metal garage

An unusual concept in temporary housing designs, Quonset huts are indeed an innovative conception. Quonset huts are in basic terms lightweight structures that have been manufactured using iron that is galvanized and has a semi circular cross section. The original design of Quonset huts was similar to the Nissen hut building, and gained acceptance post World War I when the English used these structures. Since the original design of the Nissen prototype was an intricate array of corrugated iron panels both inside and the thermal protection came from the space between the panel arrangements, the Government came up with a variation to avoid setbacks during shipping and reassembly. Quonset huts were named after the first manufacturing site, Quonset Point, Danisville, which was part of Rhode Island. The first approved design had a surface area 5 x 11 m and was constructed from hemispherical iron rods with a 2.4 m radius, and these were then covered with ribbed iron panes. The doors and windows were designed off the side of the main structure with regular ply, and the insulated interior contained a wood floor.

The very idea of this type of provisional housing facilities increased in use post 1941 when the US Navy needed reliable shelters for its military bases. The answer lay in constructing a lightweight shelter that could be readily shipped anywhere and did not require expert hands during assembly. In fact the building itself could be assembled just about anywhere, on concrete, iron pilings or even directly on the ground. The interiors could be used as needed and the open area could be concerted into residential units, military offices, storage structures or even be used as barracks. Quonsets instantly provided the US troops with better comfort than did other temporary shelters such as tents with wooden platforms, which were the common structures used then.

From its original usage as military structures, Quonset huts have seen many enhancements and other companies began to make variations to the model for other uses. The basic structure has undergone several redesigns and the major one occurred in 1943 when the manufacturing unit at Quonset Point was reestablished as part of the Stran Steel Division of the Great Lakes Steel Corporation. This modified Quonset hut was more stretched out and had a structure that used the original full arch rib. Versions of the Quonset hut model were manufactured to meet specific requirements, a prime example being the Pacific huts, which helped even conserve metal reserves. Some designs of Quonset huts were even constructed as air raid cover. Several larger units and multi arched Quonset huts have also been built as a response to special requests, government or civil.

Originally Quonset huts did come up to solve military requirements, but have since risen to an architectural icon. In current times, Quonset huts are receiving better recognition as a form of housing, and are an indicator of the American belief in creativity. Quonset huts are certainly an exclusive phenomena, where the novel and the extraordinary merge seamlessly.

There are many different examples of steel buildings to be found nowadays, encompassing a wide range of different styles and applications. There was once a time when steel buildings were primarily used for industrial purposes. Recent advances in technology however, have made steel more feasible as a general construction material. Today, an increasing number of structures are constructed from steel, from shopping malls to hangars, from office buildings to factories.

Steel buildings generally fall under three broad categories namely, steel frame buildings, steel pole buildings, and steel arch buildings.

Steel frame buildings utilize steel to form the structure instead of wood. The resulting structure could then be finished with any number of different building materials, with brick or stucco being common options. Steel frame buildings are typically used for offices, residential structures, and churches.

In steel pole buildings, the use of wood as a building material is foregone in favor of steel posts and trusses. While wood sidings are sometimes used for finishing walls and roofs, the use of metal sheaths is far more common. Steel pole buildings are also often known as pole barns, particularly when they are used for agricultural applications.

Another common application of steel in agricultural and industrial fields is in steel arch buildings. Steel arch buildings are rapidly becoming a popular option in the construction business, since they can be assembled quite quickly and easily. Since steel arch buildings use arched steel panels in their construction, they often do not need any framing or the use of columns or posts.

One factor that makes steel buildings so popular nowadays is that they can be built in a relatively short period of time compared to structures that use traditional materials. This is a particularly attractive trait in the construction industry where time is always of the essence. One of the reasons why steel buildings are so quick to build is that most of the components used are pre built in the factory before they are shipped off to the construction site. Steel buildings can also be expanded or extended easily and inexpensively.

In many cases, the manufacturers of steel buildings will provide personnel to deliver the different parts of the building and even lay them out. Most companies that manufacture prefabricated steel buildings are involved with all aspects of their construction from design to delivery, for which they charge a package rate. This helps lessen any difficulties in the construction process.

Steel is by far one of the strongest and most durable building materials around. It is also a fairly reasonably priced material, and all of these factors contribute to the current popularity of steel buildings.

Hundreds of thousands of Quonset huts were manufactured during World War II. The Navy spurred the production of so many Quonset huts, because they needed portable sturdy buildings that could be put in place without construction crews. Quonset huts are prefabricated semi circular structures that were modeled after similar structures created by the British in WWI. The hut is named after Quonset Point, where it was first created in Rhode Island. Quonset huts had the advantage of a lot of open space inside, due to the galvanized iron cross section design. The flexibility and simplicity of the huts allowed the military to have immediate solid structures for medical facilities, vehicle repair shops, barracks and storage. They offered a step up from the combination of tents and wooden platforms that were previously used for such purposes. After the war, the Quonset huts were sold to the public and started being seen across the country for various civilian uses. Since then, Quonset huts not produced by the military have been manufactured and utilized for a plethora of commercial and residential uses.

Quonset huts provided the foundation for the modern prefabricated steel building of today. One of the big problems with the semi circular design on Quonset huts, was that it was difficult to place square items flush to the wall on the floor. The structure was later altered to have walls at 90 degree angles, which eliminated the wasted space of the original curved wall design. The design change actually allowed the structures to break down even smaller and made it lighter to ship. And the curved arc frame introduced by the advent of Quonset huts is still used by a lot of the current portable steel building manufacturers.

The same portability and ease of construction concept that made Quonset huts so invaluable to the U.S. military is why steel buildings are such an attractive option for residential and commercial uses today. Like Quonset huts, the current metal buildings are super easy to put together and do not require special tools or knowledge. Both businesses and home owners use metal structures for any number of uses. They are gymnasiums, body shops, churches and garages. They are more economical than traditional buildings and require little maintenance. The Quonset huts live on.

Most structures we see today are made out of the exact same material. Metal is that material. Since most commercials are made out of metal, and these structures tend to last quite a bit of time, why not do the smart thing and obtain you own metal building. At a fraction of the cost, you can own you very own commercially built, metal structure. You may wonder where you can find such companies that build metal structures are such low prices. It is easy, prefabricated metal structures are the best way to keep costs low. A simple search on your favorite search engine, will yield you thousands of choices for your building needs.

Why is prefabrication the best choice for you? Its pretty simple, getting a metal structure pre fabricated is saving you time and money. You do not have to wait for them to actually make the structure, or even wait for them to build it, it is already made to your specifications. Your now worrying about the time it takes to set a metal structure up. A crack team of assemblers usually come with the package. A lot of companies have self assembly metal structures available. The self assembly, usually sell at lower price. This is another huge advantages in prefabricated metal structures purchasing.

What are the uses for metal structures? There are loads of uses for metal structures, the most poplar use is second garages. Purchasing metal structures always tends to mold your needs. You now do not have to worry about your exposed vehicle, or exposed farm equipment, you now have a structure to protect it from the weather. You also have the perfect protection from the elements.

Imagine the money and time you will save in getting your business or home a prefabricated metal structure. These American made metal structures, will last you for years. During these tough economic times, who would not want to save some dough when wanting to build structures for your business or home. Even if you do not have the time to set one of these structures for yourself, you can pay the extra fee and have the company set it up for you. Mull it over, think about it, but metal structures are the way to go for your expansion needs in your business or home.