You’re in the planning stages, and you want to put up a structure that’s going to last. You want low maintenance, too. And, you’d like it to be aesthetically pleasing.
Steel buildings are the better choice. There are plenty of reasons, but the top one will always be that a steel building will offer you a higher value. Here’s what you need to know about why steel is the better choice.
It’s Easier to Build with Steel
The framing has to be done before you can go any further, and with steel buildings—especially Miracle Truss® designs—the framing is prefabricated. Professional wood framers make it look easy, but the amount of planning and measuring and cutting eats up a lot of time. It costs a lot, too.
Your steel building can be shipped to you with all the materials you’ll need to assemble it. All that planning and measuring and most cutting was done at the factory.
If you’ve never worked with brick before, you might not realize how much additional preparatory work is involved. Bricks need to be properly seated, grouted and insulated. Steel simply needs to be put in place and secured. All the drilling and welding for the structural steel components is done at the factory.
Steel Buildings are Expandable
Sure, brick buildings are, too. But first you’ll have a lot of demolition to do, as well as perhaps some remodeling and retrofitting to add on to your structure.
On the other hand, when you’re ready to expand your Miracle truss® steel building you’ll just remove the panels on an end wall and extend the structure by adding on to the frame. Having expandable end-walls is something that not all steel buildings provide – do your research. Those end wall panels you removed for the expansion can potentially be reused, too.
Repurposed brick is sometimes used for interior design, but it’s often difficult to reuse them again for structural / exterior purposes. While they seem durable, the truth is that bricks can decompose quickly if exposed to extreme weather. Not much can be done with bricks after that.
On the other hand, steel is one of the most recyclable materials on the planet. Many steel buildings are much more energy efficient than those with brick exteriors—and it may even be possible to receive a tax credit for using manufactured steel.
Steel is More Durable than Brick
The extreme weather that can cause brick to deteriorate are no problem for steel. Steel and brick are pretty much evenly matched when it comes to protection against heavy snowfall and high winds – assuming both are engineered accordingly.
Steel, however, will withstand those elements and keep better shape. Keep in mind that brick decomposes much faster than steel, and then it can potentially pose unhealthy mold problems.
You don’t have to give up on brick if you like the way it looks. That’s the beauty of our design of steel framing and the wood exterior members. Some manufacturers, like Miracle Truss®, are designed to give you the option to use brick, vinyl, or even other choices for the sidewalls.
Head here to check out some of the other customizing options you can incorporate into your steel building.
