There are many reasons why farmers and ranchers now prefer to use steel for their agricultural buildings. However, many people still confuse steel barns and steel pole barns for the same building. They are not the same, and it is important to understand their differences before proceeding with your steel barn project.
The Difference Between Steel Pole Barns and Steel Barn Buildings
What are steel pole barns?
In a steel pole barn building, wood barn framing is used to erect the building by burying the framing into the ground with a concrete cast around it. The wood beam poles are the main structure and vertical support for the roof and walls. The roof and walls of these pole barns are made of metal, tin or wood and feature a dirt floor rather than a concrete slab.
What are steel barn buildings?
Steel barns use structural steel. The barn is made of steel columns that attach to steel beams and is connected by purlins and girts. The barn is then completed by attaching metal panels using self-drilling screws. The columns are secured to a concrete foundation, which gives these barns their characteristic strength and reliability.
Benefits of a Steel Barn Building
Steel barns are supported by a reinforced concrete foundation with no direct wood to ground contact, which eliminates any source of rot. Secondly, unlike pole barns that require additional framing of furring, the wall girts in a steel barn are installed perpendicular to the metal siding, which provides enough room for insulation and sheetrock or plywood sheathing. On top of that, steel buildings are generally more resistant to strong weather elements, including thunderstorms, heavy snow, strong winds and extreme temperatures. Steel buildings are also resistant to mold and pests. Lastly, due to the durable nature of steel, it will typically last longer and require little to no maintenance, unlike wood. All in all, these benefits of steel barns in agricultural applications mean that steel barns save you a lot of time and money in labour, insurance, maintenance and replacement costs.
Is Steel the Most Reliable Choice for Agricultural Buildings?
Farmers and ranchers are always looking for ways and means to improve their business practices. It is no surprise, therefore, that many operations are switching to steel farm buildings as they are easy to maintain, durable and affordable.
With the wide selection of modern designs that we provide at Toro Steel Buildings, you can have metal storage barns that look similar to structures made from traditional materials but without the associated costs and risks. Some of the many benefits of metal farm buildings include:
The Strength of Steel
Steel is one of the most reliable and durable building materials. It also helps that it can handle the expected bruises and bumps that come from the industry without compromising its structural integrity.
Reliable Shelter for Livestock and Equipment
Most pieces of farm equipment are very expensive and also highly sensitive. Our steel farm buildings protect your equipment and livestock from not only the weather, but also temperature fluctuations and theft. It also helps that our buildings are lockable, greatly improving security. More importantly, steel buildings can be easily customized to meet the particular needs of almost any type of animal, including pigs, cattle, horses, turkeys, and any other animal on your farm.
Multiple Applications and Uses
Metal farm buildings give you the liberty to have many different uses and applications in the same building, including special rooms for milking, bathing, storage, refrigeration and more. This allows you to design one building that caters to all your needs, including feeding, storage and pathways for maximum efficiency and control.
Easy Transitions
For people operating a business, the ability to quickly and easily change or modify a building to meet different needs is invaluable, and our steel barns give you that liberty. This saves you time, money, effort and productivity fluctuations.
If you are considering new steel barns for your farm, the benefits above should make this decision a lot easier. You might also be surprised at the amount of money you will save by working with Toro Steel Buildings. Our design and project delivery process is second to none, ensuring your project exceeds your expectations at your budget. Contact the Toro Steel experts today and let us help you with your next steel barn project.