Metal Warehouses: The Pinnacle Of Adaptability

6 January

Think that metal warehouses are only good for storing inventory? While that’s certainly one of their most well-known uses, the truth is that mighty metallic structures are good for more than holding boxes. As we’ll cover today, the modular nature of steel building construction, combined with their strength and roomy interiors make them the building of choice for all sorts of activities.

Metal Warehouses: An Overview

What makes the metal warehouse such a flexible building option? Three primary factors converge to provide them with a unique appeal.

1) They’re Modular

Perhaps one of the greatest advantages of going with a steel building is the fact that they are modular constructions. This means that component pieces are created “off-site” then put together at the construction site to complete the building. As each piece is developed in carefully controlled factory conditions, they enjoy a level of precision that allows workers to assemble them quickly and with minimal errors.

Modular construction allows for tighter construction schedules, as the manufacture and integration of the building components can occur in conjunction. It also nullifies weather delays that would completely halt a traditional building project. Most steel projects can be completed in half to two-thirds the time of a normal site built construction project.

Speedy construction and improved quality aren’t the only benefits here, however. The modular nature of the design means that buildings can be created to just about whatever size the end-user desires. Big, small, or in between, a vast array of sizes and shapes can be accommodated.

2) Steel Is Strong

Very strong, in fact, possessing tensile and compressive strength that far outclasses many other materials. It is well known as one of the strongest alloys man has created. Steel has a high capacity to withstand weight, along with heat, wind, and other environmental forces. Because of this, steel buildings are durable, capable of standing for years and staying free of rust and most other forms of damage.

In addition to its amazing longevity, strength affords steel the ability to span large distances when used in buildings. This “opens up” the interior space, allowing it to stand tall without extraneous beams and supports that would be necessary for other buildings.

3) Construction Is Cost Effective

Because of its properties and some amazing advances in the steel production process, it has become a relatively inexpensive building material. Per pound, it is generally less expensive than aluminum and other options. Because of the modular process, the costs of most construction projects can be streamlined and reduced to a much greater degree than other methods.

On top of that, steel itself can be recycled from many sources, keeping the supply high. In fact, steel is one of the most recycled materials on earth, continually reused and given new life with no loss in its quality or functionality.

Additional Perks

Steel’s amazing attributes don’t stop there. Savvy manufacturers have found it’s an excellent opportunity for going green. You don’t have to use an overabundance of steel to meet your building goals, and, as we mentioned, a large quantity of steel is recycled. Steel’s longevity means that maintenance, repair, and waste are at a minimum.

In addition to using recycled materials, though, steel’s properties allow for rather impressive levels of energy efficiency. Thermal insulation keeps steel buildings warm in the cold. Cool roof panels nullify the effects of so-called “heat islands.” Manufacturers also have devised a number of additional clever tricks to keep costs and environmental impact to a low.

Metal Warehouses Can Do More Than Storage

Which isn’t to say that storage isn’t an option. Housing inventory in a metal warehouse is generally the most sound option. Your products, whatever they may be, will be safe and secure within a sturdy steel shell while you tend to building your business. Steel buildings are so versatile, though, that they can be repurposed for activities beyond what one might consider standard fare.

Artist’s Spaces

Head to a thriving art scene like Oakland, and you’ll find that reclaimed steel buildings form the backbone for many artist’s studios, and with good reason. Even in an aged state, a warehouse is a prime space for retrofitting. The large spaces provide room for an artist to spread out with their equipment and work on multiple pieces at once. Several artists can easily share space and work in a cooperative atmosphere. Artists can even customize the aesthetic aspects of the building to fit their unique sense of style and draw inspiration from.

In some cities, where working and living spaces can be combined, the metal warehouse provides the perfect opportunity to do just that. Keeping part of the warehouse in its original, metallic, “unfinished” state for productivity, and enhancing another section of the warehouse to create a humble abode, fit for a creative mind. Perhaps one of the reasons the “artist’s loft” has become the archetype most frequently around the world.

Gymnasiums

Check out MMA great Donald Cerrone’s “Fight Ranch.” Do those buildings remind you of anything? It turns out, metal warehouses make for an excellent training space. Plenty of room for equipment, the ability to expand as the prestige of the gym grows, and the look of a facility where serious feats of physicality are performed by top-level athletes. A metal warehouse can be customized to accommodate just about any sport, so it’s no wonder that so many are starting to adapt them into state-of-the-art factories for testing the limits of human performance.

Music Venue

Large, open, and adaptable to suit precise acoustics? That’s right; warehouses are also great spaces for music. Whether it’s performing a live show or setting up a studio to record, a steel building provides the optimal framework for musicians as well. Set up many rooms to create practice spaces and studios for multiple artists, create a larger area to fit a stage and crowds, or combine the two to give performers an all-in-one location for any creative need.

The Only Constraint Is Your Imagination

With so many possibilities, the uses for a sturdily constructed metal building may be limitless. All it takes is a touch of inventiveness to fine-tune the structure to your own purposes. Keep the benefits of steel firmly in mind, and ask yourself if it might be the way to go for your next big idea, whatever that may be.