In the past, concrete or wood was the primary material used to construct buildings. Right? However, modern construction relies heavily on steel. All components of a building are made of steel, providing it with the required stability and strength. There are different types of steel buildings.
Interestingly, you can construct steel buildings for a wide range of purposes. Additionally, each type of steel building has a distinct value proposition. However, basic structural elements, such as beams and columns, are made of steel. In this article, I will discuss types of steel buildings. You’ll also learn about steel buildings you can make for different purposes. So, let’s begin!
What is a Steel Building?
Before we go into types, let’s first learn the basics of steel buildings.
Steel buildings are unique because they rely on steel materials. Their structure, including beams, columns, trusses, and other elements, is made of steel. The use of steel in their foundation gives these buildings strength and durability. Such buildings can withstand heavy loads and sudden shocks with ease.
The foundations of these buildings are made of concrete. However, the structural elements, such as beam-column trusses, are made of steel. Here are the key components of steel buildings (listed below):
- Steel Beams
- Steel Columns
- Purlins & Girts
- Bracing System
- Anchor Bolts & Base Plates
Remember, columns and beams are the two most essential elements in buildings. Right? These two structural elements withstand the load and distribute it evenly. In steel buildings, these structures are entirely made of steel materials and are robust. As a result, the steel buildings remain durable even in storms or extreme weather.
What I like about steel buildings is their construction speed. Remember, the components are made individually first. After that, those steel components are shipped to the site (where buildings need to be made). All these parts are then welded and assembled on-site. This assembly takes less time, resulting in faster construction of steel buildings.
Interestingly, you can even get prefabricated steel components. So, you won’t have to rely on bricks for your buildings. Remember that brick buildings require periodic maintenance. However, the steel structure of modern buildings withstands extreme conditions. It requires no maintenance, indicating its cost-effectiveness. To sum it up, steel buildings are faster to build and offer exceptional strength at affordable prices.
Types of Steel Buildings
In the section above, I discussed some basics of steel buildings. The purpose of that section is to make you ready to understand specific steel structure buildings. In the section below, I will discuss different types of steel-based buildings.
1- Rigid Frame Steel Buildings (aka I-Beam)
These buildings are mainly beam-based. In fact, these beams form the main skeleton of these steel buildings. In this structure, I-beams with thicker flanges are used. They don’t have the column on the internal side of the structure. Instead, the columns in these rigid-frame steel buildings are located at the corners or edges of the building.
These buildings are durable due to their network of I-beams and don’t require internal support. The column and beams have a strong and fixed connection. This fixed connection limits the flexibility of these building structures. As a result, these buildings have rigid frames, offering excellent stability and durability.
As I said earlier, these steel buildings do not consist of internal supports. Their internal side is empty space, making these buildings suitable for use as factories or warehouses. The presence of multiple I-beams enhances strength, and fixed connections ensure stability. However, these networks of beams make the building heavier and slightly more costly than other steel building types.
2- Portal Frame Buildings
Portal frame buildings are an ideal option for those who want a compact place for their needs. Their structures consist of columns and beams that meet at the top. In simple terms, there are multiple columns and beams. But two columns and two beams join each other at the top of the building. These sets of two columns and two beams create the structure of these buildings.
Each pair of columns and beams joins throughout the building. The arrangement of the column and beam creates a small pathway or doorway. What I like about this steel building is its low pricing. Why? The reason is that a portal frame building requires less weight and fewer materials. Their portal frame provides excellent stability to the overall structure of this building.
Quick Highlight: This steel building has a drawback: it is not safe in specific sizes. If you increase their width, the structure of this building becomes unstable. If you need a large steel building, I don’t recommend this portal-frame steel building. However, it is an excellent option for small warehouses or small agricultural storage.
3- Cold-Formed Steel Buildings
Cold-formed steel buildings are very unique. How? They are made of small steel parts or sections. These steel parts are fragile and thin (1–3 mm). First, a steel sheet of 1–3 mm thickness undergoes forming and bending. This process happens at room temperature using press brake machines.
This allows the production of steel sections of different shapes, such as C-, Z-, and U-shapes. These sections are then used to make the building structures. Remember, builders join those small steel sections together using strong welds, bolts, and screws. What sets these steel buildings apart is their lightweight design. It is noteworthy that steel sections undergo galvanization.
This ensures these steel parts don’t corrode, making the steel building durable and long-lasting. Remember, the cold-formed steel building remains in good condition even in extreme conditions. However, there is a drawback: the steel sections used are thinner. So, their load-withstanding capacity is also very low. Therefore, they are ideal options for small or compact steel buildings.
4- Truss & Space-Frame Buildings
This steel building consists of multiple small steel bars. These bars make up the structure of these buildings. How? They are joined to form a triangular structure. In this structure, the steel bars are linked to increase the structure’s strength. The linking of those steel bars or tubes creates a grid-like network.
What makes such buildings stand out is their flexibility in terms of size. You can create a large building using these bars. For example, modern airport hangars, sports halls, etc., are built using truss and space-frame buildings. Such steel buildings do not require internal columns, which makes them a cost-effective option. Additionally, these truss-and-frame steel buildings can be of custom shape.
5- Hot-rolled Structural Steel Building
As I mentioned earlier, there are two types of steel commonly used in the construction of steel buildings. Cold-formed steel buildings are made from small steel sections. But these hot-rolled structural buildings consist of columns and beams made of hot-rolled steel. Remember, these parts or components result from the rolling of steel at very high temperatures.
Examples of such hot-rolled parts include I-beams, H-beams, angles, channels, and so on. Interestingly, hot-rolled steel structural buildings are costly. Why? The reason is that those hot-rolled components — i.e., I-beams, columns, and channels — are heavier and contain more material. As a result, the cost of steel construction increases.
6- Pre-Engineered or Pre-Fabricated Metal Buildings
Do you want to build steel buildings quickly? If so, this prefabricated building is an excellent option. All components used to make metal buildings are pre-fabricated. It means the manufacturers first create all the elements. Those include steel beams, columns, purlins, girts, and more.
Once made, these components are sent to the on-site location (where you want to build). After that, all the elements are assembled to form the building’s structure. Our experts perform on-site installation and assembly of these elements. These pre-fabrication steel buildings are a cost-effective option. This is the primary reason people consider pre-fabricated metal buildings.
Quick Highlight: The pre-fabricated steel building offers excellent expandability. You can first build small buildings and then expand them by ordering additional prefabricated parts. However, they come with limited customizability or modification. Once you purchase the structural parts, you can’t modify or adjust them. Why? Because they’re already prefabricated.
7- Quonset Buildings (Arch Steel Buildings)
These Quonset steel buildings are unique in terms of their physical appearance. Their shape is more curvy, like an arch. Interestingly, these steel buildings do not use conventional columns and beams. Instead, they use pre-fabricated curved panels. These panels make up the whole structure of these buildings. The foundations of these buildings rely on concrete.
The arch extends to the ground through the steel slabs. Remember, these curved panels are made in the factory first. After that, manufacturers transport the materials to the site to build the Quonset steel building. I recommend these steel buildings for small agricultural storage. You can even make a cattle pen for your animals. Additionally, these steel buildings are a popular choice for parking sheds due to their arches.
Types of Steel Buildings by Use
In the section above, I mentioned some of the steel buildings. These buildings differ in structure. However, there are different types of steel buildings based on their intended use. Here is the table showing those steel buildings:
| Type of Building (by Purpose) | Use Cases |
|---|---|
| Industrial Buildings | Factories, manufacturing plants, and workshops. |
| Commercial Buildings | Offices, retail stores, showrooms, and malls. |
| Warehouse Buildings | Storage facilities and logistics centers. |
| Agricultural Buildings | Grain storage units, dairy farms, and equipment sheds. |
| Residential Buildings | Homes, apartments, and housing complexes. |
| Public Buildings | Gyms, stadiums, sports halls, and community centers. |
| Aircraft Hangars | Storage and maintenance spaces for airplanes. |
| Cold Storage Buildings | Temperature-controlled storage for food |
The steel buildings are also used to build garages or sheds for parking. Why? The reason is that these buildings are inexpensive and quick to make. The conventional building process used to take months. Additionally, the steel buildings are very durable due to their strong steel structure. You can use various steel structures to build steel buildings for different needs.
Conclusion
The trend of steel buildings is increasing. The reason is that this steel-based construction is cost-effective. You can quickly create the steel building. On the other hand, conventional buildings that rely on concrete or wood were too slow to make. Above all, the lower durability and poor longevity of those steel buildings were another big concern.
There are different types of steel buildings one can choose from. Each of those buildings differs from the others in terms of its structure and strength. Some steel buildings are more cost-effective than others. In this article, I’ve discussed the most popular types of steel structure buildings. You can choose them for warehouses, factories, commercial spaces, and more.