Steel Buildings, Metal Buildings, Steel Homes
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• Recreational Get Away Steel Home & Cabin Shell Packages • Architectural Metal Roof & Wall Panels • Insulated Metal Roof & Wall Systems
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Why Use A Metal Building
WHY USE A METAL BUILDING YOU ASK...?
Metal Buildings are fast growing in popularity and preference over conventional building materials such as wood and lumber. The reasons are the several advantages you enjoy with a Metal Building as compared to other materials where such benefits are absent. There is also, a high demand for non-renewable resources like wood has resulted in clearing of forest cover which has adversely affected the global environment. High costs, low availability and limited options have led to the shift from other building materials to Metal Buildings.
What are the advantages of Pre-Engineered Metal Buildings? Metal Buildings have numerous advantages over other building materials which makes them the preferred choice for building strong, stylish and durable high-quality buildings.
Cost Advantage: Metal Buildings are relatively cheaper when compared with buildings of other materials. What distinguishes them is that they have “Low Maintenance” costs as well. Building a Metal Building is a one-time affair and the expenditure is a long term investment.
Durability: Another important feature of metal buildings is that they are very sturdy. Metal buildings are heat-resistant and are strong enough to withstand climatic changes. Other materials such as wood do not withstand climatic changes that well.
Reduced Labor Costs: Professional Metal Building companies deliver Pre-Fabricated dismantled metal framework with marked components. These require just bolting and erecting which can be done easily with the help of the detailed plan drawings making doing-it-yourself possible for smaller structures.
No Waste: For example if a 30’ X 50’ building is to be constructed from wood, tons of waste is to be expected. In the case of a Metal Buildings, this is not the case. Prefabricated buildings are engineered at the factory in accordance with pre-decided dimensions and completely recyclable material guarantee that there is no residual waste.
Desired Design: If you require very high ceilings or want to have a complex design according to the placement of your heavy machinery, metal buildings are best suited for you. You can choose from a wide variety of options and give your requirements beforehand to have your own Customized Metal Building.
Insulation Benefits: Another addition with Metal Buildings is the insulation cover you can opt for. Insulation advantages not only reduce the noise level of falling rain in the interiors but also lower overall energy consumption costs. There are multiple Insulation Systems that can be applied in a Metal Building System. Beyond the typical Insulation Systems you can utilize Insulated Metal Roof and or Wall Panels. These Insulated Metal Panels are made with a Pre-Finished interior and exterior with foam injected between the two layers. The Panels also come in different Panel Profiles, Gauge of Material, Thickness for R-Value and exterior finishes depending on what look you're trying to achieve. Another positive side to the Insulated Panel is that they can be installed in just about any weather condition (other than high winds) therefore job scheduling is not typically effected by foul weather and you're building shell is dried in quicker.
Insect-Resistant: Metal Buildings are not affected by insects of any kind therefore more durable.
A Rising Demand: Utilized in Churches, Car Dealerships, Military Needs, Retail Warehouses such as Costco and even Residential along with many others which testify to the revolution that the Metal Building Industry has brought about.
Recreational Getaway Homes, Residential Homes and Cabin Use...?
Metal Buildings have long been the preferable method of construction for industrial, commercial and institutional uses. Today, however, more and more people are choosing to utilize a metal building system as their residential space too. In this article, I will cover some of the reasons why a metal building system makes a superior residential building option to traditional wood-framed construction. Let’s address three different methods of residential steel construction. The first type of construction method involves the framing of the residential structure out of steel studs. This method of construction looks similar to traditional wood-framed construction except the builder is using engineered steel studs instead of wood. The second type of metal residential construction involves the use of structural “I” beams. Homes framed with “I” beams are usually architecturally designed and based on a more modern style of architecture. The third type of metal home uses a Metal Building System as the super structure for the house. The Metal Building System forms the shell of the house while the interior is finished much like a traditional wood-framed house. The exterior walls of the Metal Building Shell may be metal panels, brick, stone, glass, or whatever look you're trying to achieve. This focuses solely on the use of Metal Building Systems in residential construction. Now let’s review a few of the advantages of using a metal building system for a residential structure:
Engineered Structure: Metal Building Systems are "Engineered Systems". That means the building structure is designed by an Engineer to meet a specific live load, dead load, wind load, collateral load, snow load, seismic forces, etc. The columns, rafters, purlins, girts, panels, wind bracing, bolts and fasteners are all designed to work together to resist the anticipated design loads. A traditional wood-framed home, on the other hand, is not built based on engineered drawings. In fact, an engineer is seldom ever involved with the structural design of a wood-framed home. Traditional residential construction involves on-site fabrication and assembly. Framers perform their work based on their experience and by referencing elevation drawings and floor plans. The structural integrity of any one particular wood-framed house is largely dependent on the framer’s level of craftsmanship.
Efficiency of Combined Use: Have you heard the term “Barndominium?” People are using the term to describe the dual use of a Metal Building System as both a residence and shop, barn or recreation space. The advantage of this type of construction is that the residential and utility spaces share the same roof and walls which reduces overall construction costs.
Speed of Construction: A Metal Building System is engineered, detailed and fabricated at the Metal Building Manufacturer’s plant. The finished product is shipped to the job site and bolted together. The on-site assembly of the Metal Building System is usually accomplished much faster than the on-site construction of a wood-framed home. The advantage the Metal Building provides the builder is that he is working “in the dry” sooner and is therefore able to reduce construction time.
No Load Bearing Walls: For widths that are typically associated with residential structures, a Metal Building System does not require interior support columns. That means that none of the interior walls of the residence are load bearing. No load bearing walls means that the home builder can easily make last minute changes to the location of interior walls since they do not impact the structural integrity of the building shell. For the same reason, future remodeling is no problem. Walls can be moved or totally eliminated without concern for the structural integrity of the Metal Building. Another advantage of the absence of load bearing walls is that open spaces within the residence can be much larger with a Metal Building than can be achieved with traditional wood construction.
Fewer Trades Mean Few Problems: The structural framing, roof and walls of a Metal Building System are installed by a single subcontractor. In contrast, a wood-framed home with brick exterior will require at least a framing subcontractor, roofing subcontractor, and masonry subcontractor. Three subcontractors is three times the potential for scheduling conflicts. Bolted Connections vs Nailed Connections: The structural connections of a Metal Building System are accomplished using high-strength bolts. The structural connections in the typical wood-framed home are made with nails. Nails are not nearly as strong as bolts in resisting uplift force which is the primary cause of catastrophic failure in building structures.
Warmer in the Winter: There are more options for insulating a Metal Building Shell than a wood-framed structure. The depth of the typical Metal Building column used in a residential structure is about 8-inches. Most of this 8-inch cavity can be filled with batt insulation. Compare that to the potential insulation cavity of a wood framed structure with 2x4s that are only 3-5/8” thick. Another insulating option for the Metal Building is to use spray-in foam insulation in the roof and walls. Extremely high R-values can be obtained by filling the 8-inch girt and purlin cavities with spray-in foam insulation. Also, by insulating the roof instead of the ceiling as is typically done in residential construction) the attic area becomes a semi-controlled space.
Cooler in the Summer: If you live in the Southern United States, you probably spend more money to keep your house cool than to heat it. A Metal Roof provides a big advantage over traditional asphalt shingles. Most of the heat in a building structure is caused by the sun’s radiation. Solar reflectivity is the ability of a material to reflect solar radiation from its surface back into the atmosphere. Light colored (cool colors) metal panels have excellent solar reflectivity capabilities which can save energy costs by preventing some solar radiation from ever entering the house.
Material Durability: Steel is a more weather and pest resistant material than wood. Water will cause wood to rot which leads to structural damage in a wood-framed house. The steel in a Metal Building will not rot and structural components are coated with a primer to prevent rust. A galvanized finish is an excellent option to maximize the longevity of the structural components of a Metal Building. Termite Resistance: Structural damage caused by termite infestation is a perpetual concern with wood construction. Termite damage is not typically discovered until there is already a need for substantial repair. The annual cost of preventing termite damage is eliminated with a Metal Building.
Green Construction Material: A Metal Building Home is the ideal structure for the environmentalist. The reason is that the majority of the steel in a Metal Building System is recycled steel. No other construction material can boast as high a content of recycled material than steel.
With reasons like these, it’s not hard to see why so many people are turning to Metal Building Systems for their next Home, Weekend Getaway or Hunting Lodge. If you would like to learn more about how a Metal Building System might work for your next project, contact us to see how we can help you.
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