Steel buildings became popular at the end of WW II, when steel was more accessible to the public. Its cost-efficiency is the main reason for such. Running a close second is the diversity of usage steel buildings offer such as for personal, commercial, industrial, aviation, institutional and storage purposes.

Also, the diversity of steel buildings also includes the framing systems, from which you may choose from either a rigid, straight column (SC), beam and column (BC) or lean-to frames, depending on your intended structure.

Other great options include the numerous choices you have with regard to options or variations in your selected structure. These include whether you want to make your steel building wheelchair accessible, have skylights and windows, have composite insulated cladding and the different roller shutter door sizes.

Steel buildings are considered to be extremely cost efficient for, when in comparison with conventional structures. Steel buildings are extremely durable yet weigh less than regular building materials; therefore, you start saving on shipping charges from the get-go.

Once you receive your flat-packed preengineered steel buildings "kit", such will arrive with the architectural drawings and the building manual, which provide you with the choice of either putting it together yourself versus having to hire someone else to do it for you.

By galvanizing the primary and secondary members - i.e., structures, you are also able to save on little to no maintenance charges while at the same time having an environmentally friendly steel building.

Steel buildings today are able to also offer you energy efficiency. The only requirement, outside of the norm, is that a qualified energy design professional needs to be involved in the process. Adding skylights, as well as other energy saving design inclusions to your steel building structure will ensure savings on your energy bill.

Steel buildings may be used for a myriad of purposes. These structures may be used on a personal level such as metal garages for your cars. Commercial options include storage for hay as well as provide housing for your cattle or horses. For these particular uses you may adapt your steel building to contain free-stall barns, milking parlors and transfer alleys. Should you decide to use your steel building for a horse barn, you have the choice of including wash racks and tack rooms in your specific design.

Your steel building may be used for industrial purposes, also, such as for a warehouse, an industrial plant or a manufacturing facility.

In the aviation field steel buildings are used mainly for maintenance hangars and aircraft storage. For this particular use, the benefits of steel buildings are "their wide open floor space and eave heights, which may accommodate larger aircraft."

Institutional steel buildings include structures such as fire stations, ambulance garage or schools. The obvious benefits here are cost effectiveness and minimal construction time. The outside of the steel building "may be finished in masonry, stucco or other wall treatment to provide a durable and beautiful appearance."

Steel buildings offer vast commercial and industrial uses. These include offices, mall or individual retail structures and warehousing facilities for either manufacturing or storage usage. With this type of steel buildings you have the choice of up to three stories. For warehousing type facilities your options of exterior materials include tilt-up wall panels and fastener sheeting systems. Industrial plant generator or compressor buildings are currently being fabricated using steel buildings "due to their competitive pricing and the ability to be made to exact standards and specifications."

Steel buildings offer you different types of framing systems to fit whatever structure you have in mind.

The 'rigid' steel building framing system provides for a wide-open, column-free space which is ideal, primarily, for storage. Other uses include recreational and commercial. With this type of framing system, you may choose your steel building to be gabled or single sloped.

According to ridigbuilding.com, the steel building "straight column (SC)" framing system is used primarily for "when a clear interior space of up to 70 feet is needed." This outline is best suited for creating small office space. Once again, the outside may be done in a durable masonry for aesthetic purposes.

"Beam and Column" framing is best used when requiring a very large area such as for industrial or warehousing purposes. While the "straight column" mode has a span of up to 70 feet, the "beam and column" steel building's span is up to 300 feet.

Should you have the need to expand your space area, steel building "lean-to" frame is the best suited for you. In this manner, "more space can be added to the building without interrupting the internal operations." The span of these additions are up to 50 feet.

When you have the need or requirement of erecting a steel building which will be for specific purposes, steel buildings are a "must" to consider due to the multiple uses and advantages this type of construction material has to offer.