Thanks for the insights on metal vs wood. I would much prefer to have a really nice shop but since I am retired I have to be very concerned with taxes and the nicer the shop the more they are going to tax me on it. I expect but do not know for sure that a metal building should appraise for less than a nice wooden structure and while a well built wooden structure should last longer than a metal building, I doubt that I will last as long as either.
Best Material for Shop (wood or metal?)
- Thread starter centex
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wroughtn_harv
Super Member
The combination of wood and metal is something I've had some experience with Don.
I once built a cantilevered cedar cover over a pool deck. She, a doctor, and all things are possible with doctors, wanted a cedar cover over the pool bar and refrigerator.
Everyone told her "impossible" except for a bud of mine. When he got the job he called me to figure out how to do it. That's faith!
I put four pieces of four inch pipe twelve feet deep in the corner where the pool equipment was located. It wasn't easy. I then built a frame work out over the pool deck and bar out of purlins. If I recall correctly it was about seven feet out and twenty five feet long. Did I mention this was next to the fence between them and the neighbors? It was. The whole thing was supported by those four posts about three feet apart in a sorta triangle shape behind the fence. I did as much triangulating as I could in such a short area. It was also the reason the holes were twelve feet deep.
We used W panel steel sheeting for the roof. I attached cedar two bys to the purlins with self tapping screws. My bud followed this with tongue in groove cedar planks nailed into the two bys. When we were done you couldn't see any metal at all. The fence and the ceiling matched board for board.
The doctor wasn't that impressed that we could do it. I guess they're in the miracle business and are sorta used to it.
I have found that purlins will take wood inserts. Say you have a six inch purlin. You can lay a two by three edgewise inside of it and then follow that with siding on the inside while you have the metal on the outside. You nail the siding to the two by three which you've attached with screws to the purlin. Works like a hose at a fireman's ball.
I agree with the "steel today and wood and masonary for tomorrow" for commercial buildings where you're trying to bring up standards.
But if I was to build my dream home today it would be with a standing seam roof, metal btw, cut stone and cedar siding, but with a steel frame.
When it comes to shops I have a couple of considerations. One, and probably to me the most important, is the way the wind blows. I have found allowing for the natural flow of air as being essential for comfort in a shop. Here in Texas we have a general north to south in the winter and a south to north in the summer. The doors should be at the south end and the north end to allow for air flow.
I'm also a big fan of porches on a home. The same thing goes for a shop. I like to have a lean to roof out over the sides for work areas, just a personal thing.
I once built a cantilevered cedar cover over a pool deck. She, a doctor, and all things are possible with doctors, wanted a cedar cover over the pool bar and refrigerator.
Everyone told her "impossible" except for a bud of mine. When he got the job he called me to figure out how to do it. That's faith!
I put four pieces of four inch pipe twelve feet deep in the corner where the pool equipment was located. It wasn't easy. I then built a frame work out over the pool deck and bar out of purlins. If I recall correctly it was about seven feet out and twenty five feet long. Did I mention this was next to the fence between them and the neighbors? It was. The whole thing was supported by those four posts about three feet apart in a sorta triangle shape behind the fence. I did as much triangulating as I could in such a short area. It was also the reason the holes were twelve feet deep.
We used W panel steel sheeting for the roof. I attached cedar two bys to the purlins with self tapping screws. My bud followed this with tongue in groove cedar planks nailed into the two bys. When we were done you couldn't see any metal at all. The fence and the ceiling matched board for board.
The doctor wasn't that impressed that we could do it. I guess they're in the miracle business and are sorta used to it.
I have found that purlins will take wood inserts. Say you have a six inch purlin. You can lay a two by three edgewise inside of it and then follow that with siding on the inside while you have the metal on the outside. You nail the siding to the two by three which you've attached with screws to the purlin. Works like a hose at a fireman's ball.
I agree with the "steel today and wood and masonary for tomorrow" for commercial buildings where you're trying to bring up standards.
But if I was to build my dream home today it would be with a standing seam roof, metal btw, cut stone and cedar siding, but with a steel frame.
When it comes to shops I have a couple of considerations. One, and probably to me the most important, is the way the wind blows. I have found allowing for the natural flow of air as being essential for comfort in a shop. Here in Texas we have a general north to south in the winter and a south to north in the summer. The doors should be at the south end and the north end to allow for air flow.
I'm also a big fan of porches on a home. The same thing goes for a shop. I like to have a lean to roof out over the sides for work areas, just a personal thing.
Well, my metal carport that I put up to cover my tractor and implements (and hay while I build a cover for it) was dripping wet from condensation today. I thought that ventilation would prevent condensation on a metal roof but apparently it does not. I am not sure I want a metal building after this since I will not want water dripping on the things I will keep in it. The carport is about as ventilated as you can get without an actual ridge vent.
BB_TX
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I am in N TX and put up a Mueller 30x40 metal building 3 years ago. I really like it and think I would prefer it over wood. Mine is fully insulated however. I bought a prefab, meaning the frame members were all cut to size with the proper holes. I just bolted the frame together (with a little help from friends). I had help on the roof also. Otherwise, I did it all by myself. Picture attached.
BB_TX
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BB_TX
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The standard 30x40x12 prefab building was about $5500 as I remember. But I wanted to drop the walls to 10', add a 4-12 pitch roof, overhanging eaves, full insulation, an extra 10x10 door, extra windows, and gutters. Mine came to about $9500.
Here is their web site</font color=blue> where you can plug in the size you want and it will give you several pricing options.
Here is their web site</font color=blue> where you can plug in the size you want and it will give you several pricing options.
Anonymous Poster
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Hey Centex,
I had the same problem getting info at the Mueller website I use Opera and mozilla Internet browser because they are mucho faster and have nicer options. I found it hard to believe the website would have such limited information. So I plugged the website url into Internet Explorer and waa laa. There are about 6 tabs on top of the webpage that the other browsers did not show. I guess the website is not setup for other browsers.... microsoft thingy I bet.
Anyway the website had more information on metal structures that I've seen so far. The Mueller company is a bigger company then I expected. Also they had a very very detailed set of building instruction on line. (Which made me rethink the amount of work that will go into this project) Not scared of work, but I'm a one man operation. If anything the detailed instructions give you an accurate picture of what will be required of your abilities, equipment and finances.
No, I am not afiliated with Mueller, wish I were I'm sure there's an employee discount. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
I had the same problem getting info at the Mueller website I use Opera and mozilla Internet browser because they are mucho faster and have nicer options. I found it hard to believe the website would have such limited information. So I plugged the website url into Internet Explorer and waa laa. There are about 6 tabs on top of the webpage that the other browsers did not show. I guess the website is not setup for other browsers.... microsoft thingy I bet.
Anyway the website had more information on metal structures that I've seen so far. The Mueller company is a bigger company then I expected. Also they had a very very detailed set of building instruction on line. (Which made me rethink the amount of work that will go into this project) Not scared of work, but I'm a one man operation. If anything the detailed instructions give you an accurate picture of what will be required of your abilities, equipment and finances.
No, I am not afiliated with Mueller, wish I were I'm sure there's an employee discount. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Anonymous Poster
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I have a 30 x 40 metal over wood workshop here. It was here when we bought the place, so I can't offer any insights into ease of construction or costs, but I thought I'd mention the roof panels.
Four of the steel panels were replaced with translucent fiberglass panels. The amount of light they let in is amazing. Even though the building is windowless, there is no need to turn on the lights during the daytime.
As far as I know, the panels came from the building's material supplier and are original and designed for their specific purpose, not something cobbled together.
It's something worth looking into if you will be putting up something with a steel roof and no ceiling.
SnowRidge
Four of the steel panels were replaced with translucent fiberglass panels. The amount of light they let in is amazing. Even though the building is windowless, there is no need to turn on the lights during the daytime.
As far as I know, the panels came from the building's material supplier and are original and designed for their specific purpose, not something cobbled together.
It's something worth looking into if you will be putting up something with a steel roof and no ceiling.
SnowRidge
Anonymous Poster
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I looked at metal buildings, pole barns and all sorts of combinations, but I just couldn't find what I wanted. It has to look nice, complement the house, have 12' clearance in the shop, have plenty of loft storage, and room for my home office up in the loft.
I ended up going with BarnPlans.com, run by a fellow from Hawaii who loves gambrel roofed barns and obviously loves his work. I bought the plans for a 32'x40' similar to the one pictured in the attachment. The 32' is fixed, but the length can be stretched in 2' intervals. If my budget can stand it, I plan on 32'x48' with a full loft. The gambrel roof makes the second floor storage much more useful. The siding will be HardiPlank and the roof will be galvalume 5V crimp.
I'm also planning to add a 16' shed roof to one side of the barn, along the full length, for storage of implements, a couple of project cars, etc. that don't need to be inside. I'll have a fabrication shop, maintenance area, tools and parts storage, a lift, and a spot for our race car.
I have the plans (they look good), and, if the county will let me build a barn/shop before the house (I think they will, it's a rural area and the rules aren't as strict), I'll be starting construction within a few weeks, after the clearing is complete. I plan to do most of it myself, but have a son and son-in-law plus a couple of friends who want to help. While BarnPlans includes plans for building the trusses, I'll have a local truss factory make them, and rent a crane service to install them. It will be build on a slab, for which I'll hire a subcontractor.
I've been remodeling, rewiring, replumbing, and fabricating things all my life, but I have never built a barn or house before. Should be an interesting experience.
I ended up going with BarnPlans.com, run by a fellow from Hawaii who loves gambrel roofed barns and obviously loves his work. I bought the plans for a 32'x40' similar to the one pictured in the attachment. The 32' is fixed, but the length can be stretched in 2' intervals. If my budget can stand it, I plan on 32'x48' with a full loft. The gambrel roof makes the second floor storage much more useful. The siding will be HardiPlank and the roof will be galvalume 5V crimp.
I'm also planning to add a 16' shed roof to one side of the barn, along the full length, for storage of implements, a couple of project cars, etc. that don't need to be inside. I'll have a fabrication shop, maintenance area, tools and parts storage, a lift, and a spot for our race car.
I have the plans (they look good), and, if the county will let me build a barn/shop before the house (I think they will, it's a rural area and the rules aren't as strict), I'll be starting construction within a few weeks, after the clearing is complete. I plan to do most of it myself, but have a son and son-in-law plus a couple of friends who want to help. While BarnPlans includes plans for building the trusses, I'll have a local truss factory make them, and rent a crane service to install them. It will be build on a slab, for which I'll hire a subcontractor.
I've been remodeling, rewiring, replumbing, and fabricating things all my life, but I have never built a barn or house before. Should be an interesting experience.
