Tag: garages

Keep Up with Fall’s Fashion

It looks like the new fashion goes way beyond the limit this year, or at least from what we’ve seen so far in metal buildings we recently installed. If you have read our previous blog post about this season, then you know what we’re talking about (lol!). If you haven’t, click here and feel free to get yourself up to date.

When we talk about customization, we don’t just mean the shape or size of the carport: we’re also talking about color combinations. Remember, the sides, roof, and trim can be in different colors.

Did you know we offer colored roll-up doors?

That’s right! You can add more color to your building with our colored roll-up doors. With more than 30 different colors to choose from, you can give your building a special touch! Please be aware that colored roll-up doors come with an additional price.

Take this 18’W x 21’L x 8’H metal building as an example:

  • 14-Gauge Galvanized Tubing
  • A-Frame Vertical
  • Horizontal Sides & Ends
  • 9’x7′ Roll-Up Door (Continental Brown)
  • Walk-In Door
  • Window

Feeling inspired? Call us today for a FREE estimate. Let our experts assist you in customizing the BEST structure within your BUDGET. Remember, delivery and installation is included on your level land or concrete pad!

Tips to Consider Before Purchasing a Metal Building

Metal sheds and garages are perfect for storing belongings and getting rid of clutter. In addition to serving those and many other functions, metal buildings come in a wide array of options and appearances that look great on any property. When acquiring a shed, you want to make sure that you choose the most effective option for your purpose and space. These tips will help you get the most out of your new structure.

Consider Your Purpose – Before jumping into sizes, you should think about exactly how you will use your metal building, both now and in the future. Are you looking for a storage area, a garage, or perhaps a workshop? The use will determine the size and type of structure to fit your needs. We offer many varieties of steel buildings that are excellent for many purposes. For example:

  • Garages are a fast and economical way to house vehicles and toys.
  • Workshops come in a range of sizes and are great for craftsmen and builders.
  • Mini storage units are useful investments for those who live in neighborhoods and need more than garages for storage. Such storage units are small enough to keep in your backyard and, with a permit, can be installed wherever you desire. Additional storage for items such as bikes, fishing gear, and pet food frees up space in your garage. To make for an even more attractive structure, you can add a small porch and even hang plants from the roof.

Think Durability – Very few regions experience little change between the seasons. Indeed, many climates deal with long periods of extreme heat or cold and all manner of weather phenomena. In order to choose the best metal building, you need to consider your environment. Metal buildings can be specifically constructed to withstand snow, heatwaves, wind, and other conditions.

Make It Easy – Metal buildings don’t need to be complicated or difficult to understand. Although we sometimes go over the top regarding customization, manufacturing a standard building is easy. Remember that every single one of our buildings can be customized to serve your exact needs and likes, no matter how simple or complex.

Safety First – If you live in a windy area, then we highly suggest purchasing our 90-mph wind warranty. Depending on the surface of your installation site, we have packages that will help your metal building withstand those strong winds. Whether we use mobile home anchors or concrete anchors, we will make sure that your building stays sturdy for a very long time.

Choose a Good Site or Solid Foundation – Choosing a level area for your metal building will improve its appearance and keep it sold and sturdy for years to come. Also, be sure that your construction site is dry; this will prevent the foundation from shifting and stop mold and mildew from growing. For optimal performance, your building should be placed on a solid concrete foundation; however, that feature is totally optional.

If you really know what you’re looking for and follow the right procedures to get it, then owning a steel building can be a great experience. When you begin your next big investment, keep these important facts and tips in mind to ensure that you’ll spend the following decades enjoying your ideal metal structure.

Steel Garages Make Life Easier

Metal garages are something we’ve long strived to perfect, because with the perfect metal garage, you’ll have plenty of storage space. You can put your lawnmower, weed eater, farm tools, and other equipment in a safe, dry space and still have enough room to park your car. And that, folks, is what makes metal garages and steel sheds among the most valuable additions to your home or workplace. They make life easier. Here’s how.

The right metal garage gives you easy access to just the right kind of storage space. This is especially true if you have a load of household possessions in need of storage and no place to put them. The perfect metal garage lets you store everything with confidence, where you know it will be dry and you know it won’t be subjected to weather damage or theft.

But how do you find the right metal garages? For a high-quality solution to your storage needs, metal garages from American Steel Carports provide lasting peace of mind. Take a look at this 30′W × 25′L × 9′H:

  • Vertical Roof
  • 12-Gauge Galvanize Tubing
  • 9’x7 Roll-Up Door
  • 16’x7′ Overhead Door
  • 36″x80″ Walk-In Door
  • 2 – Windows
  • L-Brackets

The steel construction is designed and engineered for long-lasting protection against rain, snow, sleet, and hail—not to mention damaging wind and rain. With the right steel garage, even pollen and debris are things of the past. You’ll save countless hours when you don’t have to wash your car of all the natural elements that might harm your perfect paint job. Metal garages provide shelter for your valuable vehicles and storage space for anything you can’t bear to see damaged by the hazards of nature.

You can customize the size and color of any metal building to your needs. Give us a call at 866-730-9865, and let our experts assist you in customizing the BEST structure within your BUDGET. Remember, delivery and installation are INCLUDED on your level land or concrete pad!

Protecting your Investments Year-Round

In the summer months they are all over the highway, weaving in and out of lanes, onto the shoulders, across the center lines, and nearly into the ditch. Clearly, many people sitting behind wheels of large recreational vehicles are not used to driving 40-foot boxes on wheels, even without wind. Their poor driving skills are most obvious when they try to negotiate the most basic right and left turns.

Driving skills aside, have you ever wondered how much those gas-guzzling behemoths cost, especially since the average price of a passenger car has surpassed $31,000? In 2018, the average cost of a new recreation vehicle is around $135,500. Depending on the options, prices can range into the millions.

It’s unfortunate that having money to burn doesn’t mean having the skill to actually drive an RV safely! Regardless of this, given the size of their investments, owners of RVs want them to look good as long as possible, hopefully until they’re paid off. After all, who wants to drive around in a vehicle that looks like it belongs to Cousin Eddie? Not driving it would defeat its purpose, but owners at least want assurance that they can keep their six-wheeled monstrosities safe when they’re off the road.

Most people don’t own barns or garages large enough to house a 40- or 50-foot RV, so the most practical way to protect it from the elements is with a prefabricated metal building or metal RV carport. Although steel buildings are colloquially referred to as metal carports, they are available in sizes large enough to accommodate the biggest RVs. It’s also good to know that these carports are affordable. This makes them excellent options for owners of boats, motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles who don’t want to pay for offsite storage. The bottom line is that anyone looking to shelter their expensive vehicles from snow, ice, rain, and sun can get durable protection without spending thousands of dollars.

Although metal carport prices vary, even the largest, most deluxe metal RV port will be considerably cheaper than rented storage space. Owners will know be happier knowing that their vehicles are safe and sound on their own premises.

f you live in an area with lots of adverse and unpredictable weather conditions, then you know how important it is to plan ahead and protect your vehicles during the winter months. If you haven’t made these preparations yet, you might want to buy a carport.

For example, hail, which is often not covered by car insurance, can be especially damaging to cars. In more than half the cases in which hail destroys the structural integrity of a car, the damages are not repaired. With the help of carport installers, however, you can ensure that your vehicle is not harmed by Mother Nature.

In particular, metal carports made of galvanized steel can be effective in multiple environments, from industrial settings to coastal areas. People who specifically near the ocean and own boats will find that these structures can protect their property well throughout the year.

An additional benefit of a steel carport is that it can be recycled in perpetuity without losing its strength or sustainability over the years. You can protect your prized possessions while being environmentally responsible.

When you choose a company to help you install your carport, you will want to base your decision on who can get the job done in a timely manner with the highest-quality materials. When it comes to protecting your property from the elements, it’s important to make sure that you have peace of mind and can go about your day during a nasty storm without worrying about the physical state of your vehicle.

 

Lighting & Metal Buildings

Are you worried that your metal building might attract lightning? We’ve all been there. Fortunately, I’ve got good news and great news.

Here’s the deal:

The common myth is that out of all types of structures, metal buildings are the most prone to lightning strikes. In other words, metal buildings and metal roofs are basically lightning magnets. Makes sense, right?

Wrong.

A ton of other crazy myths are also still floating around—including that being outside in a lightning storm is safe as long as you’re not wearing metal jewelry and that wearing metal cleats or carrying something with metal makes you more prone to getting struck by lightning.

Also wrong.

I bet you’re thinking, “OK, but then what is lightning really attracted to?”

Long story short, lightning is not actually attracted to specific materials. Lightning can strike anything. Overall, “lightning occurs on too large of a scale to be influenced by small objects on the ground, including metal objects.”

That’s the good news.

Ready for the great news?

Because metal buildings are not especially prone to lightning strikes, you can easily take precautions to ensure that you and your steel structures are safe!

Most people know that counting the seconds between the flash of lightning and the following crash of thunder gives the approximate number of miles between you and the storm.

So, instead of worrying that lightning may have it in for you or your building, here’s what you need to know:

As it turns out, steel is not a lightning magnet! Lightning does not care about the small amount of metal that you might be wearing or carrying.

Instead, lightning is most attracted to targets that are higher off of the ground.

On the slight chance that a steel building or roof is struck by lightning, both are less likely than other types of building and roofing materials to spark a fire. A metal building and roof will usually survive a lightning strike with minimal damage.

In fact, a properly grounded metal building actually creates a more secure way for lightning to travel. Should your metal roof or building be grounded? The answer is a definite yes!

Why a Metal Roof?

Metal roof systems have always been known for their long lives, but exactly how long they last has been a subject of debate.

According to a 2014 study conducted by the Metal Construction Association and the Zinc Aluminum Coaters Association, the projected service life for GALVALUME® standing-seam roof systems is a minimum of 60 years. This is the longest service life of any commonly used roof system on the market. Interestingly, this was calculated using a conservative estimate of the expected lifespan of the butyl sealant used in laps, flashings, and penetrations. In a 2015 study, the National Coil Coating Association reviewed data on pre-painted PVDF fluoropolymer metal panels subjected to exposure testing in South Florida. They concluded it was reasonable to project a minimum service life of 40 years for these.

As with any roofing material, proper design, detailing, installation, and maintenance are critical to achieving the best performance and service life. However, all roof systems, including metal ones, eventually need to be replaced or re-covered. What happens then?

As a roofing professional, building owners will turn to you for advice on whether to replace or re-cover their existing metal roof systems. When considering the re-cover option, there are several elements to keep in mind to maximize the longevity of the new roof system.

Replace vs. Re-cover

There are two types of metal roof system: structural and nonstructural. Structural systems’ panel profiles can generally carry significant wind and snow loads over framing members spaced at intervals up to 5 feet. Structural panels are typically characterized by significant rib dimensions to provide the necessary strength, and they are used in metal building system applications. Nonstructural metal roof systems require a structural deck or substrate to support the new roof and loads. This article focuses on structural systems because these are more common.

According to the Metal Building Manufacturers Association’s historical shipment data, there are billions of square feet of structural metal roofing currently on buildings that are more than 40 years old.

The advantage of replacing a roof system is that it allows vinyl-faced insulation, which may have deteriorated over time, to be removed and replaced. However, this can present some challenges, as the process also exposes the building and its contents to the elements, and this exposure can be prolonged if other structural elements must be added.

The advantage of re-covering a roof is that the original materials can remain in place to protect the interior during installation of the new materials, allowing the building’s normal operations to continue. Re-covering takes full advantage of the existing insulation with the option of easily adding more, increasing the building’s energy efficiency. Keeping the original roof system in place also provides a safer work surface than open framing for the workers installing the new system. In addition, re-covering reduces landfill waste and the need for a large laydown area for temporary storage of old roofing materials. All these factors can lead to a lower cost for re-covering than for replacement.

Many conventional roof systems have inherent excess capacity because their structural systems are not amenable to optimization. However, metal roof and metal building systems can be highly optimized for design load requirements so that materials can be used more efficiently. Because of this, the materials used during a re-cover installation must be lightweight (less than 3 pounds per square foot) so structural modifications are not needed or are kept to a minimum to carry the added roofing materials.

 

  1. Lee Shoemaker, Ph.D., P.E., is director of research and engineering for the Metal Building Manufacturers Association;

Vincent E. Sagan, P.E., is senior staff engineer for the Metal Building Manufacturers Association;

Little Known Techniques to Customize Your Metal Building

So far, you’ve seen what we’re capable when it comes to metal structures. From huge warehouses to the simplest tiny carport for your vehicle, American Steel Carports knows it all. If you pay attention to certain details on other structures, you might notice that there are garages or workshops with features that you haven’t seen before in our products. Well, you’re absolutely right! Some of our customers prefer to provide their own walk-in doors, windows, or even just openings.

When you’re making an order or talking with one of our representatives, you can let us know that you will provide your own walk-in door or window. With the right measurements, all that’s left for us to do is to frame out the openings according to the size of your custom walk-in doors, windows, roll-up doors, etc. This 30’W x 41’L x 10’H is a good example of what we’re talking about:

  • A-Frame Vertical Roof
  • 12-Gauge Galvanize Steel
  • Horizontal Sides & Ends
  • 10’x10′ Roll-Up Door
  • Walk-In Door Frame Out
  • 2 – 3’x8′ Skylights
  • Concrete Anchors w/ L-Brackets

Openings like this walk-in door come with an additional price (depending on the size). The only downside of this option is that it will void any warranties that the building may have due to the modification of its original state.

This might be an option that many customers don’t need, but it is still open to be considered. If you have any additional questions, feel free to give us a call and let one of our experts help you with your concerns. And don’t forget to ask for your local dealer!

Get Started on Your Future Project

Owning a metal building can be a simple matter if you follow the right procedures. Permits can be hard to obtain, depending on the county you’re located in, but it’s not impossible. The important thing is to know the dimensions you want for your building. Whether you’re considering getting a standard carport, a garage, a workshop, or even a barn, you have to decide how big it will to be. Of course, we can suggest sizes that might work, depending on what you will be storing inside, but remember, this is will be your property, and you know your own property better than anyone else.

After you decide on the size of the metal structure, you can consider whether you want any extra features, such as roll-up doors, walk-in doors, windows, or different styles of roof. You name it! Whatever idea you have for your metal structure, our specialists will know exactly how to work with it.

 

What about the positions of the doors and windows?

All our buildings are custom-made to satisfy your needs, so we will follow your plans and specifications.

This metal garage, measuring 24′W × 41′L × 9′H, is a good example of general ideas and the placement of doors and windows:

  • 12-Gauge Galvanized Tubing
  • A-Frame Vertical Roof
  • Horizontal Sides & Ends
  • 2 – 10’x8′ Roll-up Doors
  • 36″x80″ Walk-In Door
  • 2 – Windows

Metal garages like the ones we preview have become an inspiration for most of our customers. If they really like a building, they’ll stick with its size, features, and even colors. But you shouldn’t feel bound to a previous customer’s design; you can always change the dimensions, the placement of the doors and windows, and of course the color.

Interested in getting one yourself? Give us a call and speak with one of our experts! We’ll help you create the metal building of your dreams for an unbeatable price! Don’t forget to ask about our financing options.

 

Traditional Garage for a Lower Price

Thinking about buying a metal garage? Then you’ve come the right place to get yours just in time!

Fall is right around the corner, and you know what that means… Leaves everywhere, the debris from trees, temperatures changing; it’s the time where we’re transitioning to colder weather. Why not protect your vehicle(s) or valuables inside a metal garage? Here at American Steel Carports, we have been manufacturing high-quality, long-lasting metal garages and buildings for decades. We have the experience and resources to help you custom-design your very own metal garage, carport, or barn from scratch. Our buildings are engineer-certified and constructed entirely with high-strength steel and a durable design to withstand severe weather conditions.

Take a look at this 26’W x 26’L x 9’H metal garage with overhead doors:

 

If you’d like to know more information about investing in your own metal garage, call today to speak with one of our experts. Our friendly staff would be happy to answer any questions you have about the design and building process so that you can be positive that a metal garage from American Steel Carports is the best choice for you. Financing is available for many of our buildings, so call today and let us design a metal garage or building around your specific needs.