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Archive for May 26th, 2010

Sizing your Steel Buildings

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Size is an important criteria to be considered in steel buildings. In fact, size is critical for any building and needs to be determined before the construction begins. In case of prefab steel buildings, the builder will need to know the exact dimensions required for your building. This of course is no easy task as no one can be really sure what the best size and dimensions will be.

A good way to start deciding on your steel building dimensions is to first list down what exactly you will need your building for. This will greatly simplify the job of fixing the dimensions of your building. In many cases, the purpose of the building may not be very well defined, but you need to come up with a ballpark. Extensions can always be made to existing buildings but modifications are more difficult. Thus it is important that you get the details right.

For example, if you are into manufacturing inside your steel buildings, make sure all the equipment and machinery comes in. For this, you will need to determine the height of the largest equipment that needs to fit it. Always include a couple of feet extra, which is important to allow for tolerances. The size and dimensions of what needs to go in also determine the size and dimensions of the doors of your building.

You might also need to plan how you want the construction done. If you need clear-span construction for your building, you can get a column free interior space but of course it will be costlier.

Steel Buildings – All about Metal Roofs

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Metal roofs offer a number of great benefits that almost no other roof can, and is thus becoming increasingly popular. A lot of industrial, residential and commercial structures today prefer metal roofing. The most common metal used for roofing purposes is naturally steel, owing to its perfect combination of strength, stability, durability and cost. Steel roofs are very attractive and economical and can be used for practically any steel buildings.

Metal roofs are also very useful in those areas that experience extremes of weather conditions. This is because metal roofs are able to withstand high loads and will not simply blow off in strong winds or be damaged by heavy rain or snow. This makes them last a very long time, thus saving a lot on the running costs as well. The scenario is only improving by the day as technology improves, making metal roofs incredibly strong and light. This means several years without any maintenance whatsoever for your roof.

Metal roofs can be quite stylish as well and they can be designed and colored to resemble any traditional roof. After these decorations, it is practically impossible to tell a metal roof apart from a traditional roof. Metal roofs also protect your home from any fires as steel and other metals are fireproof.

One apparent disadvantage is the heating of the interior of your building during the summer. This is a genuine problem that needs to be addressed and can be tacked with the help of an insulation. This will work great with your steel roof and you can get a lot of energy savings as well because the interiors don’t heat up that soon with the insulation in place.

If you want to further save on electricity costs, you can install a skylight through a metal roof. This will help natural sunlight enter your steel buildings and will keep the interiors fresh and well lit naturally without the need for artificial lighting for a major part of the day.