The History of Steel Buildings

Steel has been used as a building material for more than a century, but in most cases, steel has served as skeletons for office buildings and skyscrapers. There were a few notable exceptions to that rule. In the 1890s, as pioneers and gold-diggers flocked westward to find the gold in them thar hills, at least one New York manufacturer found gold in the smelting pots much closer to home. He sold “portable steel houses” that consisted of four walls and a roof that could be transported flat in a wagon bed and assembled into a sturdy shelter in the gold mine shanty towns.

The second major exception to the “steel buildings are skyscrapers” rule were Quonset buildings or huts. These were modeled on hoop houses, but instead of fabric covers, the steel hoops were covered with steel. These steel buildings were portable, easy to assemble and easy to disassemble. They were put to good use by the military in the field during the two World Wars. After the wars ended, when the Quonset buildings were no longer needed to house troops overseas, they were sold as Army surplus, mostly to farmers who appreciated their affordability and flexibility.

In the meantime, steel buildings had become popular as industrial and commercial structures – skyscrapers, office buildings, shopping malls and strip malls were al built on steel “bones”. Eventually, though, the affordability, versatility and other benefits made steel buildings a favorite choice for workshops, garages, barns, workshops and greenhouses.

Why Steel Buildings?

Steel is generally the most affordable of building materials, so cost is often a factor in the decision, but there are other reasons as well. The most important of these for many home gardeners and hobbyists I that steel buildings are relatively easy to erect. Most people who have modest DIY skills can put together a small – storage shed or garden shed size – metal building with the help of one or two friends and only basic home power tools.

If you’re tired of storing your gas grill beside your lawn mower in front of the shelves of potting soil all tucked in beside the car in your garage, take a look at the many styles of steel buildings that are available for your needs.