Steel Buildings or Wood? Which Material Is For Me?
Both wood and metal buildings have their upsides. Which material is for you?
When looking to erect a new structure—whether a garage, barn or storage space—an important consideration is “What material do I want my building to be made of?” For new builds, people tend towards wood or metal buildings. Both have their upsides. To help you determine the best choice for your building, we’ve put together this quick fact sheet.
Wood structure pros
For some, wood may feel like an aesthetic or even emotional choice. People have been building with wood since time immemorial. Some of the benefits of choosing wood include:
- For smaller buildings, wood is often the more cost-effective option
- Wood and steel can be combined in an effective manner for some projects
- Sturdy
- Many wood varieties to serve different purposes
Wood structure cons
- Slower build times vs steel buildings
- If your building will hold a crane, the design demands will be greater and more costly for wood to support it
- Less longevity compared to steel
- Can be prone to pest infestation like termites
Steel building benefits
There are many reasons to opt for a steel building versus a wood frame. Some of the benefits include:
- Resistant to extreme weather
- Pest resistant
- Sturdy and reliable
- Low cost of maintenance and construction for larger buildings
- Very fast building times (an average commercial steel building of about 6,000 to 10,000 square feet takes roughly three weeks to erect)
A pre-engineered steel building provides the design flexibility you may also want at a low cost and quick turnaround time, so you can get to using your steel building for its intended purpose faster.
Metal Structure Concepts has been designing and constructing steel buildings across Canada for over 20 years. From retail spaces to warehouses to wineries and more, we are the experts for your next project. Contact us today for a free quote.