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Steel: |
Pole Barn: |
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FOUNDATION: |
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Metal buildings use anchor bolts to affix to a concrete foundation. The 1-1/2” sheeting notch in the foundation guards against frost and flooding in the steel building. |
The wood poles are buried right into the ground and offer no safeguard against frost or flooding. |
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FRAMING: |
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During fabrication of the metal buildings, after all holes and cuts are completed, the solid steel building framework is painted with a protective primer so there isn’t any break in the defense against rusting. |
Wood that is pressure-treated gets warped and weakens. It isn’t advised to use as a permanent install. Because the wood framing shifts, pole barns must be put straight every five to seven years at a market rate of $2,500. Also, the way they pressure-treat the wood for the purlins and girts, using copper sulfate, is poisonous and not advised with livestock. |
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INSURANCE: |
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Property insurance lower for a steel building system, typically by 30%. |
Hazard and fire insurance is typically 30% higher per year for pole barns. |
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ASSEMBLY: |
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A thorough erection manual and construction drawings are supplied with your steel building. The supplied permit drawings are stamped by an engineer certified for your state and are ready to be turned in to your permit department. All of the components are numbered and assured to fit together properly. Our metal buildings can be constructed using only scaffolding and hand tools. |
Most times there are no instructions, plans or blueprints provided for this building. This definitely is a major cause of permitting problems and construction problems for the larger more complex pole barns. The pieces aren’t numbered or categorized causing construction problems for even the smaller pole barns. Construction can take several hours since you have to sort, cut and piece the materials together. |
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MAINTENANCE: |
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As soon as a steel building is up, you don’t have to worry about it for the next twenty years. When the pole barn has started decomposing (in about 15 years), metal buildings still have five maintenance-free years to go. |
The metal sheets on a pole barn need to be reattached and repainted on a regular basis. Since wood absorbs water, being in contact with the steel causes the steel to rust. Many pole barns need to have the sheeting completely replaced every seven to ten years, which costs about $16,250 over its 15-year lifetime. |
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FIRE RATING: |
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Class C fire rating – Equal to masonry buildings. Our metal buildings can be designed to meet the highest snow load or seismic design requirements. |
Class A fire rating – The least protection against fire hazards. It’s not advised to use a pole barn for public use. They barely meet the lowest design standards for a permanent building. Pole barns are not allowed in many zoning areas. |
