How Metal Buildings Withstand the Elements

Resistance to the elements is a major concern for many facilities and industrial buildings, and both clients and contractors are always looking for ideal materials to meet project needs here. Metal buildings are some of the top candidates for many such jobs, and there are several specific qualities that make it such an ideal choice.

At Redi, we’re here to offer metal building mechanical services as part of our huge range of industrial construction solutions for clients around Nevada, Colorado and Wyoming. We’ll lay out the precise qualities of our products before getting started on any work, ensuring you’re fully up to speed on how they’ll protect structures from the elements. Here are some of the chief such qualities that tend to make metal buildings so attractive in various settings.

Strength-To-Weight Ratio

One of the top advantages of metal buildings is that they have an excellent strength-to-weight ratio. This means that the material is far more lightweight than many other traditional building materials, such as wood and concrete, but yet can still provide admirable levels of structural support.

What this essentially allows for is quicker construction times, lower transportation costs, and ultimately a much more cost-effective solution in many cases.

Lack of Combustibility

Another great advantage of metal buildings is that they’re not combustible, which makes them an ideal choice for projects where fire safety is a major concern. Metal roofs and walls are also non-combustible, which can help save on additional costs in terms of fire prevention systems and the like.

For settings like schools, hospitals and other public buildings, this makes metal buildings a great option to ensure safety and compliance. They are not just cost-effective and relatively lightweight, but they also provide an extra layer of protection in terms of fire safety.

Ductility

When we talk about ductility, we’re referring to a material’s ability to deform without breaking when under stress. This is important in order to absorb shock and vibration, which is particularly pertinent for settings and buildings where there can be moving machinery or other sources of tension.

Metal buildings have a great degree of ductility and elasticity, meaning that they’re resistant even to heavy movements, making them an ideal choice for industrial settings of all kinds. They’re often just as strong or even stronger than traditional alternatives like wood, making them all the more valuable in such cases.

Earthquake Safety

Down related lines, ductility is also a key quality when it comes to earthquake safety, which is often a major concern in many areas across the US. As metal buildings are typically incredibly ductile, they can absorb shock from seismic events better than other materials, making them an ideal choice for regions prone to such occurrences.

The other major characteristic here, as we already touched on above, is their weight. Because metal buildings tend to be lighter than others, they can often provide a safer option when it comes to areas where earthquakes are more common.

Weight Resistance

Despite being relatively lightweight, metal buildings are also great at resisting wind and other forces. This is due to the fact that they can be pre-engineered in a way that allows them to easily bear weight without having additional reinforcements or extra layers of material.

This makes it an ideal choice for locations where powerful winds are a common occurrence, as the building won’t be at major risk. Another big benefit here is for snowy areas, as metal buildings tend to be able to bear large amounts of weight from snow without the need for extra support.

This is because they distribute the load fairly evenly across the entire structure, meaning that one area isn’t overloaded and can cause major issues which could otherwise damage other materials like wood or concrete.

Metal Buildings Differ Based on Protection Needs

Best of all, the qualities we’ve gone over to this point can be prioritized or limited very easily based on the needs of each individual project. If you need extra earthquake protection, for example, then you can work with your provider to engineer extra reinforcement into specific areas in order to provide that.

Likewise, if you’re looking for a cost-effective solution with minimal weight but still great strength and wind resistance, metal buildings can be pre-engineered to fit that too. It’s this versatility and customizability that makes them so attractive to many contractors, as it allows for almost any kind of structure to be created with relative ease.

Overall, metal buildings offer a great degree of protection from the elements, making them an ideal candidate for many projects. From fire safety in public settings to earthquake safety in more seismically active regions, metal buildings are one of the best materials to consider when it comes to designing a structure that can withstand whatever Mother Nature throws at it.

For more here, or to learn about our assistance with metal buildings or any other part of the broad industrial construction world, speak to our team at Redi at your convenience!