Many
people share an idyllic vision of farm life, one that often includes a
picturesque setting dotted with a bright red wooden barn, timber stables with
creaky chest-high doors, and haphazardly slung chicken coops held together by
crisscrossed wire.
But
that landscape is quickly changing as traditional wooden agricultural
structures are replaced with arched steel buildings. The factors contributing
to this shift are many—wood tends to rot, become infested with bugs, and buckle
as it succumbs to harsh elements like the heat and freezing rain brought on by
the changing seasons.
As
opposed to wooden structures, steel buildings, like the ones sold by SteelMaster
Buildings located in Virginia Beach, VA, remain
maintenance free for a lifetime thanks to the company’s use of Galvalume Plus
Coating which offers strength, superior corrosion resistance and an attractive
bright appearance that provides excellent heat reflectivity. Each SteelMaster
building also comes with a 30-year mill-backed warranty by ArcelorMittal (NYSE
MT).
Since
steel and metal arch buildings are more resilient than wood structures, most
insurance companies offer lower premiums to farmers who purchase them. Not only
is there no risk for termite, carpenter ant, and fungus and mold infestation
with a steel building, it is also less likely to catch on fire. If it does
happen to catch on fire, the flames will remain contained in the structure.
SteelMaster
buildings are also “green”, which means they are designed to reduce the overall
impact of the built environment on the natural environment by:
Efficiently using energy, water, and other
resources
Protecting occupant health
Reducing waste, pollution, and
environmental degradation
These
environmental advantages coupled with the lower insurance premiums, saves the
farmer a considerable amount of money long term.
Steel
buildings not only save money, but they also save space. Unlike typical pole
barns and buildings that use beams and trusses, SteelMaster
buildings offer 100 percent usable space with a
clear span design, which is perfect for storing farm machinery and equipment,
crops, grain or hay, and livestock. Reaching widths up to 150 feet and lengths
as long as needed, SteelMaster’s agricultural and farm steel buildings provide
the most durable and economical steel arch buildings to customers throughout
the world, including Leo Munnings, who owns Trikk Pony Stables in Freeport,
Grand Bahamas.
Munnings
offers the island’s only all-beach horseback riding adventure. As the past
owner of a poorly manufactured steel building, his horses would get wet when it
rained, even while kept under the shelter. During Hurricanes Frances and
Jeanne, Munnings’ property became flooded with four feet of ocean water, which
caused his steel building to rust and then fall apart. In purchasing a second
building to serve as the new stable, Munnings says he chose a steel barn made
by SteelMaster Buildings because of the Galvalume Plus Coating—which protects
against rust—and also because of its shape and flexible clear span
construction, which helps keep the horses cool in the hot climate.
In
another area across tn another area across the globe which also boasts a hot
climate lives John Brenes of Costa Rica. Brenes, who lives in a residential
neighborhood, bought a 25 foot wide by 24 foot long SteelMaster building which
stands in his backyard. As a small-scale farmer, Brenes uses his steel building
to grow mushrooms indoors.
That
is part of the allure of steel buildings—they are affordable to everyone, no
matter the budget. Because SteelMaster ships all their buildings
factory-direct, customers save both time and money. The company offers many
affordable prefabricated building sizes to choose from, and they are so simple
to erect that more than 80 percent of their customers construct their own
building with huge labor cost savings.
arch-steel-chicken-coopThose
particularly interested in the construction process of the buildings are the
people of Boulder, CO who are involved with the Urban Hens Project. The purpose
of the project is to develop a sustainable model to establish chickens for
people living in urban settings. Backyard chickens can provide a healthy, local
food source and bring a not-so-new dimension to homes, schools and communities
seeking sustainability.
The
sustainable solution they use to house the hens is a SteelMaster prefabricated
arched structure made of corrugated metal, designed to offer people room to
stand inside for easy access to the five-plus birds that are kept in the metal
pole barn.
The
first Urban Hens metal barn building was built in Rob Pyatt’s backyard. Pyatt,
who is a teacher of environmental design at the University of Colorado, says it
took him and his student crew three weekends to construct the building, going
step-by-step through the process.
For
those in the agricultural business who are not on the market for an entire
building, but instead are on the hunt for a roofing system that is structurally
sound and aesthetically pleasing, steel can offer a rare blend of strength,
style, and simplicity, giving customers endless application possibilities.
The
SteelMaster Roofing System can be designed in widths from 10 feet to 150 feet
and in any length in increments of two feet, and the arch technology eliminates
the need for bulky beams, trusses, and supports.
steel-ag-building-new-yorkCogi
Farms in Pawling, NY is home to several different style SteelMaster Roofing
System applications. The curved metal roofing has become a fixture at Cogi
Farms due to its long-term durability and low maintenance. SteelMaster
manufactured the pre-curved, self-supporting panels for both the stable and
equipment storage projects.
In
addition to structures for agricultural purposes, SteelMaster’s steel and metal
pre-engineered buildings are designed for a broad range of residential and
commercial applications including Garages, Workshops, Carports, Quonsets,
Airplane Hangars, RV Storage, Military Buildings, Commercial Warehousing and
Industrial Storage as well as a wide variety of Custom Building applications
including Athletic Facilities, Retail Stores, Churches, Bus Stops, Smoke
Shacks, Doggie Dorms, and Correctional Facilities.
SteelMaster
Buildings represents over 28 years of premium quality manufacturing, providing
the highest quality steel arch buildings in the world. Throughout its years in
business, SteelMaster has successfully designed buildings and structures for a
variety of applications across the globe ranging from residential customers,
the government and the military, to numerous Fortune 500 companies.
When it came to housing and protecting George “Wayne” Trent’s six antique cars and trucks, it was time to put the pedal to the metal. After he moved to Hudson, FL into a home with only a three car garage, he set out to find a suitable building for his prized possessions.
Trent is so proud of his steel garage that he even included a smaller model in his model train set-up, complete with tiny replicas of his antique cars and trucks. “The mini SteelMaster was fun to put on the train layout,” says Trent. “My friends get a real kick out of it also.”
