Steel Building Types



Now that you know all about the advantages of working with steel, you should know that there are a few different architectural types that are inherent in almost any steel building design. That is, the back-bone of the steel building is always the consideration of the frame that will be the main supporting structure.

Frames With No Supports


When you are owning a building that needs to have a large breadth, whereby people, vehicles, or animals can pass freely inside without the issue of separating support or column structures, than you should probably consider the spanning frame as the best choice for the type of steel building design you are looking for.

Such applications as commercial factories, storage areas for packages products, gymnasiums, stadiums, and animal barns require large spans for practical, as well as for safety reasons.

Using a large, spanning frame design does not, however, imply that separation is not possible. Consider, for example, the office cubicle design. You can build separator walls between the offices, but since no wall bears any weight, you don't have to use a lot of money to reinforce them. Not only that, but changing the separation plan according to needs is an easy process, which can be designed so that no reconstruction is necessary.

Frames With Supports


For structures that do not require large spans, is is possible to use interior columns. Columns assists in the structural soundness of the building, while allowing the building to be much larger than those with large spans. With columns and supports, the cost to build is much lower, and less technical constraints have to be taken into account. These are also fit for uses like factories and office spaces, but can be employed for many other purposes. With large spanning structures, it is possible to design up to 80 feet without seeing a significant rise in cost as compares to those buildings that use frames with supports. However, after an 80 foot span, the costs will begin to rise significantly. At this point, you should start to consider how you might be able to build in columns and supports in order to reduce the costs of construction while at the same time benefiting from the extra structural soundness that will be gained through their utilization.

I-Beam Architecture


One of the greatest inventions in the field of architecture was the steel i-beam. The i-beam, is shaped like the later from which the name is derived. It is used in medium to very large buildings, and you probably see them every day when you look at any large building. The structural soundness of the i-beam, and its great strength enable it to be used in almost any steel frame, and they are extremely bend-resistant. While an i-beam construction type necessarily means that costs will rise, in the long run, you will be very please at the extended life of the steel building. The i-beam type of construction is especially useful where large amounts of weight may be on the roof. If you ever decide to sell your steel structure, you will find that the i-beam can easily fetch a good price at a steel recycling center, as they can often be reused without reprocessing.

Arch Steel Buildings


If you are looking for a strong structural design with minimal maintenance, then the best option would be to utilize the traditional arch-type construction. The design of the arch places the load of the building on the sides of the walls, while the downward curvature prevents the build-up of snow and ice at the same time. The arch-type steel building is the easiest to maintain, construct, and disassemble. Many manufacturers offer many different kits for this type.



So, when you are choosing the right type of steel building for your purposes, make sure that you weigh the cost of customized types with kits. You should always remember that in the long-run, the architectural soundness of the building is of utmost importance, because it will save you from the maintenance costs that are associated with traditional wood structures.