As technology and innovation advance across nearly every industry and facet of life, home, and business infrastructure remain stuck relying largely on antiquated construction methods little evolved over numerous decades. Traditional wood-framed and masonry buildings, while familiar and ubiquitous, suffer growing disadvantages related to strength limits, inflexibility accommodating evolving usage needs, and intensive upkeep efforts combating environmental wear-and-tear degrading the integrity of protective envelopes prematurely over the years of service lives expected.
Steel makes a great material for building all kinds of structures from large warehouses to backyard storage sheds. Steel buildings last a very long time while needing little care. They also cost less than regular buildings to put up.
The Advantages of Steel Buildings
Steel buildings provided by Eagle Buildings offer a multitude of benefits that have contributed to their growing popularity across different sectors.
Strength and Durability
Steel rates very strongly resist outside forces from wind, rain, snow, and impacts. It generally proves 10 times stronger than wood buildings the same size. Owners gain long-lasting assets staying sturdy over 40-50-year life spans or more before major work becomes necessary. That demonstrates steel’s rugged dependability protecting important investments.
Adaptability
The ease of steel modifying to nearly any dimensions with welded joints lets us construct versatile structures - from small backyard storage sheds to riding arenas housing horses, to tall warehouses storing factory parts, to multi-story office buildings. Steel bends to imagination’s will quite readily. Functionality results.
Budget Savings
Prefabricated steel building frameworks cost noticeably less erecting than traditional construction dependent on expensive skilled labor assembling many materials like finished lumber, stucco, drywall, and shingles piece-by-piece extensively onsite to enclose spaces finally. Steel simplified builds translate into satisfying cost savings owners realize.
Eco-Friendliness
Nearly one-third of all steel contains recycled material from automobiles, appliances, bridge girders, and other sources helping conserve landfill waste streams considerably. Recycled steel rivals new stock strength so maintains trusted structural integrity. Plus fully recyclable whenever dismantled decades later.
Fire Protection
Exposed steel demonstrates extensive damage from heat and direct flames during fires compared to vulnerabilities wood/drywall burning presents which compromises stability catastrophically when structural support fails. Enveloped steel cores resist fire’s threats far better, protecting people and property much longer.
Balancing steel’s numerous constructive strengths against alternatives makes metal a practical smart choice for erecting almost any building benefitting budgets without sacrificing safety crossing decades meeting owners' evolving space requirements reliably.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Steel Building
Key considerations influencing ideal steel building decisions include:
Purpose
Define what functions structures need satisfying - like garaging vehicles, storing hay/equipment, and sheltering work activities. Square footage derives from the purpose of housing everything comfortably with room facilitating it.
Dimensions
Measure proposed steel building location footprints ensuring enough physical site space exists and accommodating plans without exceeding property setback allowances your local zoning may govern. Check widths accommodate accessing interior rooms later easily.
Style Selections
Contrast aesthetic options balancing basic utilitarian designs focused on cost savings versus customized finishes coordinating architecture styles meshing with existing residential buildings also on-site seeking more upscale appearances shielding unsightly sheds from neighborhood streets.
Budget Assessments
Determine budgets reasonably available for projects considering all land prep work, concrete slab costs, basic building enclosures pricing, and electrical finishings desired. Accounting for all cost layers avoided forgetting hidden expenses making budgeting projections more predictable, preventing cost overruns from destroying plans.
Climate Appropriateness
Snow weight loads in northern regions demand stronger steel framework capacities preventing building collapse risks unmatched by lighter options working fine in southern warmer climates. Local building codes map appropriate construction specifications to regional weather threats better safeguarding lasting integrity meeting county inspector sign-offs when required at final.
Getting suitable steel buildings keeping valuables protected through suitable weather resilience, dimensions, styles, and long-term ownership budgets in mind guide decisions optimizing the ideal metal structures serving personal property needs efficiently.
Types of Steel Buildings
Common building types span:
Garages
Great for vehicle parking beside homes, oversized RVs/campers or equipment storage needs either detached or conveniently attached directly to existing houses saving added yard spaces otherwise consumed. Open bay doors facilitate drive-through accessibility housing everything inside secured nightly.
Pole Barns
Modestly sized metal structures featuring sloped roofs and large swinging doors provide excellent covered space options for securing equipment, vehicles, or livestock feeding/housing operations. Budget-friendly enclosed square footage anchors agricultural and commercial property activities efficiently.
Commercial Steel Buildings
Developers needing wide clearspan warehouse footprint affordability without columns interrupting interiors increasingly select durable prefab metal frameworks supporting expansive enclosure spaces leasable to office tenants seeking move-in ready light industrial environments meeting commercial motivations affordably. Adapt sizing easily later reconfiguring tenant needs flexibly while sustaining durable maintenance exteriors across decades usefully.
Industrial Steel Buildings
Manufacturing plants benefit from selecting pre-engineered metal buildings housing sizable high clearance production lines, inventory commissaries, and heavy equipment service centers all under ample broad roofs that daylight brightens large interiors efficiently while withstanding vibrations industrial operations generate protecting worker safety steadfastly.
The Construction Process of Steel Buildings
The construction of a steel building involves several distinct phases, each contributing to the successful completion of the project.
Design and Engineering
Based on specific dimensional requirements and regional climate conditions like snow/wind loads anticipated, structural engineers craft building plans factoring suitable steel gauge component capacities proving stable and lasting decades mechanically sound without fail.
Component Fabrication
Following finalized plans, warehouse fabrication operations precisely cut I-beams, connectors, girts, roof, and wall panels to defined technical specifications ready for simple field bolting together on location. Quality-controlled environments ensure precision.
Site Preparations
After surveying precise site placement taking the best advantage of existing property grade conditions, land clearing and grading equipment readies flat mounting pads whether concrete slab foundations get poured or simpler compact gravel bases prove suitable for particular soil types present supporting weights and usages long term through freezing, thawing seasonal cycles without shifting building integrity risking safe operations.
Assembly Process
Trained construction crews align anchor bolt patterns securing base plates enabling vertical beam assemblies to lift together reinforcing into walls and roofs able to withstand rated wind gusts and heavy precipitation loading capacities ensuring buildings stay erect lasting for generations. Bolt fasteners withstand the required tension levels certified.
Finishing Touches
With main building structures now watertight enclosed, interior finishing stages add essentials like electrical wiring connections, insulation linings, windows/doors cut-in, utilities, storage racks, lighting customizing interiors fulfilling specialized functions facilities need supporting equipment assets and inventory products responsibly. Any aesthetic exterior treatments complete building readiness conducting business securely inside usefully.
Well-engineered planning combined with properly manufactured components assembled methodically onsite by knowledgeable crews makes quick work establishing durable steel structures ready sheltering functional operations serving varying industries reliably.
Conclusion
Steel structures supply smart versatile permanent solutions creating enclosed spaces safely sheltering cherished assets securely behind walls built strong weathering extreme climate challenges posed unlike softer weaker alternates tearing apart over time sacrificed eventually to persistent exposures bringing elements beating down.
