The Lifespan of Steel Workshop Sheds – Is Steel the Right Material?
Steel buildings are regarded as a quality investment as they are known for their durability and longevity. In comparison to other popular building materials such as timber, steel has no match. Truly understanding the pros and cons of steel buildings can provide you with greater insight into whether a steel workshop is right for your property.
Why a Steel Workshop
When considering building a workshop for your farm, you’re likely to stumble upon two main materials that would best fit the job description – timber and steel. Timber is a more traditional building structure that is sturdy and reliable. Even though it is regarded as cost efficient and readily available, timber buildings are unfortunately associated with a few disadvantages that are hard to overlook.
Timber is a natural material, which means that it is easily impacted by climatic conditions, prone to pests, mould, rot and fungi depending on the location and surroundings, plus it is not very environmentally friendly. Every building needs some attention and maintenance, but you’ll find that the maintenance for building structures that are made from timber seem to be much higher than those made of other materials.
Once you have established steel as your material of choice, there are three main benefits associated:
1. Easy Maintenance
Maintenance will be a lot simpler, if you decide to work with steel that is pre-painted and designed to withstand the harsh weather of Australia. Steel produced in Australia follows specific standards as they are designed with a great understanding of the level of durability that is required by Australian farmers.
Rainwater naturally washes the outside of steel and allows it to maintain the overall clean look. When purchasing steel supplies, ensuring the products are galvanised is essential to avoid rust build up. You should however still give your steel building a wash once year to remove any substance that could potentially harm the integrity of the building and materials. It is also important to consider the maintenance of the roof by removing leaves that have been collected just as you would with regular gutters.
Steel removes the stress of rotting wood, termite infestations and any potential fire damage, making maintenance stress-free.
2. Longevity
Although surprisingly light, steel is extremely strong. Steel is built to last and is a durable metal made to withstand the test of time. This decreases your stress regarding common issues that can be found on timber, by redirecting your focus to farming processes and efficiently caring for your livestock. Steel ensures longevity as it is resistant to corrosion, moisture, and pests.
3. Livestock Protection
Incorporating durable materials, like steel, into the structure of your buildings will protect anything inside them. The safety and security of livestock is always a concern for farmers which can be provided by a properly built shed. Not only will your livestock be protected, but also your resources, feed, tools and equipment.
Some things to look out for when building with steel
No material is perfect and although steel buildings are durable, there are two main things that may be take into consideration:
1. Noise
Metal sheds may be noisy in high winds. That’s why it is important to understand the placement of the building to predict just how much noise will be made and which areas on your land may be able to reduce noise levels.
2. Condensation
The second issue that you may come across is condensation. Condensation build-up inside metal structures can be a problem when storing moisture-releasing substances. With the build-up of condensation comes the risk of mould and can be a health risk to both you and your cattle. That is why it is important to consider incorporating adequate ventilation into the design of the shed.
Now that you have a better understanding of the durability, strength, longevity and how to account for potential disadvantages, it’s time to decide which material will best suit your property. Investing in quality steel fabrication can help elevate your farming efforts and protect you and your farm against the harsh Australian weather. Contact us to find out more about designing the perfect steel shed.