Author: clickgiant

How to Heat a Barn

How to Heat a Barn

In the winter months, a barn can be a painfully cold place to spend your time. As most barns are not built to the same standards as homes in terms of insulation, the chilly outdoor temperatures will easily make their way inside. Depending on how you use your barn, you may want to add a source of supplemental heat to make it more suitable for whatever is inside. 

How Long Do Sheds Last?

Anytime you add a new building to your property, you want that building to last for as long as possible. Not only does a long-lasting building mean you get more for your money in terms of the investment you make, but it also avoids the hassle of needing to move everything out of an aging building and into a new one. 

2 Car Detached Garage Dimensions: What to Know Before Building

A two-car detached garage is one of the most useful buildings you can add to any type of property. The beauty of a two-car garage can be found in its flexibility, as there are many different uses possible for this type of structure once it’s completed. As the name suggests, it’s perfect for simply parking two cars, but that’s only the start of the possibilities. 

What Shed Size Do I Need?

What Shed Size Do I Need?

Deciding to build a new shed is a pretty easy choice, given the impressive list of uses that most sheds offer. Whether for storage, projects, or a combination of the two, a new shed is an exciting feature to add to your property. But how big should that shed be? The possibilities here are endless, so you need to have a framework that you can use to narrow down the options and settle on a shed size that is sure to serve your needs. 

What Shed Should I Build?

What Shed Should I Build?

On the surface, building a new shed seems like a simple project. After all, sheds are simple structures and typically don’t have too many complicated design elements. With that said, there are more options here than you might imagine, and many of them are offered by American Steel Carports, Inc. Despite our name, we frequently complete shed projects for our many customers, and we’d love to do the same for you. 

How to Insulate a Shed: The Ultimate Guide

How to Insulate a Shed: The Ultimate Guide

When you picture a shed, you might imagine a small, simple structure that is not insulated. And, to be sure, plenty of sheds don’t feature insulation, and that approach can work just fine in some cases. However, adding insulation could be an important step, and it’s pretty easy to accomplish depending on what you want to use this shed for.

This article will look closer at shed insulation and what you need to know to get great results. Of course, you’ll need a shed to insulate in the first place, and that’s where American Steel Carports, Inc. comes into the picture. While we have carports in our name, we offer a range of different styles of metal buildings, including sheds, garages, and more.

If you’d like to see what is possible when working with us, try our Build & Price tool as a great starting point. From there, you can always contact us if you have questions, and we’ll help guide you to the perfect structure for your needs. Thank you for taking the time to consider American Steel Carports, Inc.!

Determine Your Needs

As a starting point, it’s a good idea to think about why you are insulating this building in the first place. If you spend a lot of time in the shed working on projects, for example, you’ll want quality insulation that will make the space as comfortable as possible throughout the year. On the other hand, if you only store things in the shed and just want some insulation to limit the extreme temperature swings, you might only need decent performance. Think about why you’ll be insulating this shed and let the answers to that question dictate what kind of insulation you pursue.

Review the Options

Speaking of types of insulation, there are plenty of options on the market to consider. One of the most popular types of insulation is a rolled fiberglass product, which might be what you picture first when considering insulation in homes and other structures. This is a time-tested option and will likely deliver great results, although it can be itchy if it comes into contact with your skin.

Rolled fiberglass is far from the only choice available, however. Another contender for duty inside a shed is foam board, which is easy to use because it can simply be cut to fit precisely into any opening around the shed’s interior. Alternatively, spray foam can be used to fill up spaces almost immediately, and is good for getting into spots that might be hard to insulate otherwise. Sometimes, a single type of insulation will be enough to get the job done, while other sheds might need a blend of products to achieve good results.

Safety Considerations

Some insulation products can be harmful or hazardous during installation if improperly handled. Often, it is rolled fiberglass insulation that causes people problems, as it looks harmless and feels light and fluffy. The fibers that make up the insulation can be quite irritating, however, and you could end up with uncomfortable itching and other issues if it contacts your skin. Wear long pants, long sleeves, eye protection, and gloves when working with this material. Of course, if you need insulation added to an existing shed and aren’t confident in doing the work on your own, hiring a contractor to do the job is a smart move.

Let Us Handle It

The best way to insulate your metal shed? Add this option to your order from American Steel Carports, Inc., and let us worry about it. We offer insulation on our orders so you can have a shed that is properly insulated from day one without you needing to do anything else. Selecting this option gives you affordable, quality insulation without the need to shop around and find the right product for your needs – and you won’t need to do any installation work, either. If you haven’t yet added a shed to your property and are thinking about insulation as part of the upcoming project, add it from the start, and you’ll be glad you did.

Contact Us Today

Adding an insulated shed to your property can be a huge upgrade, as the possible uses for such a space are virtually endless. American Steel Carports, Inc. is the ideal partner for such a project, as we can deliver a custom-designed shed that suits your requirements and has insulation included right from the start. Reach out today to learn more!

 

How Much Does a Detached Garage Cost?

How Much Does a Detached Garage Cost?

Countless people could benefit from adding a detached garage to their property. The immediate availability of storage space and room for cars could be a big boost to a property that either doesn’t have a garage or has one that is already full of stuff. But isn’t it expensive to build a detached garage? If you have been holding off on this type of project out of fear over how much it will cost, we have some good news in the article below.

Getting started on a detached garage project has never been easier. With American Steel Carports, Inc., you don’t even have to spend a penny to take the first steps – you can start right now, for free, here on our site. Head over to the Build & Price tool and customize the detached garage of your dreams. If any questions come up, simply contact us, and we’ll be happy to help.

It Starts with Material

One of the biggest factors involved in what your detached garage will cost is the material that is used to build the structure. Generally speaking, there are two options that you will be considering – wood and steel. Wood is the more traditional approach, but metal garages are getting increasingly popular each day.

Many people are surprised to learn that metal garages are significantly less expensive than wood versions. There are a couple of reasons for this difference. First, the wood itself is more expensive than the metal needed to build the garage. Additionally, a wood garage will take longer to construct, meaning the labor costs are going to be higher. When you bring those two factors together, you are left with a significantly higher bill with a wood garage and a strong reason to consider steel as your material of choice.

Consider Foundation Needs

It’s not only the building itself that will contribute to the cost of your detached garage but also the foundation. Having a concrete foundation poured, and having the site prepared for that foundation, can add to your total costs in a meaningful way. Of course, a level concrete foundation that can also serve as the floor inside your garage will make the space far more useful, but you do need to remember to add this component in when creating a budget.

The Size Variable

You won’t be surprised to learn that a larger detached garage is going to cost more than a smaller one. Bigger garages require more materials, in addition to a bigger foundation, so you will certainly spend more if you decide to upgrade the size of the garage you want to build.

With that said, it’s worth considering the larger design, even if it means spending a bit more money in the short term. What you don’t want to have to happen with this project is for you to quickly outgrow the garage you build. If you find this new detached garage is already too small just a few years after you have it built, you’ll be right back to the drawing board, and you’ll have to pay for a whole new structure. If at all possible, it’s best to err on the bigger side with your garage design, so you have some wiggle room when your needs change and you require more space than you initially expected.

Additional Features

So far, we’ve talked about how your detached garage’s materials, foundation, and size will all play a part in the final price tag. Beyond those three key points, there are also other additional extras that you might choose to add to the building that should be remembered. These are things like additional doors, a window or two, insulation, etc. Some upgrades are well worth the money they require, so you need to weigh the value each option brings against the cost associated with that feature.

In the end, there are too many variables involved in this process to offer any kind of firm number on how much it costs to build a detached garage. A simple, small detached metal garage can come in at a very modest price, while a larger structure with a big footprint and many additional features will be a more significant investment. The only way to proceed confidently is to get a quote for the type of building you need and then make an informed decision from that point.

Get Started Today

Investing in a new detached garage is a decision that can pay off for years to come, and the investment is likely to be far less than you might have expected. Of course, getting good value for your money will only happen when you work with the right partner, so turn to American Steel Carports, Inc. so you can be sure that you’re in good hands. Let’s get started on this project today!

3 Metal Garage Designs to Make the Most of Storage Space

It seems that everyone needs more storage. If you feel like you have more stuff that you want to keep than space to keep it, adding a new metal garage to your property is a wise move. Metal garages are affordable, durable, and easy to customize – especially when you work with American Steel Carports, Inc. on the project.

Speaking of customization, it’s important to make smart design decisions to end up with a structure that will offer as much storage as possible for your needs. In this article, we’ll talk about some design ideas that could help you finally get your storage mess under control once and for all.

As you get started on this project, be sure to head to the Build & Price tool that we offer here on our site. With that tool, you can experiment with our customization options and create a perfect metal garage for your property. Need help? Just contact us, and our team will jump into action. We can’t wait to get started!

#1 – Taller Roof

One of the best ways to maximize the amount of storage space you have available in your new metal garage is to design it with a taller-than-normal roof. This is a great choice because it doesn’t require you to take up a larger footprint on your property in order to expand how much space you have to store things. Gaining even just a couple of vertical feet inside the garage will go a long way toward helping you find a home for everything you need to store.

If you decide to go with a taller roof, you can use tall storage units inside to organize everything neatly. Then, as long as you keep a ladder on hand, you can simply climb up and retrieve whatever you need when you need it. It’s possible to build a beautifully organized storage system this way, and you’ll be able to keep far more things than if you had built a shorter structure.

One important point to keep in mind with this idea is that there might be restrictions in place on how tall your new building can be. Confirm that your plans are within the limits of local codes and ordinances before you move forward with the project.

#2 – Add an Extra Door

Sometimes, making the most of storage space comes down to how that space is accessed. If you only have a single door – like a roll-up door at the front of the garage, it can limit how you use the space inside. By adding an additional walk-through door on one side or the other, you’ll have more options, and you can more easily optimize the design.

As a general rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to include as many different door options as possible in the design of a garage. After all, when a door is closed, it functions as a wall, so there is nothing really lost by having “too many” doors. And, as your storage needs change over time, the availability of additional doorways to alter how you use the inside space could make all the difference. By ordering from American Steel Carports, Inc., you’ll have plenty of options for where you place the doors and what role they play in your finished design.

#3 – Long and Narrow

When you picture a metal garage, you might first think about a building that is close to square in shape. Those types of garages are common, but you might wind up getting more use out of a long and narrow building – a rectangle that has very short sides on either end, in other words.

This design has a couple of notable advantages. First, it can easily fit along the end of a property and won’t extend too far out into the middle of your land. At the same time, it creates a lot of storage space that is easy to access quickly, especially if you have a row of roll-up doors along the front. Such a design means everything within the garage is always close at hand, rather than having to dig through a space piled high with stuff to get to something all the way at the back.

Build Your Metal Garage Today

Taking the time necessary to get the design right from the start will go a long way toward making sure you love the finished product when your new metal garage is completed. We have made that design process easy, so try out the Build & Price tool today and see what you can create. Thank you for considering American Steel Carports, Inc. for this exciting project!