Steel is widely used when building high-quality and strong warehouses and garages. The increased steel usage as a primary construction material might be because of its benefits. However, everything has a good and a bad side. In this article, we’ll discuss some pros and cons of building a steel garage.
Before that, discussing the importance of getting your garage is essential. A garage protects your cars and other valuables against theft and vandalism. Also, it protects your valuables against bad weather conditions.
Without a garage, your belongings, especially the vehicle, will probably spend more time under the sun and rain, among other things. In such a case, you might only do little to protect and maintain it and leave the rest to nature. Alternatively, you might consider renting a vehicle garage and incur some costs. If you’re yet to invest in a garage, you might need to do so immediately and reap its benefits. Fortunately, you can easily construct a garage with the help of DIY videos. All you need is to design, plan and build your own garage and rest assured your valuables are protected.
Pros Of Building A Steel Garage
The following are advantages linked with building a steel garage:
1. Versatility
Only a few construction materials are as versatile as steel. Steel can be modified to develop unique buildings, enabling the builder to be creative in their endeavors. What makes steel an even better construction material for garage construction is that you can build a heavy or light structure, depending on your liking.
2. Fast Construction
Before alloying it with other elements, steel is lightweight and can be easily transported and handled. That said, moving steel from the factory or hardware to your residence will take a short time. It’s also important to note that most steel components come in pieces for easier installation. Steel is also easily bolted, meaning the installation and construction period is shorter than when using other materials.
3. Strength
While steel is naturally strong, heat treatment can be used to manipulate its nature in order to harden or soften it. Hardening steel makes it suitable for constructing strong and durable structures. Nevertheless, it’s vital to note that the strength of steel corresponds to its elements. Luckily, you can alloy steel to develop construction materials with the desired chemical and mechanical properties. For example, adding manganese to steel increases wear resistance, flexibility, and strength. The combination of steel and nickel results in oxidation resistance and strength. Vanadium, silicon, and tungsten can also strengthen steel. With that in mind, steel can develop a long-lasting, substantial garage.
4. Sustainability
If you’re looking forward to building an environmentally friendly garage, you should consider using steel as a construction material. Steel is recyclable and can be used several times without depreciating in quality. Steel contains about 88% recycled materials, meaning using it equals conserving the environment and making the world a better place.
Building a garage using steel is entirely different from building one with wood. Trees must be cut down to get wood, and you can only imagine the impact of cutting down pine trees.
5. Efficiency
Based on its strength, steel occupies a limited interior space as far as supporting the building is concerned. As a result, you get ample interior space, enough for your vehicle and other valuables. If you need a large garage that’s free from center columns, steel might be the ideal construction material you need.
Cons Of Building A Steel Garage
Among the disadvantages associated with a steel garage include:
1. Prone To Rust And Corrosion
Compared to other construction materials such as wood and concrete, steel is more likely to rust and experience corrosion. These cases are even worse in areas with salty and acidic atmospheres. Though there have been improvements to reduce rust and corrosion in steel, the material requires high maintenance to prevent such. For example, occasionally, you might need to paint your garage to prevent rust and corrosion.
2. Cost
Steel is among the most costly building materials on the market. Though there are affordable steel types, high-quality steel goes for a considerable amount. For example, stainless steel is a high-quality steel material but is rarely used for construction due to its high price.
Besides purchasing costs, steel maintenance costs are also high, especially with regular painting, to prevent corrosion and rust. Regardless of how large or small your garage is, you’ll be counting high maintenance costs at the end of the day.
3. Steel Is A Good Heat Conductor
Failure to properly fireproof a steel garage can result in unfortunate fire accidents since steel is a good heat conductor. To prevent your garage from going ablaze, you must fireproof it adequately, resulting in additional costs.
Conclusion
The information above gives clear insights into the advantages and disadvantages of building a steel garage. Based on the information, you can easily determine if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages or vice versa and base your decision on your findings.
