Installation Overview

The metal building is rapidly becoming more popular for a variety of reasons. They can be built very quickly and are extremely low in cost. They can easily adapt to any number of external architectural treatments without restricting their interior floor planning. A primary reason for this flexibility is the development of insulation specifically designed for metal buildings. The development of advanced insulation systems with more efficient thermal performance is so advanced that it has enabled metal buildings everywhere to evolve into many of the showrooms, retail outlets, schools, offices and shopping centers we see today.

Today's high-energy costs have made insulation a critical consideration during any construction planning. An insulation system that is properly selected and professionally installed will return more on its investment than any other building component.

Insulation provides many benefits:

Improved appearance, Greater comfort, Substantial reductions in fuel and electricity costs, Condensation and noise control, Reduction of the amount of investment dollars and space needed for heating and cooling equipment.

Panel Options

Color or Galvalume - Our online system includes both Galvalume Plus® and SMP Colors. For a small price increase you can add a colored roof. Our standard colored panels consist of a Galvalume® sheet that has been primed and coated with Silicon Modified Polyester (SMP) paint. Both panel types of panel are very tough, and both our Galvalume Plus® warranty and our paint warranty run for 25 and 30 years respectively. The Galvalume Plus® panels cost less, but the painted panels give your steel building a more refined look.

Color and Roof Pitch - When considering color over Galvalume, be sure to take the roof pitch into account. Higher-pitched roofs are more noticeable, but with a low-pitched roof very little of the roof can be seen.

Foundations

Do I need a foundation for my metal building? - Some people choose to pour a full slab foundation, however if you're planning on leaving the floor in a dirt or gravel condition, concrete piers will do the job just fine. Please contact a customer service representative if you don't plan to pour a full slab foundation.

Can you provide an engineer stamped foundation layout? - Yes, but in some cases your soil conditions play a major role in the type of foundation you can use. Contact our special sales department for more information. If using a local engineer, we will provide anchor bolt plans to aid your engineer in designing the foundation.

Do you supply the hardware to attach the frame to foundation? - No, the anchor bolts are usually supplied by a concrete contractor and placed when the foundation is poured.

Base Condition

Every metal building has some type of base connection along the building perimeter, allowing the connection of sheeting. This "base condition" determines exactly how the panels connect to the foundation. To prevent water and pests from entering the building at the base, panels extend below the finished floor of the building. Online design and pricing systems allows users to choose from a number of different base options.

Standard Base Angle - Our system defaults to a standard base angle condition. This condition consists of a single angle member, attached to both the wall sheets and the slab. Please note that the standard base condition requires that the slab be formed with a 1½" sheet notch to allow the sheets to extend below the top of the slab.

Deluxe Trim - Deluxe base trim is another option for buildings with concrete slab foundations. Deluxe base trim combines base angle and trim into one piece, providing all the benefits of base trim and base angle. Deluxe base trim is only available in burnished slate color.

Base Girt - The base girt option is designed for buildings that sit on piers rather than a full slab. A base girt system does not rest on or attach to the foundation. The base girt attaches to clips on the columns about 6" above the foundation. The base girt provides a great connection for liner panel.

Base Channel - The Base channel is a "cee" shaped section that runs the perimeter of the building connected to the floor. It is most commonly used when a liner panel, or interior wall, is going to be installed. The "cee" section provides a pre-positioned connection point for inside panels. This approach requires a sheet notch in the slab (for an alternative, see the combination of base channel and base trim below).

Facings

In addition to acting as a decorative protection barrier, facings serve an integral part of the overall insulation system. Facings provide vapor barriers, light reflectivity and structural strength. In some cases, a reinforcement of fiberglass scrim is used for extra rigidity and greater impact resistance.

The effectiveness of a vapor barrier depends on three primary factors:

1) Location within the insulated section

2) Permeance

3) Proper installation