Metal Buildings Vs. Wood Buildings: Which One Do We Go For?
Wood and metal are among the most common construction materials. When considering metal buildings vs wood buildings, it is critical that you understand the differences between the two options and the benefits and negatives that come with them.
Although both construction materials have their place, metal is superior in various aspects of construction. From the maintenance over time to the long-term costs, and even the speed of the building process.
Let’s Compare Metal Buildings Vs. Wood Buildings
Construction
When constructing a building with wood, structures take quite a while to finish as you need to cut, drill and assembly the pieces on site; this translates into significant labor costs. Also, construction using wood materials requires more wastage as there are tons of off-cut pieces that do not have a place.
On the contrary, metal buildings are incredibly simple to erect, especially when you opt for a steel building kit. The kits comprise everything you need for your metal building, and components are measured and cut. The holes are even drilled so that in many cases once your foundation is ready, you simply have to bolt it all together.
Structural Integrity of Metal vs Wood
Metal building materials are manufactured with quite high standards and specifications. You will not encounter substandard materials in a pre-engineered steel building. Every component of a steel building meets strict industry standards in terms of strength.
The components are strictly engineered for pre-determined use in a specific building. Each component in a metal building is designed and manufactured to meet a specific load criterion in a particular structure. It ensures that metal buildings handle all the load requirements of their particular site location.
On the contrary, while the design of a wood building can be pre-engineered, wood is wood. The quality of the wood used can vary significantly from one structure to the next and this effects its durability. In order to meet the same exacting requirements and standards as the steel building the wood building would need significant analysis of each piece of lumber being used.
Affordability
When you compare prices from multiple metal building companies, you save. This happens since our team’s relationship with metal suppliers is strong enough that they know people inquiring are expecting a deal. Along with this, metal buildings are low maintenance as well. Therefore you save more financial resources during and after construction.
It’s much easier to install when erecting a metal building and doesn’t particularly need any professional skills. This will then save you a bunch of labor costs and time. In addition, the maintenance of metal buildings is quite easy. A simple power wash once a year with some ammonia and warm water, will act to keep your metal building in prime condition. This may not hold true for your wood building, since the wood is porous and that add a variable.
The reflective roof cut any added radiation entering the building. Along with this is added insulation that can reduce your energy consumption inside the metal building. It is actually less expensive to maintain the temperature of your metal building once insulated properly, as compared to the wooden building.
The Overall Cost of Maintenance
Steel materials:
- Do Not Split
- Will Not Warp
- Do Not Become Swollen From The Impact of Moisture
- Won’t Decay
- Do Not Twist
These are just a few characteristics of steel as compared to wood. You will not have to repair or replace the steel as frequently as wood. The steel building will likely last much longer after the wood building is gone.
Pre-engineered steel buildings require a minimum of 26-gauge sheeting for siding and roofing, unlike the wooden pole barns that use a light 28 or even 29 gauge. Added to this in metal buildings, the fasteners are high quality. They therefore will not have to be replaced like a wooden pole building.
For wooden buildings, the light gauge metal sheeting will need replacement. The wood runners tend to hold moisture against the light gauge metal sheeting. This will result in rusting of fasteners and sheeting. In addition, wooden structures require regular maintenance – as any of those burrowing insects and rodents need to be kept far away.
Generally, steel buildings have more advantages compared to wooden structures. Initially, the cost-saving offered by a wood structure might appear quite attractive to individuals.
However, considering all benefits, the value of pre-engineered steel buildings exceeds the perceived initial cost savings of wooden structures. It is just a matter of asking your experts.