It doesn’t matter what it is that you’re trying to store. No matter the size, shape, or amount, the warehouse you choose should have a quick construction time, provide lifetime durability and supreme protection, and keep your costs down whenever possible. That isn’t too much to ask from your building materials. After all, they could potentially be housing millions of dollars worth of materials and equipment. Are you willing to compromise when protecting your investment?

Which building material is the best choice for any type of warehouse?

Speed of construction: Prefabricated steel structures are the obvious choice for warehousing other materials because they can cut down as much as a third of your construction time. After the design process is completed, all the components are cut, welded, and drilled off-site and delivered to you for the easiest possible setup. Steel is also 100% recyclable, making it the ideal choice for short term or rotating projects.

Durability: Your building should provide unbeatable protection to the materials that you warehouse. It should come as no surprise that the number one source of warehouse fires is lumber. Steel framing is not only non-combustible, but also resistant to a variety of environmental elements from pests to earthquakes. The building materials will never settle, maintaining a tight seal for temperature-controlled environments.

Low cost customizations for warehouses: The number one benefit of using prefabricated steel for warehousing is the low-cost customization. It all starts with the clearspan capability. Rigid steel framing allows you to create a wide-open interior space that is never broken up by bulky support columns. In fact, steel warehouses can support up to 150 feet of width without any load-bearing columns. With standard building heights sitting at up to 40 feet, you can store maximum SKUs at your lowest possible cost, leaving plenty of room for customized overhead doors, ceiling cranes, and more.

What customizations will my warehouse need?

Consider not only the amount of materials you are looking to warehouse, but the equipment you’ll need to handle your inventory. Your need for interior clearance may mean that you’ll require a custom building with more height than our standard 40-foot prefabricated structure. The doors will also need to accommodate that equipment moving in and out.

The interior layout of your warehouse will help you determine the shape and pitch of your roof. Increased roof pitch gives you more interior clearance for stacking materials. However, you’ll need to choose between single slope roofing, with the tallest portion being against one side wall, or peaked roofing, with the tallest point at the center.

Other popular customizations for warehouses include:

• Insulation: Envelope Solutions for optimal energy performance in climate-controlled warehouses.
• Gutters and downspouts: protect your investment from widespread moisture damage and save money on annual maintenance.
• Lean-to additions: a covered area against a side wall to protect from the elements while moving equipment and materials in and out.
• Framed openings: includes jamb extensions for rolling vertical doors up to 2000 pounds, commonly used in warehousing.

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