Why a Steel Building?
Whether you’re considering a steel building for the first time or if you currently own a steel home or storage building, you’ll quickly see what the buzz is all about and why so many residential and commercial consumers are going with steel buildings.
Steel as a Superior Material:
Let’s first go over the specifications and details of steel, the material, before talking about how it’s useful in construction. Steel is an alloy, a mixture of mostly iron and a smaller proportion of carbon. Carbon is the most cost-effective alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten. Carbon and other elements act as a hardening agent, preventing dislocations in the iron atom crystal lattice from sliding past one another. Varying the amount of alloying elements and form of their presence in the steel controls physical attributes such as the hardness, ductility, and tensile strength of the resulting steel.
Though steel had been produced by various inefficient methods long before the Renaissance, its use became more common after more efficient production methods were devised in the 17th century. With the invention of the Bessemer process in the mid-19th century, steel became a relatively inexpensive mass-produced good. Further refinements in the process, such as basic oxygen steelmaking, further lowered the cost of production while increasing the quality of the metal. Today, steel is one of the most verstaile and widely used materials in the world and is a major component in buildings, tools, ships, automobiles, and appliances.
Of course, our focus is on steel as it relates to buildings and discussing the reasons why many opt for steel, irrespective of how they use their buildings.
sources: wikipedia.org; worldsteel.org
Steel Buildings are Robust
As you would expect, steel buildings are robust and sturdy from the core to the exterior. Steel’s ratio of strength to weight is the highest of any residential building material and it can be easily formed and joined. Steel is also provides great reliability and stability over time.
Let’s say your storage building is made from materials other than steel. Well, you run the risk of these materials changing as they age and when exposed to both typical and atypical environmental conditions. Steel is in a league of its own in that it remains dimensionally stable and consistent. Your steel building will not expand, shrink, warp, splinter or crack; therefore, you’ll avoid having to fork over cash for expensive repairs.
Because steel is durable and lightweight, builders love to work with it and it’s no surprise that steel buildings are able to stand firm in the midst of adverse conditions. Steel is a highly fire-resistant material and can definitely withstand a fire better than other materials. What about steel buildings undergoing potentially catastrophic events such as hurricanes and earthquakes? With earthquakes being so unpredictable, you need a structure to resist these forces and it must be predictable and not easily breakable. The solution is a light gauge steel-framed building by virtue of its ductility and how the steel studs render it tough and sturdy even in the face of the earthquake.
Since steel is the material of choice for near extreme and adverse conditions, it only makes sense to get a steel building for normal, everyday purposes. Maximize your investment and get a building that you know will last.
Steel Buildings are Adaptable
Not only are steel buildings versatile, being used for manifold purposes, but also they afford more opportunities for cost-effective upgrades and changes. Building owners typically face fluid and dynamic situations, so they need a building that can readily adapt to their needs.
For example, it’s common for burgeoning church communities to need more space. So, the builder would pay heed to this request and proceed to enlarge the church by removing the end walls, constructing a new framework, while adding matching roof and wall panels or reusing end wall panels (if appropriate). When expanding, steel builders can easily reinforce beams and girders and supplement with additional framing or even relocate it to handle new loads. Because a church structure must be adaptable, building it in steel is undoubtedly the most cost-effective solution and can easily expand to accommodate a growing parish when compared to other types of construction. Another instance is if a building owner needs to modify an existing space such as adding a column-free space or raising/lowering a ceiling. Unlike other materials, steel can be easily cut to custom lengths and widths so builders can design a wide variety of structures from traditional to contemporary.
The take home message is simply that you should build with a material that can adapt to your needs over time.
Steel Buildings are Green-friendly
Steel is greener than any other standard construction alternative. You can easily recycle steel and its magnetic properties keep it unchanged irrespective of how frequently it is recycled. In fact, steel is the world's most recycled material (source: steel.org).
Building with steel creates less waste, all which is recyclable. Because steel requires less expenditure in its production, it keeps energy consumption low, limits pollution, and preserves natural resources. Go green and get a steel building.
Steel Buildings Save
Steel buildings SAVE with respect to energy and cost. With the immense value offered to consumers, it’s no wonder that the steel building industry is growing at a blistering pace here in the U.S. and abroad. Not only are steel buildings designed and erected far faster than traditional buildings, but also steel building prices are more affordable than traditional buildings, especially when you can find a company that does turn key construction.
Renovation spending has risen tremendously in recent years. Consumers continue to search for long-term savings as it pertains to their steel homes or any other buildings they may own. They need cost-effective, suitable materials for expanding or remodeling. Steel is the answer because everything about it points to low maintenance, reliability, and longevity. Consumers are also looking for ways to save on their energy bills. Again, all signs point to steel buildings; they’re highly efficient as they can be easily insulated to significantly reduce heating and cooling costs.
The bottom line is that steel buildings have consistently shown that they indeed save time, energy, and money for both consumers and builders. Your building needs change, your financial situation changes, but the constant you can rely upon is steel.