Steel Buildings Changing Agricultural Landscape

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.