It always seems that every land-owner wants more space for storage or extra workspace or needs to replace and renovate old buildings and barns. The problem is that traditional building designs in brick or timber can be costly and bring high maintenance costs. Steel building companies in Canada have all the modern materials and practices that agricultural businesses recognize to benefit steel portal framed buildings.

A portal-framed building means the building itself is held up by an extremely strong steel frame using high tensile steel posts, rafters and purloins. The frame spans across a wide area allowing extra-large access space without internal pillars or columns, maximizing the available interior space and allowing large doors for extra-sized machinery.

The frame is then clad with steel sheeting made from organic-coated steel. It is called organic-coated because the steel is given a plastic-type coating at the manufacture time, sealing the steel to prevent rusting and give the steel its maintenance-free color. The cladding can be single or double walled, with insulation if required for a workspace. As the walls do not take any of the building’s structure weight, windows and openings of almost any shape and size can be put exactly where they are needed. It is also possible to add mezzanine floors to create different levels internally.

So what are the benefits?

1. Fast to build and fast to install

The frame itself needs a solid concrete base, but once the base is created putting up the frame and then adding the cladding takes a matter of days. More refined touches like internal walls or extra flooring can add a few days to the process, but timescales are days rather than months.

2. Robust and low maintenance

The frame and steel cladding come pre-colored and pre-treated. Steel-framed buildings do not need additional painting or treating, and the steel provides a solid secure barrier to the weather or anything else that wants to get inside.

3. Flexible space

With all the interior space available, the internal configuration can be tuned to match the business’s specific needs. If those needs change, the interior arrangement can be changed or adapted without affecting the exterior. Consequently, space can be left open, for instance, for garaging large machinery or storing straw or bulky materials, or it can be portioned, for instance, for stabling or milking units. With skylights and windows added, space becomes a light and airy area for use as a workshop, and with insulation and heating it becomes suitable for office space or retail sales.

4. Easy to custom design

Not every business needs the same sized building or has the same shaped plot of land or the same access. The frame structure allows a huge variety of buildings to be created. Tall and narrow for a boat store to accommodate masts and keels, or wide and long for aircraft storage. Buildings can also come in a variety of shapes, from a traditional simple roofed shed to complex and interesting designs.

5. Low cost

With all the benefits, an added bonus is that steel-framed building are not expensive for space and flexibility they provide. As the construction basics are straightforward and the buildings are created from standardized parts, a steel building will give an excellent return on investment for any growing business.