Are you looking at building a new steel garage, barn, hangar, warehouse or other type of storage facility? If so, you’re going to need a supplier for your equipment. But how exactly do you go about choosing a truss manufacturer to get you the equipment you need?
Here is some information from a longtime truss manufacturer in Arkansas:
- Search for experience: The more experience a truss manufacturer has, the more you can trust in the company’s quality. A truss manufacturer that has been in business for decades, for example, is more likely to provide you the equipment you need to your exact specifications, and has likely built up a reputation for quality in the region already. You should also focus on companies with experience in your particular type of job. While a company might have decades of experience, that doesn’t mean they create trusses for every single type of building project.
- Analyze the business’s reputation: Look for recommendations for truss manufacturers in your area and see which names come up the most often. You can use web searches to find reviews and testimonials, or you can ask around to other people or businesses who have recently built their own barns, garages and hangars to see which suppliers they used. A combination of years of experience plus an outstanding reputation usually means you can place your trust in the company.
- Consider costs: While the cost of steel trusses and building equipment will not and should not be your only consideration, it can certainly help you make your decision when weighing a variety of options. You should not compromise too much on your budget. You know exactly what you can afford, and it’s not worth blowing way past your budget simply because you want a specific company.
- Consider DIY ease: Some companies offer DIY steel building kits that give you all of the equipment you need to get a building set up yourself (or maybe with the help of a friend or two). These kits have materials that have already been measured and cut to exact building specifications. If you feel comfortable with taking on such a project and have analyzed the manual and instructions, going this route can save you a lot of money. Therefore, working with a company that offers these DIY kits could be your best choice in this situation.
- Look for great customer service: You want to make sure your steel building job is done right, which means you should feel comfortable in talking to the customer service representatives and other employees at the company about the progress of the job, any setbacks that have occurred and any questions that might come up in the process. If the company suffers from poor communication or does not seem particularly approachable, you might consider looking elsewhere.
At Adams Truss, Inc., we are proud to have more than 60 years of experience as a truss manufacturer in Arkansas, and to have continually provided outstanding customer service throughout all these decades. Contact us today with any questions you have about our work.
If you’re in need of more storage space on your farm or property, it might be time for you to consider building a new barn or garage. Of course, this is easier said than done if you are operating on a limited budget. There are, however, some ways for you to get the job done while saving a bit of cash in the process.
Here are some tips for saving money when building barns with steel trusses in Arkansas:
- Use DIY steel building kits: If you’re really strapped for cash but want a good-sized, functional barn, you can look into a selection of DIY steel building kits. As the name suggests, these kits give you everything you need to put up a steel barn yourself. All of the materials are already measured and cut; you just need to tighten the bolts with a cordless drill, and make sure all aspects of the building are erected according to the specifications in the manual. Typically this process only takes a few days and the help of a couple friends. No previous carpentry or framing experience is required!
- Reconsider the spacing of your columns: If you don’t want to go the DIY route and are going to build a traditional barn, then you need to carefully consider how it’s designed. Certain elements of the design can lead to higher costs, such as columns. Builders often space columns between six and 12 feet apart. The wider you space these columns, the less expensive your structure will cost, because you don’t need to get as many columns and trusses to hold it up. All it takes is some smart engineering and design work to figure out how to space out your columns and reduce the amount of trusses you’ll need to safely hold up the building.
- Use durable materials: You’re going to be tempted to save money up front by purchasing less expensive materials. However, in the long run, you need to consider maintenance and repair costs. If you choose materials that are built to last, then you’ll be able to leave your barn alone without making significant repairs for much longer, saving you money in the long run.
- Add wainscoting: Wainscoting is often overlooked when talking about barn construction, but it is important for any post-frame building such as a barn. These steel panels are placed all along the bottom of a building, and typically in a different color than the rest of the barn siding for aesthetic purposes. Though the wainscoting adds to your upfront costs, it makes the building significantly more durable, acting as a buffer if you should accidentally hit the wall of your barn with your equipment, such as a truck, tractor or lawnmower.
These are just a few tips to help you save money when building a new barn with steel trusses in Arkansas. For more information about these tips and the variety of services and products we provide, we encourage you to reach out to us today at Adams Truss, Inc.
One of the key principles that’s shared in both engineering and architecture is the idea of weight distribution and structural support. Simply put: you need to make sure weight is properly and evenly supported to ensure stability from the structure at hand!
This is an easy concept to understand, but not always an easy one to put into practice. When geometry starts to play a role in design, you can be sure that the solution to weight distribution is going to be one that takes a keen understanding of both engineering and architecture. Case in point: steel trusses in Arkansas.
But what makes a truss special? From an outsider’s perspective, the design of a truss is very straightforward and simple! What’s not inherently told in the story of the design, however, is how truly effective it as at bearing weight and helping to manage weight distribution across development projects of all types.
Trusses harness the power of triangles! It sounds silly, but it’s true: this simple shape is one of the strongest shapes in nature and can be geometrically harnessed to help support developments of all sizes, shape and styles, indiscriminately. Here’s why:
Imagine you have an equilateral triangle, measuring a perfect 60-degrees at all three points. This ensures perfect weight distribution, since all three sides are equally bearing of the shape of the triangle. In fact, if you want to adjust this triangle at all, you’re going to need to adjust at least one of the sides so that not all of the angles are even, effectively creating an isosceles triangle.
Now, if you consider that all of the sides of steel trusses in Arkansas are made with steel, changing even one side is going to take a tremendous amount of strength, since every side is equally supported. Moreover, due to the perfect nature of a triangle’s shape, any force exerted on one side is going to be distributed to all others, to maintain homeostasis! In this way, the power of a triangle is ideal for bearing the burden of weight distribution.
Steel trusses in Arkansas also have an advantage in construction because they can be linked in a three dimensional way, thus creating beams that offer support in three-dimension. Now, instead of three equal distribution points for bearing weight, a truss can rely on as many axis points as are built into the design of the truss—which could be dozens.
As weight is dispersed over each incremental support axis, the overall brunt of the burden is diminished, giving trusses the power to hold tremendous burdens where other load bearing engineering constructs might fail.
Now, when you get into the world of prefab steel buildings, you’re talking about entire buildings made out of steel… which means a fair amount of weight that needs to be accounted for and supported. Having steel trusses as an integral design aspect means being able to handle this weight safely.
Trusses may seem simple in their appearance, but the science behind them is fascinating!
Prefabricated steel buildings have been around for a while, but today, they’re finally starting to
get the recognition they deserve outside of the agricultural industry. Prefab ag buildings were the true pioneers of steel buildings for a few reasons: namely because they’re cost effective and
sustainable. However, developers quickly realized that all of the superior attributes that made prefab steel great for agricultural purposes could also be realized in other developments!
What benefits do prefab buildings and steel building components in Arkansas bring to the table? Take a look at five core advantages and how they help to create a substantial return on investment for developers:
- Sustainability: As mentioned above, sustainability is a huge factor in the early successes of steel buildings and continues to be a defining trait today. Steel buildings have the advantage of being tremendously wear resistant, meaning they won’t break down like traditional building components (i.e. wood or brick). Sustainability is key in new developments because it helps to minimize the lasting cost of maintenance and upkeep.
- Reduced build time: The name says it all: “prefabricated steel buildings.” Prefab buildings cut construction times down substantially and make life incredibly easy for developers in the sense that a reduced timeline means fewer concerns over the long run. Many steel buildings can be put up in a fraction of the time of a normal development, without sacrificing quality of the build.
- Cost savings: The reduced cost of materials for prefab steel buildings and steel building components in Arkansas makes them a truly viable option for developments that are stringently budgeted. The cost of labor is also reduced due to quick build times, making these buildings truly economical. Low overall costs open up possibilities for expansion or an increased build right form the get-go.
- Single source providers: Companies like Adams Truss, Inc. serve to provide everything developers need to construct their steel buildings, which means fewer cooks in the kitchen and less room for mistakes. Trying to source materials from numerous partners and vendors can quickly become a logistical nightmare, however it’s one that’s avoided with the single source provision that comes with steel buildings.
- Future potential: Because steel stands up so well over time and is so easy to work with, future additions and expansions are made easy. Scalability is an exceptional trait of steel buildings and one that’s not commonly found in traditional developments because of the finality of a core design. The utility of steel is a driver of future expansion.
With benefits like the above and more linked with prefab buildings and steel building components in Arkansas, it’s easy to see why steel has become a premier choice for commercial and agricultural developments of all times. As more and more credence is given to prefab steel buildings in the future, innovation will continue to flourish and the benefits will extrapolate!
If you’re considering a new development, take a moment to weigh the benefits of steel. It’s a smart option with tremendous upside.
