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.