Historically, wood and bricks have been the primary materials used by humans to construct buildings. In the late nineteenth century, larger steel-framed buildings began to appear. Since then, metal buildings have become more widespread. The use of metal is increasing in smaller buildings. It is used not only for framing, but also for walls and roofs.

Steel is not a modern discovery. It has been used for thousands of years to make sword blades and for other high value applications. What is new is relatively inexpensive steel. Since the Bessemer process of the nineteenth century, steel has been adapted to more and more applications.

Steel alloys are formed by combining other materials such as chrome and nickel into the mix when the steel is made. Some alloys such as stainless steel are resistant to rust. Those that aren’t can be plated with zinc in a process called galvanizing to protect them from water. Paints have also been formulated to be protective against rust.

Aluminum was also very expensive until about 100 years ago. Its cost today is quite reasonable. It is not as strong as steel, but it is easier to work with for most applications. Future steel buildings are naturally resistant to most forms of corrosion, so it doesn’t require surface treatment. For some applications, aluminum will be painted or otherwise treated for cosmetic effects.

Copper is not very strong and rather expensive, so it would not be a good choice for framing. It is sometimes used for walls or roofs. When it weathers it acquires an attractive greenish sheen. This is due to oxidation which does not penetrate enough to cause serious weakness.

The Quonset Hut, which was used very widely during World War II, was one of the earliest large scale use of metal for smaller buildings. Its distinctive shape, a curved metal shell combining the roles of walls and roof, flat ends, and a flat floor, is a distinctive image of that era. It’s walls, roof, and framing were all constructed of galvanized steel. They were easy to ship, since the wall roof units could be stacked on top of each other. They were also very easy to assemble.

Utility storage buildings and larger auxiliary structures, including garages, are commonly completely built from steel today. Steel is durable, strong, and low cost. The buildings are straightforward to put together. One will still sometimes encounter a quonset hut, but future steel buildings are more popular. They provide more usable space in the same foot print as a quonset hut would.

Steel, or aluminum in some cases, can be used for framing when building houses. Steel is stronger, but aluminum is easier to work with. Computerized equipment that can custom make aluminum framing at the construction location does exist. Most factory built mobile or modular homes are framed with metal. Metal framing is not used as much in more traditional home building, but it is becoming a viable option.

Sheet metal is a practical material for roofing. It can be made into surrogate shingles, or used in larger sheets. It can be treated to give it a better appearance and more resistance to the weather. It can also be used for walls, even made into pieces that look like old school wooden clapboards.

Metal building are becoming more and more important. Doing anything to reduce the use of wood is a positive step. Thus, metal as a building material is generally environmentally positive. Also, most building metal is recyclable. Metal should be considered as a building material by anyone involved in construction.

These future steel buildings provide storage solutions that can withstand extreme weather conditions. Choose from a wide range of future steel buildings designs at affordable prices. Future steel buildings do not require prior construction experience.