We’ve driven the point home time and time again – you’ve more than likely been in a building without realizing that it was prefabricated metal. Your preconceived notions about prefabricated steel building kits probably have you picturing corrugated metal boxes with little to no customizations. But with today’s technology, it’s easy to erect durable, cost-effective metal buildings that look no different than their organic material counterparts. Facade options hide the corrugated metal. Beautiful windows, doors, and skylights welcome natural light. Creative roof pitches offer new architectural creativity. But of all the customizations, how you choose to frame out the interior can make the greatest impact on both aesthetics and functionality.

When it comes to framing out the interior of your prefabricated metal building, your intended functionality makes all the difference. Today, we’re breaking down all the ways you can customize the interior framing of your building, and which options will serve your commercial, residential, and industrial needs.

When is wood framing the best option in the interior of a steel building?

In a prefabricated metal building kit, you’re allotted up to 200 feet of width uninhibited by columns that would otherwise break up the interior of your building. Essentially, you’re looking at a clean slate with practically endless opportunities for interior function and organization. That’s why metal buildings are such a popular choice for indoor sports arenas, gymnasiums, and equestrian centers. Steel building kits are increasingly being used for commercial and residential uses as well, not only for their aesthetic customizations but because of the lack of interior load-bearing walls. For up to 200 feet, none of the walls will need to work with or around load-bearing columns, making the interior layout customizable.

As long as your building has the appropriate height, creating a second story is cost-effective and straightforward. Interior wood framing can create a second story or loft concept to accommodate a second bedroom, family room, or creative storage solution.

How do I achieve the “finished” look in the interior of a metal building?

We’ve built our reputation for strength and durability by providing the best materials available on the market. But what happens next is equally as important. Your contractor will work with you to make decisions about the placement of electrical wiring, plumbing, heating, and air conditioning. From there, both your wood framing and metal walls can be finished with drywall or any material that you so choose. Some commercial buildings decide to retain the exposed look for a more industrial, modern aesthetic. But otherwise, there is no reason why the finished interior can’t look just like any other building.

So, that leaves you with a few decisions to make. Would you like to,

• Leave your interior walls exposed for an industrial look?
• Finish all of your interior walls with drywall and a fresh coat of paint?
• Or choose colored metal wall paneling for the interior of the steel frame?

What are my more flexible interior framing options?

There are many cases in which you might want to keep the interior layout of your prefabricated metal building flexible. Metal buildings are a cost-effective solution for startups because it’s easy to customize and expand the building in the future, even if it’s not in your budget today. Rented commercial office spaces may need to easily customize the interior layout to accommodate a variety of businesses. Indoor gymnasiums might want to break up an open space for multiple private fitness classes. In any event, flexible wall panels make it easy to fold and slide walls in and out of the way, creating dramatically different layouts in a day.

Flexible wall panels can work seamlessly with any flooring. The lowest maintenance option may be stained concrete. The concrete slab that your steel building frame is anchored to can be easily stained to maintain that modern, industrial look. But concrete slabs can accommodate practically any flooring, like hardwood or vinyl. Flexible wall panels can easily slide across commercial carpeting as well, which is a great option for increased noise reduction.

Other articles you might find interesting:

1. How To Find Metal Building Contractors

2. How Fast Can I Get Into My Prefabricated Metal Building?

3. Metal Building Insurance Saves You Money

4. The Best Metal Building Siding Options for a Business.

5. 3 Ways a Steel Building is More Environmentally Sustainable

    

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