If you’re thinking of adding a structure to the ranks of the 5.6 million commercial buildings currently in the US, then there are a lot of important decisions that you need to make.
One of the first and most important choices is what material you want to use to assemble the structure. Here, we’re going to talk about the different types of building material options on the market and discuss why you should choose steel for your building frame, so read on to learn more!
What Building Material Options Are out There?
Before we can discuss why metal is the best option for erecting a commercial building, it’s important to look into the different kinds of materials that you can use. Here are some of the most common.
Wood
One of the most common materials that people make building frames out of is wood. This is because it’s easily accessible and pliable, so not a lot of work needs to be done when working with it.
However, there are many issues with using wood for commercial buildings.
First off, it’s not at all durable. Lots of termites and pests are attracted to wood, and they gnaw on it until it’s unusable. This means that you would need to replace a wooden building frame really often.
Wood also traps moisture, so it isn’t weatherproof or rot-resistant. This means you’re likely to get mold in your commercial building (and violate serious health codes.) It also means that your building is more likely to floor and that damage will be done to inventory.
Concrete
Okay, so wood isn’t a good choice. What about concrete?
This is a popular material because it’s incredibly durable—it solves the problems that wood buildings desperately need to have fixed. However, this durability comes at a price. A concrete building is super heavy and difficult to erect.
Additionally, concrete buildings can’t really be expanded on. If the business or shop that sets up in your building needs to add an annex, it’s going to be a really tedious, long, and painstaking process. It’s best to get something a bit more versatile.
Steel
The final option we’re going to talk about is commercial metal buildings. They’re durable while still being light and are incredibly easy to expand on after construction. We’re going to take a deeper look at the benefits of steel buildings in a second, but are there any cons?
The only real issue that people see when erecting steel buildings is that they aren’t always resistant to extreme weather conditions. However, this is usually the result of not using windproofing technologies correctly, which is an easy fix.
Steel is also a bit more expensive than other building materials, but it’s worth it in the long run. Metal can’t be damaged by water or termites, so you’ll never need to replace the frame. This saves money in the long haul.
Why Is Metal the Best Type of Building Material?
Now that you know why wood and concrete aren’t going to cut it for your commercial building, it’s time to look into the specific benefits of steel structures!
It’s Durable
We’ve already said that metal is durable. But why is this the case?
There are wind-resistant and waterproofing technologies that experienced architects use to stop issues from arising. There are also many different fire-retardant coatings that can be applied to metal buildings to make them 100% fireproof. Therefore, we can conclude that metal buildings aren’t vulnerable to the elements!
You’ll never need to worry about storm damage, but you also won’t need to worry about pests. Steel is too thick for termites and rodents to chew through, so you’ll be safe from unwanted visitors.
It’s Easy to Assemble
You may be wondering why concrete is inferior to steel. After all, it’s durable, too!
Well, steel is much more easily-assemblable than concrete is. Steel buildings are generally made from many large, flat sheets of metal that are securely fastened together. These sheets will be brought to your building site and put together with the best metalworking tools out there.
It’s Adaptable
Because steel is so easy to assemble, buildings made from it are also easy to expand on.
Concrete buildings that need annexation will be really difficult to work with because an entire part of the frame will need to be destroyed. After that, an entirely new concrete structure will need to be created. This wastes resources, energy, and a lot of time.
When you have a steel structure, all you need to do is take one of the flat sheets that make up the building away. You can then use more sheets to shape the annex that you’re building.
This saves time because it’s a fast process to move light metal. You can also re-use the sheet if it’s still in good condition, so money and energy are saved, too.
It’s Aesthetically Pleasing
Finally, steel buildings have a sleeker and more modern look than concrete or wooden ones do. They’re completely even and don’t have any strange shapes as a result of knotted wood or uneven concrete pillars.
Sheet metal framework for buildings can also be painted any color that you like, so the business that operates from your commercial building can build their brand voice as easily as possible!
Get Started Constructing Your Commercial Building
Now, you know the different options for what type of building material to use for a commercial building. That means it’s time to take the first steps toward making your vision a reality.
Check out the buying guide tab on our page to learn about some of the tools that you’ll need for constructing your building. We’ll give you the nuts and bolts on how your structure can be designed and erected before you hire an awesome contractor to help you out.
