Common Questions About Steel Buildings and Carports

We know that our steel buildings are high-quality, dependable, and tough. However, many first-time customers looking at steel sheds, carports, or storage buildings don’t know much about these structures and how they outperform wooden buildings and other metals. To help all of our customers see what’s so great about steel buildings, we’re answering a few of the most common questions we get about our products.

Why would I choose steel for my new carport or shed? What makes it so much better than wood? We’re firm believers in the benefits of steel construction, and we know how great a material steel is to work with and build out of.

But what exactly makes it so great? There are a few different answers to that question: Steel is strong – Pound for pound, steel is one of the strongest building materials you can use. It outperforms wood and aluminum in tests of load capacity and flexibility, and it’s also more resistant to rot and corrosion.

Steel is easy to work with – Unlike wood, steel buildings are fast to assemble and easy to customize. You can also construct them in different ways, including using both bolt-up and weld-up construction. Steel is green – Nearly 80% of all the steel in the United States each year is recycled and put back into service. This makes it one of the best options for reducing waste and lowering consumption of fuel and materials. Should I get a carport or a garage? The choice between a carport and a garage isn’t always easy to make.

You need to think about what your needs are and what you’ll use your steel building for the most.

If you simply need a place to store your cars, a carport is an excellent investment. They keep vehicles safe from rain, sun, ice, snow, and hail, and they’re easy to maintain and install. Our carports can be built on virtually any surface, and we can build them to virtually any size so you can shelter multiple cars or even RVs and farm equipment. However, if you’re looking for a more versatile, all-around storage solution, a garage is a better option. The four walls and closing door of a garage make it better for protecting cars, lawn and garden equipment, tools, and other items you want to store. Large garages can even be used for workshops or dedicated outbuildings, complete with power and insulated walls. It rains a lot where I live. Won’t I have to worry about rust?

In general, no. Steel buildings, despite being made of steel, don’t see many problems with rust. That’s because the steel we use in our steel buildings is coated with a special rust-preventing coating that resists moisture and corrosion. In fact, the heavy 12-gauge steel we use in many of our carports and steel buildings carries a 20-year limited warranty on rust through the frame. That said, steel buildings do require some regular maintenance to avoid rust and corrosion. However, this maintenance is very simple – hosing the building off a few times a year to remove any build-up of dirt or grime is often enough. Older buildings may require a little bit more maintenance, but even then it’s negligible compared to the regular re-sealing, staining, and painting that wood buildings require.

Do I have to build my carport or shed myself? When you buy a steel building from Bargain Barns USA, the cost of delivery and installation are included in the cost of the building. That means we’ll bring your building to your site and set it up for no extra money. What do I need to do to prepare the site of my new carport or shed? All we ask of you, the buyer, is to have a level site ready for us to install your carport upon. The site can be of virtually any material, including concrete, gravel, asphalt, or plain grass. Our build teams are flexible and willing to work with you on installing the building exactly where and how you want. Can I design a custom metal building?

Absolutely! At Bargain Barns USA, our top concern is your satisfaction. If you can’t find a shed, carport, or building on our website that fits your needs or use, we’ll work with you to design a building that does. That includes choosing the roof style, side panels, color, doors, gables, and any other features on the building. If you do order a custom building from us, we can guarantee it will be priced competitively and will fit your needs exactly. Do I need a permit for my steel building?

While we can’t comment on every situation, in almost every case a new building or shed requires a permit. If you don’t know whether or not a permit is required for your specific city or town, you should contact your local city planning office. Don’t try to construct your metal building without a permit unless you know one isn’t required – doing so could result in a fine or other problems.

If you have any other questions or need more information than you see here, feel free to contact us directly at bargain Barns USA. We’d love to talk with you about our products and services! You can also find more information about all of our products on our product pages, and you can find more helpful tips and information on our Facebook and Google+ profiles.