Are Steel Buildings As Strong As Traditional Wood Buildings? By Amy Nutt At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

So you are in need of a building to place on your property and you are torn over whether or not to go for building a wood building or whether you should invest in a steel building. This can be a very good question since this is a large investment and you want it to last for a very long time. You aren’t sure which of the two are stronger, which will be easier to maintain, or which will be more practical. You are not wrong for asking these questions because it is your money and you certainly want something that will last at least through your lifetime or even longer.

A little research will show that the use of steel in construction has grown phenomenally in recent years. Yes, steel has been used for a very long time in the construction industry, but the true practicality of it has just been realized. Wood was once the material of choice for erecting structures, but that was when logging and such land stripping activities were not such a problem. Now we end up with imitation woods and acquiring real wood is considerably more expensive. The environmental factor is one reason why many are steering clear of using wood and moving toward the affordability of steel .

Is it stronger?

How fast a steel building is erected may make one ask if it is truly as strong. It is more or less an urban legend that structures erected in short periods of time are not sturdy. Many used to believe that builders had to spend long periods of time on a structure in order for it to be of a great quality. That is no longer true with the many technological innovations that we have seen throughout the years, especially in the construction industry.

Steel is very sturdy and is, in fact, stronger than wood. It is more likely to withstand an environmental catastrophe while experiencing less damage than a wood structure. The wood in a wood structure may be strong, but it is still only held together by nails. There are other techniques used in the building of a steel structure that are not used when building a wood structure.

Advantages

Aside from faster construction, steel buildings also have a lower cost associated with them, as mentioned before. They are of a light weight, which makes the materials easily transportable during building and in larger pieces. They are also very easy to maintain. There are no such threats as termites and they do not rot. They are also easy to clean, which means they don’t need heavy maintenance. Most importantly, the fire risk is considerably less. If a fire were to occur in a steel building, it is more likely that the materials inside will burn, rather than the building. The fire temperatures would have to be extremely high to compromise the steel structure in any way. Nevertheless, the risk of fire is reduced in a steel building because there are no materials that can easily ignite.

A great alternative

So as you can see, steel buildings present a wonderful alternative. For those concerned with the environment, steel is 66% recyclable. This is another reason that makes them a better alternative to wood. Take this into consideration: A home of 2000 square feet uses the wood from approximately 50 trees. A building constructed of wood may not use that many trees, but it is certainly enough. Erecting a steel building will not only give you an environmentally friendly alternative, but a much sturdier and safer alternative that you can have confidence in.

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