Metal Buildings

Metal Buildings Are All Boxes. I have to admit that this was one of my preconceived notions of metal buildings when I first started covering this marketplace in the mid 1980s. I soon learned that descriptions of metal buildings as boxes were no more accurate than to equate all metal buildings with the venerable Quonset huts of military barracks fame. I’ve seen metal building systems, or pre-engineered buildings as they’re often called, used to create multi-story office facilities, octagonal churches, winged school campuses, distinguished federal buildings and a vast variety of low-rise facilities. Sure, some of them do fall into the simple box-like structure category, but that’s a very small percentage of the overall market.

Metal Buildings Are OK, If You Can Make Your Needs Fit What’s In Stock. Manufacturing practices in the metal building industry have evolved considerably over the years. In most cases, the old methods of running “stock” buildings through the production process are gone. I’d imagine it still goes on in some places, but the industry practice today is to manufacture each building after it has been custom ordered. If you’d like a metal building in an unusual length, width, eave height or any other configuration, it’s a pretty sure bet that you can have it made…as long as it meets engineering standards. Feeding this “stock” metal building myth are advertisements that list prices for buildings in particular sizes; in most cases, these are just examples to offer ideas to potential customers. With few exceptions, when you order your building it’s made to your specifications. Makes you feel kind of special, doesn’t it?

Metal Roofing And Wall Panels Only Come In Standard Lengths. Similar to the previous item about “stock” metal buildings, I was recently surprised when someone told me that they needed “odd” panel lengths, and weren’t looking forward to shearing a few inches from every panel. While it’s true that supply centers stock metal panels in certain lengths, that’s only for convenience. Ask them to order the same panels in your specific length and you’ll find that virtually any increment, at least down to the inch, is available. Depending on the size of your project, custom colors are also a possibility if you’d like to step outside the ever-broadening color palette that’s available from most panel manufacturers.

Cold-Formed Steel Framing Means No Strength. I’m far from being mistaken as an engineer, but I have had the opportunity to walk through many cold-formed (we used to call them light-gauge) steel structures as they were being built and upon completion. I used to be amazed at cold-formed stud walls that extended 25 feet from floor to ceiling, or to know that those same lightweight framing components could be assembled to create roof trusses that were able to handle tile roofing (though I'd suggest a lighter, metal roofing alternative) and northern snow loads. I soon learned that even though the components are light, cold-frame steel can be engineered for incredible strength.

Hopefully I’ve helped put some metal construction myths to rest, though I understand if you’d like more proof than just my words in this column. For more information on metal buildings, metal roof and wall panels, cold-formed steel, lightning protection and a variety of other topics, check out Hawn Zuver is editorial/content director for Design and Build with Metal. He has been covering the metal.