Top Ideas for Modifying Steel Buildings

Steel buildings are easily the most purchased small buildings in the United States today. They’re used by homeowners and business owners in many different situations. High quality metal buildings make great garages, equipment storage buildings, retail stores, barns, workshops and even airplane hangars. One of the biggest reasons that steel buildings are so popular is their versatility – and they’re versatile for one reason: no matter how you intend to use a metal building, the basic framework is the same. It’s the modifications that you make to a steel building that turn your empty shell into the building you want. These are a few of the most popular modifications for steel buildings.

Building Design

While the variations are nearly limitless, there are actually a very limited number of steel building designs that are popular with most people. They include Quonset buildings, and two modified versions of Quonset buildings, most commonly called A-frame steel buildings and P-model steel buildings.

Quonset buildings have no straight lines at all, other than the front and the back walls. They consist of steel semi-circular hoops that form the framework, and steel panels that form the walls and roof together.

A-frame steel buildings maintain the rounded roof of the standard Quonset metal building, but feature straight walls. The design provides less interior space, but more usable space near the walls of the building without compromising the strength of the construction. It makes A-frame buildings ideal for equipment storage, garages and aviation hangars.

P-model steel buildings have pitched roofs and straight walls, making them the most similar to standard house and building construction. While P-model buildings generally have higher clearance at the center, the height doesn’t extend as far across the width of the building. P-model metal buildings are the ideal choice for use in situations where appearance is important. They fit well into residential neighborhoods, which is why they’re often the choice of homeowners who want to add garages to their properties.

Exterior Trim Options

In addition to choosing a color finish, you can also choose trim packages to modify the appearance of your steel building. Most trim packages are standard and included in the price of the metal building. They’re often in a contrasting color to the color you choose for the exterior of the building. They generally include roof ridges, vents, end caps and seam covers for the places where the walls meet.

You can also add windows, doors, skylights and vents to your structure to make your steel buildings fit in – or stand out – as you wish. Choosing the best options for your building will ensure that you end up with a structure that serves your purposes well.