Advantages of Metal Buildings

LOW COST - Our steel buildings are more economical than conventional methods due to the originating costs and reduced labor. Complete steel buildings are delivered to the jobsite and quickly erected. QUICK CONSTRUCTION - On average, a steel building system can be completed in approximately two-thirds the time required for conventional construction. BETTER APPEARANCE - The appearance of steel buildings can easily be enhanced with stucco, stone, brick or glass. Metal building systems can attain a remarkable exterior that will merge with the ambiance of the building's surroundings. LOW ENERGY CONSUMPTION - A suitably insulated metal building can drastically decrease heating and cooling expenses. Insulated roof and wall systems preserve and reassure thermal efficiencies. LOW MAINTENANCE - Extended life materials reduce maintenance, and eliminate troubles such as structural deterioration, rotting and insect damage. EXPANDIBILTY - It is easy to enlarge a building by removing the end walls, erecting new framework and adding matching wall and roof panels. In most situations, the original end wall panels can be reused.

RECREATIONAL

Todays sports, conditioning and recreational centers represent a multi-billion dollar business which continues to grow each year. Attractive, ultra-modern facilities are springing up everywhere, offering a myriad of activities to meet the recreational demands of our society.

Immense clear span, low cost-per-square-foot, and low energy costs are vital to the successful construction and operation of recreational facilities. Whether your need is for a tennis, bowling or health club facility, computerized design and manufacturing help our design engineers create building systems that meet the precise demands of recreational facilities with an eye to architectural designs that fit into any surrounding. Our engineers have designed and manufactured buildings for sports courts, sports fields, game rooms, locker rooms, roller rinks, ice rinks, riding arenas, recreational centers and every other pastime you can imagine. The most important element in the design of all these facilities was combining practicality with efficiency, while providing for the customers' needs. Equestrian buildings provide excellent examples of how the flexibility of these custom designs allow for cost-effective solutions to those specific needs. Your dealer can value-engineer a dollar-saving building system that fits the bill, whether your needs include an arena, a barn or a complete riding facility. Available from one stall to one hundred, with a center row or in a shed-row design, our value-engineered horse barns give you maximum space with a functional layout designed to streamline your horse operations. Riding arenas are available fully-enclosed or as a roof-only structure. Clear span arenas are available up to 240 feet wide and in unlimited lengths. Our engineering department and your dealer can work with you to custom design a structure which maximizes your building site with attached barns, tack rooms, or hay storage areas.

Panel Profiles

Roof Panel Profiles - Our standard roof sheeting is the "PBR" panel, which is available in bare Galvalume Plus® as well as a variety of colors. Wall sheeting is available in "R" and "PBR" panel. Depending on the color and your geographic location - PBR panels may not be available for certain colors.

Liner Panels - For liner panels we offer a low-rib 29-gauge panel. Liner panels are an interior covering for the walls of a steel building. Like exterior walls, liner panel consists of 3-foot wide panels that are attached to the framing in the same manner as exterior sheeting. Full-height liners run from floor to roof. Partial-height liners typically attach to the girt at 7'4" and extend a few inches above it. Buildings with liner panels must have a base connection for the bottom of the panel (see base conditions).

Advantages - Liner Panels enhance appearance, providing a finished look for the interior. The biggest advantage is that liners protect the insulation and the outside walls. Because un-reinforced insulation facings tear easily, and even the best-reinforced materials can be damaged, liner panels are the intelligent solution to protect your investment. Although 26-gauge exterior walls can withstand a lot of punishment, a steel liner will protect your building's interior and performs at a lower cost than other wall coverings, which will require their own framing.

Misleading Information - Deceptive Practices

The standards and values of our industry are regularly masked by the deceptive practices of the unprincipled few. These companies deliberately mislead people hoping to increase their chances of a sale. At Metal Building Depot we know that the more you understand about the product you are buying, the more confidant you will be at purchase time.

Arm yourself with information - No manufacturer keeps an inventory of buildings "ready to ship." Without exception, steel buildings are made specifically to order. A building should be designed to meet your needs and more importantly - your building code. Some companies create "general" price lists for common sizes, but the selection is very limited to a geographic area with limited variance in design.

Beware of companies implying they keep an existing inventory of buildings. To find out whether a "clearance" or "cancelled order" really exists inquire on the earliest ship date. You should be able to take immediate delivery on a building "ready to ship."

There is no such thing as making simple structural changes on a pre-designed building. Moving or adding a door opening on an existing or "ready to ship" building - could require the use of a wind column or portal frame. This could change the rigid frame design and render the existing design useless. Additionally, changing the wind or snow load could require the girt and purlin spacing to change and the location of connection plates along columns and rafters may not be located properly. The bottom line is that a structural change most likely requires a new building design. The moral of this story is: If a seller claims to have a building "ready to ship" make sure it will meet or exceed you local building codes and loads and more importantly - your needs.

Proposal or Propose "ALL" - We want to help you eliminate the "gray areas" in a typical building quote. The items listed on your contract should be made clear as to exactly what is being promised. Our itemized contracts are detailed and specific and you'll never see "included" in one price (without a description). All your accessories and options are listed as separate line items. With our online quote you will always know exactly what you're paying for.

Heat Transfer

Effectively controlling temperature in a steel building requires insulation to be present along exterior walls and roof. When a temperature differential is present in an enclosed steel building, heat will work from warmer areas to colder areas until the temperature in the building has stabilized. At the point of thermal stabilization, the cooler (and heavier) air will be present at lower elevations and warmer air will be present at the roofline. The function of insulation is to help stabilize air temperature at more desirable levels. When it is hot outside, preventing heat from transferring into the building is the goal, and of course in the winter we want heat to remain inside.

Heat transfer occurs in three ways:

Conduction : Occurs in a solid or liquid when heat from one object is transferred by touch to another object. An example of this occurs when a pot on a stove will heat up by conductive heat transfer from an electric coil.

Convection : Occurs with the physical movement of air. There are two types of convectional heat movement. The first is natural, where hot air rises displacing the cold air and moving it down. The second type is forced or mechanical convection. This occurs when an object, like a fan, physically moves or "forces" the air to move.

Radiation : Occurs when an object is warmer or hotter than the air around it. For example, the sun, which is hotter than everything around it, radiates heat waves that travel through the air and is either absorbed by or reflected by the surface it comes in contact with.