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Archive for the ‘Steel Farm Buildings’ Category

Prefabricated Steel Buildings, Worthwhile Replacements for Pole Barns (continuation)

Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

Steel buildings have overtaken the popularity of pole barns on the American agricultural scene because of the many advantages offered by these metal structures. Yesterday’s post talked about the unfavorable performance of wood, the main material used in pole barns. Other major considerations that made farmers shift their attention to steel buildings are discussed below.

Exposure to the elements and wear and tear cause pole barn foundation members to shift. These components need regular straightening, which is done about every six years, requiring farmers to shell out thousands of dollars for their maintenance. On the other hand, steel buildings require minimum maintenance because steel is very easy to clean and will not warp, crack, split, or rot. Besides, the steel building finishes used today are also impervious to dulling, marring, or rust.

Another very important point to consider is the safety of livestock housed in pole barns. Since pole barns are made of pressure treated wood poles using copper sulfate, they are unsanitary and can be poisonous to livestock, unlike steel buildings, which are made of steel that is very safe, non-poisonous, and does not support rotting and disease. Compared to wood, steel will not splinter or crack and is kick and bite proof.

A major disadvantage of pole barns is that they are combustible, making their insurance premiums higher by 25% when compared to those of similar sized steel buildings. In contrast, steel buildings are highly resistant to fire because they are made of non-combustible materials. Since pole barns have low resistance to fire, they are deemed unsafe for occupancy. For this reason, some communities and localities in the country do not permit their installation.

(to be continued)

Prefabricated Steel Buildings, Worthwhile Replacements for Pole Barns

Monday, January 10th, 2011

Pole barns have previously dominated the American agricultural scene. Today, however, farmers have shifted their attention to prefabricated steel buildings because of the many benefits they offer that are unmatched by pole barns.

The popularity of pole barns was mainly due to their low cost and availability. During their heyday, pole barns were the cheapest way to build an agricultural building, aside from the fact that they were the only material available.

Aside from their durability, steel buildings offer economical solutions, which can accommodate any farmer’s construction needs, like barns and other storage buildings. The onset of prefabricated steel buildings made farmers realize that they have a better choice and that their days of putting up with the many disadvantages of pole barns, have ended.

Firstly, since pole barns are typically made with pressure treated wood, they are not resistant to molding, shrinking, warping, and rotting. In addition, the poles of a pole barn are directly planted on the ground, making the whole structure highly susceptible to heaving during floods and heavy snow. For these reasons, pole barns are not recommended for use as permanent structures.

On the other hand, the high quality steel used in prefabricated steel buildings is the strongest construction material. Steel is highly resistant to warping, molding, shrinking and rotting. During construction, the steel framing of steel buildings are bolted to a concrete foundation, making these structures sturdier and more resistant to flooding and frost than pole barns.

Steel buildings will remain straight and true despite the onslaught of extreme weather conditions like hurricanes, heavy snow, high winds, tornados, and even earthquakes.
These metal structures are certified to meet local climactic conditions and building codes.

(to be continued)

Steel Farm Buildings for the Animals

Saturday, June 5th, 2010

A farm has unique needs that can be quite different from other industries. Therefore it is important that the farm buildings be able to suit and adopt to the needs of the farm. Also, the needs of one farm can be quite different from those of another farm. Therefore it is important not to get a “standardized” structure for all farms. Indeed, some farms need to be heavy on the buildings with animals while some farms need new buildings for storage. Whatever the needs, steel has redefined the industry and it is helping stir a revolution is the best farm buildings. Steel building farms are becoming increasingly common, which should not really come as a surprise to anyone.

For the animals, the steel farm needs to be big and spacious. This is important as it allows the animals to live freely and not be crammed into a small space. Also, there should be flexibility in the building so that it can be scaled up according to need. Traditional buildings are poor in both these areas as large buildings tend to be unstable and that is the last thing you want to have for your animals. Sturdier structures can be extremely costly and thus out of budget. However, steel farm buildings can help get the strongest and most durable steel farm buildings for your animals.

Steel farm structures also have an additional benefit that they can be flexible. Therefore you can modify them with relative ease. This allows you to expand as and when the need arises. For example, you might want to introduce new animals to your farm or you might want to expand the available space inside the steel building. A spacious steel farm keeps your animals safe and secure while giving them plenty of space to move around. All of this comes at a very reasonable price, as steel farm buildings are one of the cheapest options available in market today.

Farm Structures: Thinking Steel

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

Farms usually have their own unique requirement with respect to buildings. Farm structures like barns, diaries, and other storage facilities need special care during construction to ensure the quality and longevity desired of them. Now the solution to all the problems of farm structures is out, and the secret is to use steel. Steel buildings solve almost all the problems that farm structures have been facing for the last several hundred years.

Farm structures tend to be big, which usually involves escalation in costs of building. However, when you use steel, the cost can be kept under control because steel has a very high tensile strength that holds the whole structure together without using a lot of material. This is a huge relief because any farm structure needs to be strong and sturdy to weather any extremes in wind and other local conditions. Steel farm structures are especially efficient in doing just this.

The building process itself is greatly simplified in case of steel farm structures. This is because most steel farm buildings can simply be used in the prefab state – prefabricated in the manufacturing facility and assembled in the farm on site. This directly translates into huge savings in terms of the construction costs. You no longer need expensive services of architects and labor. You will simply need a few extra pair of hands to help you fix up the whole structure, and with the help of your family and friends, you can easily fix up the whole steel farm building all by yourself without any complications.

Even after the structure is built, steel farm structures have their advantages in that they are simple to maintain. Simple soap and water is mostly sufficient to clean up the structures, which is a great time saver. In addition, steel structures are fireproof, which is a great advantage in a place like a farm that is susceptible to fires.

Farm Structures: Thinking Steel

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

Farms usually have their own unique requirement with respect to buildings. Farm structures like barns, dairies, and other storage facilities need special care during construction to ensure the quality and longevity desired of them. Now the solution to all the problems of farm structures is out, and the secret is to use steel buildings. Steel buildings solve almost all the problems that farm structures have been facing for the last several hundred years.

Farm structures tend to be big, which usually involves escalation in costs of building. However, when you use steel, the cost can be kept under control because steel has a very high tensile strength that holds the whole structure together without using a lot of material. This is a huge relief because any farm structure needs to be strong and sturdy to weather any extremes in wind and other local conditions. Steel farm structures are especially efficient in doing just this.

The building process itself is greatly simplified in case of steel farm structures. This is because most steel farm buildings can simply be used in the prefab state – prefabricated in the manufacturing facility and assembled in the farm on site. This directly translates into huge savings in terms of the construction costs. You no longer need expensive services of architects and labor. You will simply need a few extra pair of hands to help you fix up the whole structure, and with the help of your family and friends, you can easily fix up the whole steel farm building all by yourself without any complications.

Even after the structure is built, steel farm structures have their advantages in that they are simple to maintain. Simple soap and water is mostly sufficient to clean up the structures, which is a great time saver. In addition, steel structures are fireproof, which is a great advantage in a place like a farm that is susceptible to fires.