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.