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Tips for Saving Money When Building Barns with Steel Trusses

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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.

Why are Steel Trusses so Strong?

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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!