The Major Benefits of Steel Buildings
It is no surprise that Steel Buildings are becoming more and more popular for many uses. At Steelsmith, we build steel structures for both commercial and residential customers, designing and erecting everything from quick and easy garages and storage spaces, to complex commercial and industrial buildings. Learn some of the major benefits of using steel to construct buildings below.
Durability of Steel Structures
One of the main reasons steel buildings are chosen over other building types is for their durability. The long life and strength of metal buildings are comparable to none. Steel buildings outlast other building types and ultimately save money through outlasting harsh weather conditions and time, as well as low maintenance requirements. Another way metal buildings save money is through lower insurance premiums because of the long lifespan of steel buildings.
Steel buildings can be built nearly anywhere and outlive other building types. At Steelsmith, we have built steel buildings off the coast of the great lakes, and added insulation to withstand harsh winds as well as corrosion resistant coatings to the metal paneling system to prevent salt damage. We have also built steel buildings that have survived hurricanes and fires.
Flexibility of Steel Buildings
Steel Buildings are very flexible building types. There are nearly unlimited features and options available to make a building unique and fulfill the customer’s specification. Your framing system, secondary framing system, metal paneling system, and steel building accessories all contribute to providing you with structural and design versatility. At Steelsmith, we review all of our options with you and help you decide which options and styles are the best for your specific building. Steel buildings are also flexible in another sense in that they can be expanded easily. This feature of steel buildings makes the building ideal for businesses that foresee future growth.
One of the biggest structural differentiators of steel buildings are the building’s rigid framing systems. Below is a list and brief description of our most popular standard steel building frame profiles:
• Clear Span Rigid Frame
This framing style is used often in steel buildings for various building types including warehouses, barns, gymnasiums, garages, and many other applications that provide open space that do not need internal columns or trusses. Clear Span Rigid Frames can be built with straight columns or tapered columns.
• Modular Rigid Frame
This framing type is often used in larger facilities that require higher square footage or high ceilings like industrial plants, distribution centers, and large warehouses. Modular Rigid Frames can also be built with straight columns or tapered columns.
• Single Slope Frame
Single slope frames can be built clear span or multiple span, depending on the building length and height requirements. Typically, taller and longer buildings with a single slope frame will require multiple spans to provide necessary structural integrity for the building. Single slope steel buildings are often used in retail centers. Single slope frames are sometimes the style chosen to expand existing steel building structures.
• Future Addition – Expansion
The building can be designed to be expanded at a later date by extending the building or by adding a lean-to addition off the sidewall of the Steel Building. Designing the building correctly will allow you as our client, to save money on the foundation and other associated costs of expansion.
Learn more about our most popular steel building frame systems on the Steelsmith website.
Creative Control of Metal Buildings
Despite what many people think of steel buildings, they are not just prefabricated steel buildings that you choose between… Although they can be if that’s all that is required of them. At Steelsmith, we provide our customers with either a prefabricated steel building, or customize architectural services, depending on the needs of the project.
If your steel building simply needs to have 50 x 140 dimensions, with a garage door, 6 windows, and an entry door, then we will likely utilize one of our prefab steel building kits and alter it to fit your specifications. If you need a very unique structure that requires architectural planning, you can then collaborate with our in-house professional development team to provide all of the architectural services your project requires. After submitting a quote to Steelsmith, preliminary drawings are generated and one of our project managers works directly with you, one on one, to value engineer your steel building design and to ensure the accuracy of the quote.
Quick Build Metal Buildings
Another major benefit of metal buildings, is how quickly buildings can be designed and erected. Many steel buildings require only 6-8 weeks from design to erection. For some businesses, short build time is crucial as it translates into less downtime for their company. Producing a steel building involves input from a project manager, estimator, designer and erector. We have erectors located all over the United States. Performing all of these tasks with one company helps your building come together smoothly and quickly.
Learn how we would handle your unique steel building project by speaking directly with one of our steel building project managers. Submit a quote or give us a call M-F from 9AM-5PM EST at 1.866.603.5053.