commonly used residential steel buildings are pre-engineered metal buildings in one of a handful of designs and styles. Each design has its benefits and drawbacks, so choosing the right steel building for your needs is a matter of understanding your needs and how the different models of metal buildings fit them.

There are two different major types of steel buildings available: arch frame construction and clear span construction. Clear span metal buildings are generally reserved for larger projects and commercial projects. Most smaller steel buildings for use on residential or private property are one of the subdivisions of arch frame steel buildings.

Arch Steel Buildings and Quonset Buildings: Affordable and Durable

Arch frame metal buildings are modeled on the Quonset buildings used by the U.S. military during World War II. These steel buildings are lightweight, can be easily dismantled and reassembled even by unskilled workmen, and are inexpensive to fabricate. In addition to those features, the arch structure provides greater strength and durability, even when subjected to earthquake, heavy snows and strong winds.

Full Arch Steel Buildings

Imagine cutting an oil drum in half the long way and resting the open end on the ground and you have an image of a q-model or Quonset building. The arched shape provides high strength and durability and can easily be expanded lengthwise. The interior is completely unobstructed, but the arched shape means that the building height is highest in the center but significantly lower as you approach the walls. Quonset buildings are ideal for agricultural storage, airplane hangars and many other uses where the limited height at the sides of the building is acceptable.

S-Model Steel Buildings

Take the Quonset shape and straight the walls and you get the S-model metal building. The straight walls increase the usable interior space, and make it suitable for equipment storage and barns. S-model metal buildings also are ideal for use as workshops and provide the most usable interior height of all the arch frame models.

P-Model Steel Buildings

P may rhyme with T and stand for “pool” in River City, but in steel building lingo, it stands for “peaked roof.” The P-model metal building is nearly identical to the S-model, but has a pitched roof instead of a rounded one. The pitched roof can be a benefit in an area that has heavy snow loads, and may, in fact, be required by local building codes. Aside from that, though, the biggest difference between S-model and P-model steel buildings is cosmetic. They are most welcome in residential neighborhoods as garages and backyard storage or workshops.

How To Make Steel Buildings Look Less Steely

Many people who are considering steel buildings hesitate for one reason – appearance. The myth of the ugly steel building is strong despite the wide availability of attractive metal buildings. That may be in part because there’s also a proliferation of cheap steel buildings available. The cheap and ugly steel buildings – often sold by inferior companies – stand out like a sore thumb, while the attractive steel buildings blend into their surroundings. In fact, these days it can be impossible to pick out a steel building from its neighbors. So exactly how do you got about making steel buildings look less.. well.. steely? Here are a few ideas that can help you build metal garages, barns and workshops that don’t look like buildings made of steel.

Style

Quonset buildings – the half-hoop steel buildings born of convenience and efficiency during the World Wars – are difficult to disguise as anything but steel Quonset buildings. If you’re determined to make your metal building fit into a suburban setting seamlessly, you’ll probably want to avoid this style. There are straight-sided steel buildings that are much easier to disguise as a conventional building, including metal buildings with pitched roofs.

Color

Over the past decade or so, manufacturers of pre-fab metal buildings have really stepped their acquaintance with color. Not too long ago, the variety of colors offered by steel building manufacturers ranged from unpainted to gray to an unappetizing biscuit color. Today, most manufacturers of steel buildings offer a selection of standard colors you can choose from at no additional cost. The selection usually includes all the most popular exterior house paint colors, including white, blue, green, red, tan and yellow. That makes it much easier to match your new metal building to the existing structures on your property.

Trim

Properly finishing your metal building will also improve its appearance. The standard trim kit that comes with most steel buildings includes trim for the seams and roof, as well as gutters. You can make your new building more attractive by adding conventional doors and windows, complete with shutters, if desired. Consider adding eaves, overhangs or a porch to make your building look more like a traditional house.

Exterior Finish

Finally, you can finish off steel buildings with nearly any type of exterior, including stucco, stone and wood. Just talk to a facing company in your town to find out about the different types and styles of exterior facings they can apply to steel buildings.

Frankly, most contemporary steel buildings are attractive enough that you shouldn’t have to camouflage them, but if you’re determined to hide the strength and beauty of your new metal building, the above tips can give you some ideas.

Energy Efficient Steel Buildings and Accessories

When people enumerate the benefits of steel buildings, they frequently miss out on one of the most important metal building advantages – they are energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. This may be in part because it seems to run counter to appearances. Most people don’t think of steel as an organic building material. In fact, there are many reasons that steel buildings are a green alternative, as well as a number of accessories and modifications you can make to a metal building to make it even more energy efficient.

Steel Is Recyclable

Steel is more recyclable than any other building material. Most residential and small agricultural steel buildings are made entirely of recycled steel, and the steel used for them will most likely be recycled yet again when the building is taken down. Unlike wood, which uses up our precious reserves of slow-growing resources, steel does not use any more of the resources that we already are using.

Steel Buildings Are Weather-tight

Custom engineering allows the components of metal buildings to fit snugly together, reducing heat transfer and improving energy efficiency. Garages and other buildings made of wood react to the weather by swelling and shrinking, which creates gaps and allows cold drafts to enter and warm air to escape, and vice versa.

But steel buildings don’t rely just upon their natural attributes for energy efficiency. There are a number of things you can do and accessories you can add to increase the energy conservation in your metal building.

Cool Roofs

The roof you choose for your steel building makes an enormous difference in how much energy it takes to heat or cool it. Certified Cool Roofs reduce the amount of energy required to heat or cool your building by reducing heat gain or heat loss from your building. Even if you can’t afford a certified cool roof, you can choose roofs with lighter, more reflective paint in warmer climates or darker roofs to hold heat in cold regions.

Thermal Blocks

Thermal blocks and insulation help reduce heat transfer between the interior and exterior of your building. Many manufacturers of metal buildings also provide insulation systems that are specifically designed to fit and work with their building models.

Solar Roofing Panels

Design the roof of your steel building to include solar roof panels to reduce your use of grid electricity generated by less earth-friendly methods. It’s easy to design your building with exactly the right roof pitch to maximize solar energy collection.

If you’re concerned about the environment, steel buildings deserve serious consideration for your next building project. They’re greener, energy efficient and recyclable, making them the obvious choice for most uses.

Unusual Configurations for Steel Buildings

One of the biggest advantages of deciding to use steel for your construction project is the versatility and adaptability of steel buildings. Because each metal building is custom-engineered for your specific needs and the requirements of your local building codes, it’s easy to plan in your modifications from the start. The buyer is often in on the design process from the start – you can designate the number and type of doors and window openings, for example, and delineate specifically where you want to place electrical outlets and wiring conduits. But steel buildings can be even more adaptable than those relatively simple modifications. Check out some of these unusual steel building configurations and styles.

The Urban Chicken Coop

What happens when a college decides to add chickens to its urban campus and engineers get involved? The urban chicken coops, designed by students and an instructor from University of Colorado at Denver, feature traditional steel building hoop construction and a corrugated steel roof, with a slatted wood bottom and wire mesh floor to make cleaning easy. The attractive metal chicken coops are a comfortable fit for the typical urban or suburban backyard.

Dealerships for GM Hummers

GM’s Hummer division has built distinctive and striking buildings for Hummer dealerships in about 60 cities around the country. The unusual design features an arched steel roof that seems to float above the steel-and-glass walls. Stylish and attractive, these steel buildings make a statement about what a well-designed metal building can look like.

Bus Stop Shelters

Waiting at the bus stop in some northern cities is a far cozier, more stylish affair, thanks to some beautifully designed bus shelters based on steel building construction. Like many other unusual steel structures, these shelters used the arch-frame construction for roofs that shed water and snow, making them safer and sturdier.

Homes

Steel buildings are finding more and more acceptance as residences, even in the most staid and conservative of communities. Metal building art can approximate any style you like, from cozy beach cottage to soaring glass and steel villa. Today’s technology allows for a steel home to fit perfectly into its surroundings – or stand out from the crowd. Owners of steel homes enjoy lower energy bills, lower maintenance costs and lower insurance premiums.

If you’re considering a construction project of any kind, there’s a good chance that a steel buildings supplier has ideas that will help you bring your construction concept to reality in a way you’d never envisioned – or exactly to meet your vision. Before you make a final decision on your building project, check out the many configurations available with buildings made of steel.

Cool Roofs Are the Perfect Topper for Steel Buildings

What’s the only way to top awesome steel buildings? Cool roofs, of course. No matter what other decisions you make about your metal building project, choosing the right roof is one of the most important. The right roof will affect the appearance, energy efficiency, maintenance costs and the lifespan of your new steel building. Here’s what you need to know about choosing cool roofs for steel buildings.

Materials

Topping a steel building with a steel roof seems like a no-brainer, and there are a number of good reasons for that. Steel is stronger than wood, is fire-resistant and is not prone to mold, decay, warping or cracking. In addition, wooden roofs absorb heat while steel roofs reflect it. That gives steel a natural ability to conserve energy.

Energy Efficiency

Steel is an environmentally friendly building material in and of itself, but there are adaptations that can make your green roof even greener. You can add interior insulation or exterior spray foam coating to slow heat transfer, choose a more energy-friendly color, add energy-saving accessories and choose a specific pitch.

Insulation

Air leaks are among the main causes of wasted energy in any building. Insulation helps save energy and keeps your new metal building more comfortable. Choose roof insulation based on the local climate – but keep in mind that most experts recommend an R-30 value for insulating roofs.

Spray Foam Insulation

A liquid polyurethane spray coating forms an additional layer of protection on your roof. It provides extra insulation that reduces energy consumption and lower utility bills. It’s most commonly used on roofs where appearance is not important.

Color

Light roofs are generally considered to be more energy efficient than dark roofs because they have a higher reflective rating. In general, light roofs are recommended in most areas of the country. In areas where there’s a strong chance of heavy snow loads, however, dark roofs can be a better choice. In addition, keep your eyes peeled for new innovations in paint, including highly reflective dark colors and paint with embedded solar cells.

Pitch

The slope of a roof has a major effect on the energy efficiency of a green roof on a steel building. Flatter roofs tend to absorb more heat while pitched roofs reflect it. Pitched roofs also shed water and snow more easily than flat roofs, and are more attractive to most homeowners. Be sure to discuss the implications of roof pitch with your steel building supplier.

Accessories

Finally, consider some of the accessories and additions you can make to the roof of your steel building. Today’s steel buildings can include skylights, vents, solar panels and many other accessories that make them greener and more energy efficient.

What You Should Know About Insulating Steel Buildings

If you’ve been considering the purchase of a metal building, you may have heard that prefabricated steel buildings such as steel garages, workshops and storage buildings are difficult to insulate. Nothing could be further from the truth, according to industry insiders. In fact, a properly constructed metal building with properly installed insulation is one of the snuggest types of structures you’ll find anywhere. So what accounts for the idea that steel buildings are difficult to insulate effectively?

In a nutshell, there are two reasons for that belief. First, steel transfers heat/cold more efficiently than wood. Thus, any metal parts of the building such as purlins and girts can transport extremes of heat and cold from the exterior to the interior. The second reason is that, quite frankly, the insulation in many steel buildings is improperly installed. The insulation may be cut to the wrong size or may not be properly covered. In fact, many of the problems with insulating steel buildings are the fault of the installer rather than the fault of the building. That’s why it’s important to use an insulation package that’s specifically designed for the steel building you buy.

When you order your prefab metal building, talk to the supplier/manufacturer about your insulation requirements. In many cases, the building can be engineered specifically to fit the type of insulation you plan to use. In addition, the best suppliers of steel buildings often offer insulation packages for the buildings they sell. The package will usually include a vapor barrier and special liner fabric to help cut down on condensation problems that contribute to mold.

Your metal building supplier can also offer you special insulation and installation tips, often customized to your area of the country. Larger companies that have been in business for any length of time have encountered many of the problems you are likely to run into when installing insulation for your building. Their experiences can help you avoid costly mistakes and ensure that your insulation job is done properly.

If you’re considering a specific steel building insulation system, be sure to talk to your metal building supplier about whether or not it is suitable for the model of building you’re purchasing as well as whether it is appropriate for your location. Insulation that would be ideal for a building in Massachusetts might not provide enough cold protection for a metal building in Minnesota or enough moisture protection for a building in Florida.

Insulation is an important component of steel buildings that will have live occupancy, such as factory buildings, office buildings, barns or retail stores. Don’t overlook its importance when ordering your metal building.

Five Steps to Erect Steel Buildings

One of the major reasons that steel buildings are so popular is their ease of erection. Most handy homeowners can reasonably erect their own steel buildings with the help of a few friends. You don’t need any special equipment to erect smaller metal buildings – basic power tools that most home handymen already own are all you need. How easy is it to put up a metal building? You can do it in just five steps.

Step 1: Prepare the Foundation

A proper foundation is the single most important step in erecting a steel building Most metal building suppliers will advise you to hire a professional, experienced foundation contractor for this part. Unless you have a lot of experience with building foundations, having a professional dig and pour the foundation is essential. Your steel building supplier will provide you with the drawings and information your contractor will need to make sure that the anchor bolts are properly located. If the foundation is done properly, the rest of the steps will be easy.

Step 2: Do the Primary Framing

The next step in erecting your metal building is to set up the primary framing, consisting of the main beams and rafters of your building. Everything will be pre-welded, cut to size and pre-punched so that all you have to do is get the pieces into the right positions and bolt them to your foundation using the provided bolts. This is where your friends come in handy to help with the heavy lifting.

Step 3: Bolt the Secondary Framing Into Place

You can start bolting on the secondary framing once you have a few of the primary frame pieces in place. The secondary framing includes the girts, purlins and framed openings for doors, windows and vents. Again, everything will be pre-punched and pre-cut. The only tools you’ll need are a power drill to tighten the bolts and fasten the pieces of your steel building together.

Step 4: Install the Roof and Wall Sheeting

Once you’ve finished the frame, it’s time to start filling in the walls and roof. Start by screwing the pre-drilled wall sheeting into place as shown in the diagrams that come with your steel building After the walls are done, you’ll install the roof sheeting and the weather stripping for the roof.

Step 5: Install the Trim and Accessories

Finally, add the trim to your building. The trim does more than look good – it’s essential to finish off steel buildings and create a weather tight seal to keep your building leak-free. Install your doors, windows and vents, and any other accessories that you’ve chosen for your metal building.

Of course, you always have the option of doing it the easy way – there are many contractors who specialize in erecting steel buildings. If you’re not comfortable erecting your metal building yourself, talk to your supplier about local contractors who are familiar with the brand and style of steel building you’ve chosen.

Top Uses for Steel Buildings

Steel buildings are among the most popular options for small residential additions – garages, storage buildings and the like. They’re also very popular with farmers as barns and for equipment storage. Those are just a few of the many popular uses for steel buildings. Here are some of the top uses of small metal buildings and DIY steel building kits.

Storage Building

Nearly any homeowner can use extra storage space, which is probably why this is the single most popular use for small-scale steel buildings. Metal building kits are especially popular for this for a number of reasons: affordability, appearance and ease of construction among them.

Garden Shed

Storing gardening equipment can tie up your garage space and make it impossible to park your car safely inside. Steel buildings are the ideal choice for storing lawn mowers, gas grills, leaf blowers and other lawn and garden equipment where it’s easily accessible but out of the way.

Pool House

If you own a pool, you know how much space your equipment and supplies can take up. A steel building is an attractive, affordable option to hold your pool vac, pool chemicals and all the pool toys your kids love to use. Even more importantly, keeping your pool chemicals in a safe, locked storage building can prevent accidents, especially if you have children around.

Garages

Somewhat larger than most DIY steel building kits, garage building kits rank almost as highly as storage building in popularity with homeowners. They’re easy to erect, affordable and come in colors and styles that look good in just about any neighborhood or community.

Barns and Agricultural Storage

One of the original uses for Quonset buildings was agricultural storage and equipment storage. The old Army surplus buildings spread across the countryside after World War II – and many are still standing today. Quonset buildings are still a popular option for use as agricultural storage because they provide enough unencumbered interior space to make it easy for farm equipment to maneuver around.

Workshops

Free-standing workshops are an affordable luxury for woodworkers, potters, jewelers, photographers and many other crafters. A steel building provides all the space you need to house hobby equipment and gives you a place to work where you won’t disturb – or be disturbed by – the family.

Larger steel buildings may be used as boat houses, airplane hangars, garages for RVs and SUVs and even retail stores. Whatever use they have, they provide advantages and benefits you won’t get from buildings constructed of other materials.

Why the World Loves Steel Buildings

The world loves steel buildings – and for a number of very good reasons. Whether you’re considering a small residential project or a large-scale industrial project, steel buildings offer advantages and benefits you just won’t get with other types and methods of construction. These are just a few of the many benefits you’ll get when you decide to build with steel.

Earth-Friendly Materials

Most metal used in steel building construction is recycled, so you’re not using any more of the earth’s precious resources. In addition, steel buildings are recyclable, so when your structure is no longer of use, it won’t be contributing to the mess in landfills and waste streams. In fact, the amount of waste from one typical size steel building will fit into one cubic foot of space. Compare that to the 40 or so feet of space taken up by the waste from a typical wood-frame house.

Earth-Friendly Delivery

When you choose to use a steel building for your project, you’re being friendly to the earth in other ways as well. For example, all of the pieces and components for steel buildings are typically constructed in one factory and shipped out to you on one truck. By comparison, the materials needed for the typical wood-framed house are transported from all over the world on dozens of trucks. Steel buildings make less of a carbon footprint on the environment, and the delivery is just one more example of how that works.

Quick Construction

The typical steel building goes up much more quickly than any other type of construction. Garages made of steel, for example, typically take one to two days to frame and erect once the foundation is laid. Less construction time means reduced costs and quicker tenancy. You can get into your new metal building in less than half the time it would take to get a wood frame or concrete building framed.

Affordable Prices

Steel is still one of the most affordable building materials available. Between the cheaper prices for steel and the reduced construction and fabrication costs, steel buildings are easily among the most affordable choices for nearly any kind of construction or building you have in mind.

Whether you want to add a garage, a workshop, a storage building or a home office, steel buildings make the most sense. From a cost perspective, metal buildings are simply more affordable. From an environmental perspective, they put less strain on the earth, and from an owner’s perspective, they are far easier to build and maintain over the years.

8 Ways Steel Buildings Are Best for Storage Sheds

If you need more storage on your property, the options available for steel buildings make them the best choice for your needs. Here are 8 reasons that steel buildings make the best storage sheds for your private or commercial property.

Affordability

Steel buildings are among the most affordable options for all types of construction, but that’s especially true of small storage buildings that need little customization and interior finish work. A metal building costs about half the price per square foot as a similarly sized stick-built storage shed.

Speed

If you’re impatient, steel buildings were made for you. While it may take a few weeks for the pieces of your storage building to be fabricated, once you’ve got your metal building on site, it goes up lickety-split. A small 8 x 10 storage shed, for example, can easily go up in a day or over the weekend if you’ve got willing help.

Style

Whether you want something totally unique or a steel building that looks like it was built alongside the house, you can find the perfect style and color for your new storage shed when you choose steel buildings.

Durability

Metal buildings are manufactured to last. Some steel buildings that were erected as agricultural storage and storage sheds in the 1940s and 1950s are still standing more than 50 years later.

Maintenance

That is, lack of maintenance. Garages and other structures made of steel require very little attention in the way of maintenance. You won’t have to scrape and repaint every few years because the powder-coated color on steel buildings is meant to last as long as the building does.

Insurability

Steel is one of the most fire resistant building materials in use today, and steel buildings can be designed to withstand most major weather events in your area, whatever area it happens to be. That makes insurance companies very happy, and when insurance companies are happy, they save you money.

Recyclability

You might think steel buildings are rough on mother nature, but the exact opposite is true. A metal building uses fewer non-renewable resources than most other types of construction, largely because it is made with recycled and recyclable steel. In addition, its relatively lighter weight requires less of a foundation and uses fewer materials than wooden or concrete structures.

Versatility

Look, it’s a garage! It’s a workshop! It’s a home office! No, it’s a steel building Because the interior is almost entirely open space, steel buildings are among the most versatile of any type of building you can erect. So go on, build your storage shed today and know that next year, it can easily become a home office, a pool house or your very own man cave.

Steel Buildings vs Traditional Structures: Which Is Stronger?

Steel buildings are among the most popular type of construction on the market today. Homeowners and commercial builders use them as storage buildings, barns, garages, home offices, workshops, guest houses and garden houses. The reasons that people choose steel buildings over other types of construction are many. Metal buildings cost less up front and have a lower cost of ownership throughout the years. They’re quicker to erect, and can be ready for occupancy while a stick built structure is still being framed. Considering how inexpensive they are and how little time they take to build, though, many people wonder if steel buildings are as safe as traditional wood structures. Let’s take a look.

Steel Buildings vs Wood Buildings

A quality steel building, when designed and put up correctly, is far superior to wood construction in both strength and durability. Steel buildings are engineered for a precision fit, and are designed to meet or exceed the code specifications of the region in which they’re being built. They’re constructed with specific tolerances and created to withstand the most extreme weather conditions of those areas in ways that wood-frame buildings can’t do.

Strong Materials Equal Strong Structures

Steel is generally acknowledged to be one of the strongest building materials used today. The methods used to design and construct a metal building take advantage of that strength and enhance it further. Because all of the building components are precision engineered and made in the same facility and on the same machinery, each piece fits perfectly to the next. The tight fit reinforces both the strength and the flexibility of a steel building.

Flexibility in Use

Because it meets specific tolerances and is engineered to meet local building standards, steel buildings will withstand high winds – even hurricane force winds – and stand firm and straight against the shifting and settling of the earth around them. Many steel building designs are rated for construction in areas that are prone to earthquakes, hurricanes and heavy snows without crumpling, folding or buckling.

High Durability

Not only is steel stronger than wood, steel buildings are also easier to maintain and more durable than wood buildings. A metal building won’t attract termites, carpenter ants or other vermin that like to chew on wood posts and beams. Steel buildings are impervious to decay and rot, and most feature rust-resistant coatings to prevent rust and corrosion. Because steel is not combustible, steel buildings are far less likely to be destroyed by fire, and, as noted above, they’ll stand against most natural disasters if they are properly constructed and built to code.

If you’re planning new construction for any use from storage buildings to garages, from guest houses to home offices, consider the many advantages you’ll realize when you choose steel buildings for your needs.

Steel Buildings Make Great Dog Kennels

Steel buildings aren’t an unusual choice to house animals. They’re commonly used as barns in agricultural areas as often as they’re used as garages. They also make a great choice for dog kennels. Whether you’re planning a dog kennel for your personal use or business use, steel buildings are definitely worth a look if you’re trying to decide on the basic structure for the building. These are just a few of the advantages that steel buildings offer when used as kennels and animal housing.

Overview

Steel buildings are easy to customize. You can easily design them to included cages, pens and indoor runs, as well as storage space. And because steel is non-porous, they’re easy to keep clean and sanitary, healthy and comfortable for your animals and for those who will be working with them. Consider these specific advantages if you’re considering a metal building as a dog kennel.

Comfort

The shells of steel buildings are designed to make them easy to insulate, a vital aspect for any structure that will domicile animals. You can specify walls standardized to hold sheets of insulation and have the outer walls ribbed specifically to hold them in place. The walls can even be pre-drilled to make it easy to run strapping through the ribs to hold the insulation in place. Even better, steel buildings are precision engineered to meet perfectly at the seams, eliminating the chinks and gaps that can make insulation inefficient in other types of structures.

Adaptable Floor Plans

The most popular steel buildings have no interior support columns, which gives you a completely open floor plan to work with for the interior. Depending on your choice of steel building, you can have usable space clear through to the outer walls with no concern about fitting your needs around columns and posts. You can easily customize the interior walls to fit dog cages and pens of any size, machine shelving walls for storage and have the engineers build channels into the walls to run wiring and plumbing.

Sanitation

As noted, steel buildings are exceptionally easy to keep clean and sanitary. They don’t attract pests and vermin, and all the interior and exterior surfaces can be wiped down with antiseptics and hosed down to keep them clean. Coincidentally, the most efficient type of floor for a dog kennel – concrete – is also the most common foundation for steel buildings, adding even more convenience. And since steel doesn’t absorb odors, it’s much easier to keep steel buildings smelling fresh even when they’re used as kennels.

Whether you run a kennel business or have another reason to house dogs and other animals, consider the many benefits and advantages of steel buildings for your uses. They’re affordable, efficient and ideally designed for your needs.

Factors to Consider for Steel Buildings for Storage Sheds

One of the major uses for steel buildings, aside from garages, barns and carports, is storage. Storage buildings and storage sheds of steel are popping up in backyards and side yards around the country. If you’re considering purchasing a steel building for storage use, there are a number of factors you should consider in making your final decision.

Most metal building manufacturers offer steel buildings in a variety of styles and sizes to suit a wide array of needs. The wide selection of steel buildings practically guarantees that you’ll find a pre-engineered metal storage shed that will meet your needs. From small garden sheds to full size storage buildings, you’ll find metal structures that are perfect for whatever use you have.

Benefits of Pre-Engineered Steel Buildings

Metal sheds and storage buildings offer a number of benefits that make them a more attractive option than wooden sheds. They’re very affordable, both at purchase and in long-term costs. In fact, because of the low maintenance needs, you’ll save more in the cost of ownership with each passing year.

Steel buildings are durable. Steel doesn’t rot and it’s not attractive to insects and vermin that can eat through wooden supports and weaken the entire structure. Metal buildings are powder-coated with chemicals that make them resistant to corrosion and rust. They’ll retain their color for years without repainting, making them considerably less expensive and time-consuming to maintain.

Steel Buildings Are Precision Engineered

Every metal building is precision-engineered to specific tolerances that are designed to meet the standards and codes for the area where they’ll be built. That guarantees that steel buildings will withstand the weather and natural events that are likely to happen in your area. They can be built to handle heavy snow loads without collapsing, and since steel doesn’t absorb water, the walls and supports don’t swell when they get wet and shrink when they dry out. That means fewer chinks and gaps in the outer walls and better insulation to prevent heat transfer in either direction.

Easier to Insure

A well-built steel storage shed will add value to your property – who’d argue with more storage space, after all? In addition, steel buildings are easier and cheaper to insure than other types of structures. Steel is non-combustible, making steel buildings much less prone to fire damage, something insurance companies love. They’re also less prone to other hazards that can damage wooden and masonry buildings. With less risk of damage, insurance companies will generally charge much lower premiums for a metal storage shed.

Choosing steel buildings as storage sheds and garden sheds just makes sense. Steel provides strength, style and stability. What more could you ask for?