The Advantages of a Steel Barn to a Pole Wood Framed Barn
Remember the story of the three little pigs?
Each one built a house – one of straw, one of wood, and one of bricks. And then the villain wolf came and got huffing and puffing and blowing down houses.
If you’re thinking of building a new barn for your agricultural business you might feel like one of those little pigs.
How do you decide which material to use?!
In modern day agriculture, wolves are not the main concern. But if you’re planning to build a barn that will allow your business to grow, or provide a safe storage place for livestock, equipment, material or crops, then you will want to make sure that your barn can withstand other threats – notably the weather and environmental conditions.
Commonly, barns are either made of pole wood frames or steel.
When it comes to building a barn – there are so many reasons why steel buildings in Canada stand up better!
Here are just a few of the main reasons why you’re better off going with steel:
Steel Is Ideal For Canadian Weather
Structures in Canada need to be able to withstand all of the harsh, extreme weather that we experience. From six months of frozen ground, to thawing and re-freezing, and scorching hot summers.
Pole wood frame barns, which extend their wooden columns into the ground, are simply not the right material to withstand these extremes. As a porous material, the wood can expand and contract as the water enters the pole, leaving vulnerable spots and weak points in your structure.
Steel framed barns, on the other hand, provide a cost-effective way to withstand the elements. Not only do steel columns stand up far better to the freezing and thawing of the ground, but as we’ll see, they also carry a greater snow load, so you have greater confidence that your steel barn will be able to withstand even the snowiest Canadian winter!
Steel Offers Increased Durability
As a natural, degradable material, wood rots. Even treated wood will eventually give in to its natural properties and degenerate into the soil. Ultimately this means you’ll be spending more on maintenance and repairs with a wooden pole building. This is why insuring a wooden pole barn is often more expensive than insuring a steel barn in Canada – insurance companies know that steel barns are simply more long lasting!
If you’re looking for a barn that will last you for generations to come, then a steel building has all of the durability that you’ll need. With steel frames, you don’t need to worry about groundwater or below-ground ice penetrating the columns. You can also be confident that sheets of steel are 100% waterproof and will not grow mould – meaning that everything inside your steel building remains dry and free of mould.
Steel is also far more effective at load bearing than wood. This means that over the years, as snow piles up in the winter and exerts a downwards force on your building, a steel frame barn will stand up to the weight far better than a wood frame.
Choose Steel For Speed of Building
Unlike wooden pole buildings, steel buildings can be entirely pre-fabricated in the factory and delivered to your business to be installed. While a wooden pole barn could take a week or more to build, Zentner Steel Buildings is able to put up a pre-fabricated steel building in just a few days.
If you’re looking to expand your business with a new building, you’ll get there quicker with steel!
Steel Offers Increased Sanitation
Building materials that are derived from plants are highly susceptible to mould growth. Given the huge fluctuations in temperatures and air conditions in Canada, we are particularly vulnerable to a high number of various moulds that grow on wood.
When inhaled by humans or livestock, some mould spores can cause irreparable damage to the lungs and airways.
When mould is allowed to grow on materials or crops, this can cause financial devastation and eradicate thousands of dollars of profit.
Steel buildings in Canada are far more protected from mould than wooden pole structures. Unless there is a layer of organic material, mould simply cannot grow on steel. This makes a steel building far more sanitary and a safer environment for you, your livestock and your equipment.
When it comes to building a new barn for your agricultural business, it’s sometimes tough to decide between different materials. While steel buildings are sometimes more expensive at the outset, for agricultural businesses in Canada, the long term savings are enormous when compared to the upkeep and repair costs of a wooden pole building.
In conclusion, while wooden pole buildings are sometimes chosen for cost saving reasons, they often end up costing more over the years. Those extra costs come from the wear and tear inflicted by the Canadian winter as well as increased maintenance costs often associated with wooden pole buildings. Steel buildings in Canada offer a sturdy and long-lasting alternative that also protects against mold and other hazards that can be dangerous to staff and livestock.
For more information about how Zentner Steel Buildings can help you grow your agricultural business, or to discuss your ideas, Contact us today.
