On The Farm

I don't know of any farm operation that could get buy without barns for equipment storage, feed storage or any other general warehousing needs. Many older farms are now removing old wooden structures and replacing their old buildings with new steel structures. While the old antique tractor may look good in front of the old barn, many are weary of storing precious items in an old rotten structure. Steel is stronger, straighter and will last eons longer than wood. In a home, wood is fine. Houses are designed so that the wooden structural components do not have direct exposure to the elements, but on the farm it is often hard to prevent the outside from coming into the barn.

Steel Buildings

Why should I build with steel instead of wood? - The number one reason is strength. Steel buildings can withstand high load conditions. Steel buildings are fastened together with high-strength bolts and screws. The connections remain secure because there is little to no movement in the structural members and panels. However, wood connections in conventional construction become loose due to expansion and contraction and the result is warping of the wooden frame. Steel does not warp, shrink, or change with time so the connections remain secure. Wooden buildings can suffer damage do to insects such as termites, and this deterioration will reduce the quality of wooden buildings. Furthermore, metal building material is not a flammable substance so your insurance costs will be reduced.

How does the price of a steel building compare with others? - Conventional construction materials are affected by demand and availability; conversely, steel has remained relatively constant for many years. When it comes to pre-fabricated steel buildings it would be difficult to find a like structure to compare with the low cost of a steel building.

Is everything I need to construct my building included? - Everything you need to construct your new metal building will be included with the exception of the anchor bolts, which should be supplied by your foundation contractor.

What is Bay Spacing? - It is the space between 2 frames. For example, the end wall of the building is the End-Frame, and the distance between the End-Frame and the next column/rafter section is the Bay Space, or the distance between two column/rafter sections.

How do I assemble my steel building? - Steel building assembly couldn't be easier. We provide you with the necessary information to erect your steel building quickly and efficiently. Many of our clients erect their steel buildings on their own, although a professional contractor can also used at an affordable price.

Are the steel buildings painted? - Yes, the walls and trim are painted with a long-lasting factory-applied paint manufactured by a leading manufacturer of heavy duty, high performance protective coatings for steel building components. There is a wide selection of colors for you to choose from. You can select the wall panel, trim, and roof colors on the color chart section of our website.

Insulating Against Radiant Heat

Traditional forms of mass insulation, like fiberglass, are effective in preventing heat transfer by conduction and convection, but they less effect on radiant heat. Between 80 and 90% of the radiant heat striking fiberglass will pass through or be "emitted". Radiant transfer typically has as much impact on the temperature in a building as conduction and convection. For more information on radiant barrier facings click here.

Frame Features

Connection Clips - Specially fabricated clips are designed to securely connect structural components. Many companies supply only blank plates that must be cut, drilled and/or welded to components before assembly can begin. In some cases it may require many hours of work to connect required clips. Metal Building Depot details and supplies each clip and placement to every building manufactured. We factory weld all clips onto rigid frames and guarantee the correct placement of all component connections. Don't waste your time and money attaching clips that should have been factory located.

Structural Bracing - Most buildings under 60' have sufficient diaphragm action or "panel shear" that provides all the bracing needed to stabilize the building. In some cases of high winds, seismic or snow loads may cause more stress than panel shear can handle, so additional reinforcement may be required. In these extreme cases we will employ the use of X bracing to reinforce the frame. In situations where X bracing cannot be used a wind column is an excellent addition to strengthen a vertical rigid frame column. A portal frame is sometimes used in extreme load circumstances. Portal frames are fairly expensive and only necessary in rare circumstances.

Roof Pitch

The angle of a steel building's roof is determined by roof pitch. Roof pitch indicates the rise vertically for every 12 inches of travel horizontally. Our online system allows you to choose up to a 6:12 pitch. There are many considerations with both higher and lower roof pitches. Higher pitched roofs may add to the cost of the building, but can add performance to a building in a heavy snow region. Additionally, you can take advantage of extra space above. High-pitched roofs are less likely to leak and can add style to your building.

Low-pitched roofs require less material and therefore cost less. Also it is easier to heat and cool a building with a low-pitched roof. One major advantage of a low-pitched roof is expandability. If you ever add-on to your building you will be able to add more space while keeping the loss of headroom to a minimum.