Building a home is a big deal for most people. You’d have to consider things like the type of building and how long the building would last. When is the earliest time you’d want the building to be ready? How much exactly do you have, and do you want to build it yourself or hire a team of professional builders?
Your answers to all these questions will determine the materials you need to use to build. You can explore numerous building materials, ranging from wood, concrete, glass, and metal. However, metal buildings are becoming increasingly popular recently—you can click here to see why.
If you’re planning to using metal for house construction, here’s everything you need to know about building sturdy metal buildings.
What Are Metal Buildings?
Metal buildings are simply structures that are constructed with metal frames. They’re particularly easy to install and could last for a long time. They’re also versatile in their use. They can be installed and built as residential buildings, garages, offices, storage facilities, etc.
Metal buildings can also be used for commercial purposes, such as business stores, supermarkets, manufacturing industries, and agricultural purposes like poultry barns.
Step-By-Step Guide For Building A Sturdy Metal Building
Constructing any building should be a well-planned decision. Since whatever’s worth doing is worth doing well, a high-quality and durable metal building should be your end goal. A strong and sturdy metal building is the product of strong metal components and good workmanship.
This section provides a comprehensive step by step guide that you can easily follow for your project.
Step 1: Install The Legs
The structure’s legs should be the first thing you install. This is because the whole and the rest of the structure will be resting on these legs. It should be firmly installed, and the metals used must be of top quality. Your structures’ legs determine to an extent how well and how comfortably the structure sits and carries other components.
Step 2: Install The Girts
The girts, also referred to as the sheeting rail or the wall frames, are the horizontal structure that provides stability. They act as a support to brace the structure and protect it against strong weather. Girts are usually supported by braces, rods, or angles.
In simple terms, girts are to the metal structure what the skeleton is to the human body. This makes them essential to the building, especially if you’re planning to build a sturdy structure resistant to any form of weather.
Step 3: Arrange The Girders
The girders are the large beams designed to carry the weight of the structure. They help support the legs and the girts. The girders usually come in different types and sizes, depending on what you want to use the building for.
Different sizes will fit different sections of your structure. This is why it’s essential that you first arrange your girders on the ground to determine which one goes where.
Step 4: Install The Purlins
Your purlins are the next set of metals to be carefully installed. They’re basically your roof frames. They give strength, shape, and stability to the roof of your structure.
Purlins also tie the rafters together, ensuring that you get a wider building and sturdy roof support. They provide additional support for roofs that make it resistant to strong winds and weather conditions. You can rest assured that your building will be really strong, durable, and sturdy with well-installed purlins.
Step 5: Install Your Walls
Once you’re done with the purlins, you can literarily see your building taking shape. It looks almost ready. But you still have the walls to attach. So, go ahead and install your walls. Installing the walls and the choice of walls to use is another avenue for your creativity to come out to play.
This is because your wall could literally make or ruin the aesthetics of your building. There are different walls you can explore. Some of these include wooden, concrete, and metal walls. The choice of walls is entirely dependent on your taste and purpose. However, if you decide to use metal walls, you’d be enjoying some of these benefits.
- You’ll be able to clean the walls if and when they get dirty easily.
- They’re immune to pest infestations.
- They’re easy to maintain and would last longer against wears. If certain areas get rusty, you can paint the rust off. The durability of metal is unmatched.
Step 6: Fit The Openings And Attach The Roof
It’s important to frame and fit your openings to sync with your building structure. The openings are your windows and doors. The number of windows and doors you’ll install will be determined by what the structure is meant for and how airy or ventilated you want the building.
So finally, you’ve fit the openings. Congratulations! You’re finally in the last stage of your building. All you need now is to attach the roofs to provide coverage for your building. The metal roofs have to be structurally strong enough to protect the building’s interior and exterior.
Advantages Of Metal Buildings
There are numerous advantages to using metal for home construction, especially compared with the traditional method of building from the foundation to the roof level. Some of these advantages are:
1. Less Construction Time
If you want to get your building constructed quickly, one of your best bets is to construct a metal building. The time it’ll take you to construct your metal building and fix the parts together will be lesser than constructing a traditional block and cement building from the foundation.
2. Cheaper Cost
Another advantage of a metal building is that the overall construction cost is ultimately cheaper than traditional buildings. This is because there’d be no paying for extra labor or necessary fittings that come with the construction of traditional structures. Even though the price of metal could seem expensive, overall, the cost of constructing a metal building is cheaper than other traditional structures.
3. Flexibility
The flexibility of expansion, when necessary, is another reason you should consider a metal building. If you need to expand your building in the future, all you need to do is readjust your metal installment and re-install it.
Conclusion
Building a sturdy metal building requires creative work. You have to consider the external fittings and how to make the interior conducive to whatever you’re building it for. If it’s residential, you also have to make the interior cozy and comfortable.
Metal buildings are one of the strongest and cheapest buildings to build. They’re versatile and durable. What’s more, you can build one all by yourself, especially if you follow the instructions above. If the process looks too daunting, hire reliable professionals to do the work.