Steel Buildings: The Complete Guide

Get the most from your hard earned money with all the necessary tools to make your steel building dream come true.

Steel Building Advantages

Steel buildings are the most flexible solutions on the market for contractors, builders, do it yourselfers and their families. These durable, virtually no maintenance building solutions come with benefits. Custom engineering and design of today's metal buildings allow owners to have the look they want, with the functionality they need.

The stringent state-of-the-art requirements of today's building owners demand that their building system employ not only advanced designs, but also offer flexibility, energy efficiency, and speedy construction times. When a steel building is used, design, fabrication, and construction times are greatly reduced. And future expansion is uncomplicated.

The increasing popularity of Armstrong's Steel Building Systems has stemmed from pre-engineered metal buildings signature benefits, which include:

Faster Construction Timelines

Pre-engineered components arrive ready to assemble, which removes most of the measuring, cutting, and onsite modifications required with traditional building methods. This streamlined approach shortens the overall build time and gets your project completed sooner. Faster construction also means fewer labor hours, reduced equipment rental costs, and less disruption on your property or jobsite.

Lower Overall Project Costs

By engineering every component in advance, Armstrong buildings eliminate much of the material waste, guesswork, and unexpected expenses that come with conventional construction. Builders spend less time fabricating parts onsite, which reduces labor costs significantly. Predictable materials, simplified assembly, and efficient scheduling all contribute to a more cost-effective building from start to finish.

Superior Structural Strength

Armstrong Steel buildings are designed using commercial-grade American steel and precise engineering that ensures every frame, connection, and panel works together for maximum strength. This results in exceptional performance under heavy wind, snow, and seismic loads. The rigid-frame design also provides long-lasting stability that wood and light-gauge metal structures simply can't match.

Long-Term Warranty Protection

Armstrong offers industry-leading structural, roof, and paint warranties that protect your investment for decades. These warranties cover the essential components most builders rely on every day, giving owners peace of mind long after the construction phase is complete. Strong warranty coverage means fewer surprise expenses and a building that continues to perform year after year.

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Steel Buildings vs. Traditional Construction

We don't adhere to the same standards as the competition. One of the hallmarks of our team is that we are committed to constant design improvement. We obsess over every member, every connection plate, and every weld in your building so you don't have to.

You don't see that effort...until you erect the building and then it ALL makes sense. 'THIS is why I bought an Armstrong Building!'. Authorized Armstrong Builders have access to one of the most unique and powerful building systems ever created. See how an Armstrong Steel Building System compares to traditional construction:

Armstrong's Building System

Conventional Construction

Other Steel Building Systems

50 yr structural warranty

Armstrong Steel Building Systems are among the last 50 year warranty buildings available on the market today.

NO warranties

Conventional construction generally is not accompanied by any sort of structural warranty whatsoever.

Minimal or questionable structural coverage

Lower-tier red-iron and tube-frame suppliers typically provide little, weak, or difficult-to-claim structural warranties. Some limited to 1-5 years with major exclusions for rust, weld separation, and load failure.

35 yr roof warranty

Armstrong has a 35-year rust through perforation warranty on the roof.

NO roof warranty

Conventional construction generally is not accompanied by any sort of roof warranty as wood roofing materials don't stand up to the elements like steel.

Short-term or no roof coverage

Many bargain steel systems rely on low-quality roof panels and coatings that rarely include a rust-through guarantee if they do it may be 20 years at best, leaving owners exposed to early panel deterioration.

40 yr paint warranty

Armstrong's paint warranty gives builders a greater degree of peace of mind, and typically means a more attractive building for years to come.

NO paint warranty

Without baked on paint coatings, conventional builders are using less superior finishes which, in turn, can result in a less appealing structure down the road.

Unreliable or limited paint protection

Paint warranties are often poorly supported or extremely limited, with cheaper coatings prone to fading, chalking, or peeling long before their expected lifespan. Most offer only 10 or 20 year warranties on their paint.

Durability

Pre-engineered steel buildings are very durable. They are strong enough to withstand heavy snowfall, high winds, and strong earthquakes. The steel roof panels can also be coated with an aluminum compound called galvalume to prevent rusting and increase the life of the panels. They're also non-combustible so it's unlikely they will be destroyed by fire.

Quick Assembly

Construction of a traditional wood building takes at least a few months to complete. Assuming that your steel building system is purchased from a reliable provider and does not require significant customizing, they are very quick and easy to erect. Anchor bolt patterns, detailed assembly drawings, and a step by step erection guide are all included with every building. All major connections are bolt-together with pre-punched holes, and most components are precut and numbered to correspond with your drawings for quick assembly.

Flexibility

Pre-engineered metal buildings can have few to no interior columns, meaning that their interior layout is far more flexible and better for storing large pieces of equipment, installing lifts, and conducting interior activities.

Pair that with the ability to have much larger door openings (e.g. overhead, rolling, and sliding doors) and the benefits start adding up significantly. Larger door openings make them better for storing large pieces of equipment. From an agricultural or aviation perspective, this makes them ideal for storing large aircraft or farm equipment.

Energy Efficiency

Rigid frame steel buildings can be insulated far better than wood frame steel buildings, which boosts energy efficiency and can lead to vast savings on heating and cooling costs.

Additional Benefits

Versatility

Steel Building Systems are versatile. With different framing systems, such as clearspan or modular, a building can be designed for any application. From manufacturing plants and warehouses, to offices and retail, steel building systems are applicable in almost every design. In many cases you won't even be able to tell that a building is made from steel. Also, pre-engineered steel building systems can be incorporated with virtually any other construction material. Pre-engineered steel buildings come in virtually endless sizes, so your height, width, or length can be determined based on your situation. Especially on large buildings where you need uninterrupted interior space, steel buildings have the ability to clear span great distances, not achievable with wood. And future expansion is simple because steel buildings offer endless options for width and length extensions.

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Many first-time buyers are surprised to learn how much they can save by purchasing a pre-engineered steel building directly from the manufacturer. Working with Armstrong eliminates middlemen and gives you access to factory-direct pricing that most dealers simply can't offer.

Mike T

Mike T

Senior Building Consultant

No Waste

Armstrong Steel Building Systems are famous for their optimal use of materials. Each building is designed in-house, so there is no residual waste. You only pay for the materials used as opposed to lumber. Also, each and every piece of your building system has been specifically engineered to meet your local loads and codes. This equates to no excessive material usage.

Lower Labor Costs

Since Armstrong Steel Buildings are pre-engineered and designed to fit together seamlessly, labor costs are greatly decreased. With pre-punched connections, numbered components, and detailed assembly drawings, erection is streamlined. All these characteristics help you, the customer, save money.

Are you a first-time builder? Read our next section for more information about purchasing your first steel building with Armstrong Steel.