20 Benefits of Steel Buildings Over Wood Frame Construction

If you’re considering new constructions, you’ve probably caught some of the buzz about steel buildings.  Whether you’re looking at barns, storage sheds, garages or workshops, steel buildings feature high on the list of affordable, popular options. What makes metal buildings so popular? It might be the many benefits they provide over traditional wood frame construction. Check out these top 20 benefits of steel buildings to see why they’re so popular for both private and public construction.

Steel buildings are engineered to specific tolerances and exacting quality. Every piece is guaranteed to fit exactly where it’s supposed to fit.

Steel components for metal buildings are manufactured precisely to ensure that every piece is exactly the dimensions and shape it is supposed t obe.

Metal posts, studs and building components do not warp, bow, twist, split, shrink or pop knots. They’re cut to the right shape and size and they stay the right shape and size throughout their lives.

Your construction crew doesn’t have to throw out a percentage of the steel beams, posts, walls and other pieces because they don’t meet standards. They’re manufactured to meet those standards.

Steel buildings do not rot, decay or weather like wood does. It doesn’t swell when it gets wet or contract in dry weather. That means less strain on fasteners and safer construction.

Termites, insects and rodents won’t chew on your exterior walls and interior support posts as they do with wood buildings. That means less money spent on exterminators and on general maintenance.

Steel doesn’t promote mold or mildew. Painted coatings on steel buildings often contain retardants to prevent the finish from weathering and fading from the sun.

Steel has one of the highest ratios of strength to weight, making it one of the strongest building materials for your construction project.

Because steel is stronger, steel supports can be placed further apart. That means you use less material and less labor, reducing your construction costs substantially.

Steel’s strength also allows for wider spans. Because steel buildings don’t need interior support posts and columns, you have larger open spaces and more flexible floor plans.

The strength of steel allows you to build taller buildings.

Because steel is stronger than wood, concrete and masonry, steel buildings are lighter than other construction of the same size. That means you need smaller footings and foundations, which saves considerably on construction costs and the use of materials.

Steel is not combustible. It will not add fuel to a fire, and fire retardant coatings can reduce the chance of a fire spreading.

Metal building components can be 50 percent lighter than wood. That means steel buildings are suitable for areas that won’t support the weight of larger, heavier buildings.

Because steel is non-combustible, insurance companies will usually charge you less to insure your building.

Steel works as well with other materials as it does alone, giving you a lot of versatility in appearance and style.

Because steel building components are precision engineers, they connect to each other better than wood components. That makes for stronger connections and safer buildings.

Steel can be engineered to meet building codes in areas that are prone to earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados and heavy snow.

The average steel building produces about 1.5 cubic feet of waste in landfills. Compare that to the 50 cubic feet that the average wood-framed home produces.

Steel is the most recycled material in the world. Because it’s 100% recyclable, we recycle 60 million tons of steel every year. That makes steel buildings among the most ecologically friendly types of construction you can use.