Design Considerations for Metal Building Construction

Metal buildings that are built by a Houston industrial construction contractor and similar companies are becoming increasingly popular for a number of reasons. In fact, buildings made of steel comprise 95 percent of the industrial buildings that are being constructed and 71 percent of those that are being made for the commercial sector. Two of the most compelling reasons why these types of buildings are so popular are because the materials are cheaper, and they can be constructed about 40 percent faster than buildings that are comprised of other types of materials.

There are Several Other Advantages

Steel is a durable substance that is not susceptible to things such as mold or termites. For these and other reasons, buildings constructed with steel experience less wear and tear than buildings made with other types of materials. Steel is reusable as well. Every piece of steel that is used during the construction process is comprised of at least some recycled materials, and the steel can also be recycled at a later time and used to construct a new building.

There are Three Primary Types of Steel Structures

Metal framed buildings are easier to construct; lighter and less expensive than other types of steel buildings as the frame is the only part of them that is made from steel. Many developers prefer these types of structures as they are easier to build to suit as they can be designed in a variety of ways. Many have more traditional stucco, stone or brick exteriors and have the appearance of having been made out of more conventional materials.

Some of these structures are built by developers utilizing the pole building design, which involves the structure’s posts and trusses being attached to its steel poles. The walls and roofs enclosing these buildings are usually made from non-metal substances. Many enjoy these types of buildings as they look modern and sleek but do not have the appearance of metal buildings. The pole building design is often used in the construction of farm storage buildings.

Steel arch buildings are especially easy for Houston design build companies to erect, and they are often more cost effective than other types of steel structures. This does depend on what type of building is being constructed, however. Arched steel panes are often used in the construction of the walls and roof of buildings such as garages, storage facilities, barns and warehouses. Steel arch buildings are especially popular in the agricultural industry.

Buildings have been made out of steel for more than 300 years as the textile and agricultural industries of the time that were located in the United Kingdom appreciated the fireproof mills that could be made with steel. In the late 1800s, “iron houses” were sold to those involved with the gold rushes that were famous during this era. The oil industry then used large steel buildings to store their oil during the first half of the 1900s.

Once steel became more easily available in the years following World War II, steel buildings started becoming mainstream. Among the steel structures of the time were Quonset huts and circular structures that were used as mobile shelters. They were built by the military in high numbers during the war and then sold to the public after it ended. The computer age that arrived a few decades later helped advance steel building and LEED construction in Houston even further as computers were used to design even higher quality structures.

Today, steel is used to create a variety of building such as churches, offices, gymnasiums, schools and storage buildings.

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