Over the years, metal buildings have slowly and steadily increased in popularity and have become mainstream.
Steel buildings used to "live on the fringe," but now they are a legitimate building option no matter what kind of construction project you have.
However, since they are still a relatively new idea for most people, there are still several common misconceptions and myths about steel buildings that just aren't true.
All the myths about steel buildings seem like they could be true, but none of them are based on actual facts.
In the article below, we will bust some of the most common myths about metal buildings.
Table Of Contents
- Metal Buildings Are More Expensive
- Metal Buildings Are Limited In Design
- Metal Buildings Interfere With Wifi
- Metal Buildings Rust
- Metal Buildings Are Prone To Lightning Strikes
- Metal Buildings are Unsafe When Exposed To Live Electrical Wire
- Metal Buildings Are Noisy
- Metal Buildings Aren't Energy Efficient
- Metal Buildings Are Weak And Flimsy
- Don't Believe Everything You Hear
Metal Buildings Are Much More Expensive Than Traditional Buildings
This is one of the misconceptions about metal buildings that gets thrown around the most, so let's break it down.
When you build with steel, you have chosen a type of building material that is designed to last for decades with practically zero required maintenance.
Is that true of traditional timber buildings, wooden structures, industrial buildings, or even stone or concrete construction?
Sure, the initial costs might be higher for metal buildings, but you will save a considerable amount of money on maintenance costs throughout the lifetime of the metal building.
Metal builds are also erected much faster than traditional construction and produce little waste.
You need less skilled work for a much shorter time, producing less waste, enhancing energy efficiency, saving you money on time, construction costs, energy costs, and cleanup.
Compared to traditional techniques, your maintenance and repair costs will be next to nothing with a pre-engineered metal building.
You can also add on and change the layout of your metal building with ease. Expanding and changing the layout of a traditional building can set you back thousands of dollars and eat up months of your time.
For more information on what to look for when buying your metal building, check out our article, Avoid These Mistakes When Buying Your New Metal Building.
Metal Buildings Are Limited In Design And Unattractive
This isn't true at all.
Steel is one of the most versatile building materials available.
Metal buildings are not limited to a box-like appearance and are often hard to identify at first glance.
Using a wide range of colors, textures, and finishes, a metal building can appear to be made of any material, including stone and brick.
Trim, varying rooflines and profiles, along with a wide range of other accessories help create unique structures that can stand out or blend in.
Metal Buildings Interfere With Wifi And Cell Phones
No they don't.
Electromagnetic waves diffract around timber the same way they diffract around steel.
The waves pass between studs, and radio, television, and cell phones will work the same in a metal building as they do in any other building.
If your cell phone has ever worked in an office building or at the grocery store, your phone has already proven it will be just fine in a metal building.
Metal buildings have been used for years across the globe with no reports of them interfering with Wi-Fi signals.
Metal Buildings Rust
The steel used in metal building systems is coated with Galvalume(R) or other galvanized coating before it leaves the steel plant.
Metal building manufacturers and fabricators also have access to metal-coated steel in color finishes with a variety of textures.
Rust is only ever an issue if that coating is damaged or scratched, or if field-cut edges aren't sealed before they're placed.
Simple routine maintenance to ensure the coating is renewed in damaged areas keeps rust from becoming a problem.
Metal Buildings Are Prone To Lightning Strikes
Metal is an electrical conductor, sure. It makes sense that this is a myth.
But, metal is a positive conductor to earth.
The energy from a lightning strike would be spread over the entire roof and then be channeled to the ground.
The strike isn't released destructively in the frame as you would see in a traditional wood structure.
It's actually safer to be in a metal building during a thunderstorm that a wooden building.
Metal Buildings Are Unsafe When Exposed To Live Electrical Wire
This myth doesn't hold up for the same reason the lightning strike myth doesn't hold up.
All electrical energy will be channeled to the ground through the buildings metal fame.
Also, every modern metal building is required to be equipped with ground fault interrupt (GFI) outlets and circuits.
In a wooden building, a damaged or pierced wire can leak current and start a fire.
Metal Buildings Are Noisy
Hail on a metal roof would sound horrible inside of the building.
The sound inside the building would probably bounce off the walls and echo, right?
As long as the building is insulated, neither of those ideas are correct.
Metal roofs are installed directly onto insulation in the form of fiberglass or foam and the sound is muffled considerably.
The walls inside are finished with drywall or other coverings that won't echo any more than a traditional building.
Metal Buildings Aren't Energy Efficient
If you're basing this claim off of how hot your metal garden shed gets in the summer then I can see why you think you have a point.
That's just not the case with metal building systems.
With proper insulation and a cool roof, your metal building can maintain a comfortable interior with less energy than a traditional timber building.
Insulation can be easily installed as bats, blankets, and blown foam to R-values that can keep heat or cool air inside.
A cool roof with special infrared pigments can reflect solar energy and re-emit heat as light so that less heat builds op on your roof and seeps into the interior.
Metal Buildings Are Weak And Flimsy
This is perhaps the most outrageous myth of them all.
Steel is one of the strongest materials on the planet.
Today's skillfully pre-engineered steel building systems are fabricated from high-quality, galvanized steel, that is cut, pre-drilled, and fitted for optimal strength to meet and often exceed local building code requirements.
Metal buildings have a huge advantage during harsh weather conditions and have excellent temperature control that also acts as a sound barrier.
Don't Believe Everything You Hear
No matter what your neighbor or some blog post on the internet says, steel buildings are not rusty, rickety, blown up versions of your old garden shed.
In the long run, they are also much cheaper to build and maintain than traditional timber buildings.
And there's no need to be afraid of lightning in a metal building; you're better off in a metal building during a thunderstorm than you are a wooden building.
CDMG is one of the most respected companies, and were recently named one of the Top Metal Builders.
Contact CDMG today to start constructing your metal building. We can help you design and construct a metal building to suit your specific needs.
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I'm Ben Sparhawk, the Content Writer and Marketing Account Manager for CDMG. I write to showcase the work that CDMG does and everything related to the pre-engineered metal building industry as well as their engineering capabilities. When I'm not working on content, you can find me spending time with my wife and children. You can also find me in the gym, trying to better myself, and I also enjoy spending time outdoors hiking or checking out local parks.