Steel buildings?

[enog24]

I am looking at getting a steel building to store my cars, and work on them. Anyone here have one and any recommendations/tips?



thanks

[Slik560]

Butler Manufacturing is a good one, but they have a fairly large presence here in the Kansas City area so I don`t know of too many others. They operate globally, though. They would probably be at the high end of both quality and price. Butler® Building Systems (http://www.butlermfg.com)



Another one: Metal Buildings (http://www.metalbuildingsrus.com/)

[KnuckleBuckett]

Morton. Great work and a solid end product.



Insulate.

Heat the concrete floor.



Install side lighting not just ceiling lighting.



Seal or (better) epoxy the floor.

I used UCoatIt brand. Really makes the shop brighter and cleanup is a breeze.



Install spring loaded overhead air and power.



Consider a quality lift. I am looking into a Back Yard Buddy.

Backyard Buddy | Automotive lifts, auto lifts, car lifts, classic car lifts, four post lifts, super auto lifts and more (http://www.backyardbuddy.com/)



Get ceiling fans. Approximately one 52" per 400 SQFT.



Make shelving and cabinetry mobile and has wheel locks.

Makes thorough cleanup easy.

Makes rearranging the shop as needs and configurations vary.

You can move the shelving required per specific job to your working location.



Make sure shelving and cabinetry has airflow through it.

Prevents humidity buildup and promotes spills to drain where they can bee seen and attended to.



Paint the walls a light color and then rag or sponge in a secondary color.

Hides bumps, scrapes, makes wall changes and or repairs easier to hide.



Install clothes lines. Retractable ones.

Great place to dry shop towels, rags, microfibers, etc.



Install a big deep sink with a drying counter, water spiggots, refrigerator, filtration system, washer, and maybe dryer.



Consider a penetration for cell phone and radio antenna access.



Consider data access. Hardline phone, cable, and or network.



Consider drainage.



Consider door heights and ramps.



Consider installing a sound proof closet for the air compressor. Run your tubing early in the process. Run 1.5 to 2" mains. Filter and remove water at both the compressor and the outlets. Regulate at the outlets. SMC makes great solutions here.



Install active ventilation in the roof. Get a fan or fans properly sized for your building. Make sure they are both temperature and humidity controlled.



Keep the door hinges. locks, and any tracks or springs lubricated at least quarterly with a dry lube. Silicone, Teflon ($$$ ideal), graphite (dirty!).



Spray the border of the building with a 6` insecticide barrier and bug bomb in early spring, mid-summer, and late fall. You can aid this process by keeping plant life, bare dirt, and mulch at least 6` from the edges of the building.



Keep exterior lights to a minimum at night to avoid drawing insects.



A fake owl or two keeps the bird bombs, nests, and general hanging about in check.



Hope this helps!

[BlueZero]

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[enog24]

wow. thanks for the replies, alot of help. I`m getting one to store and work on my vehicles. I`ll keep you posted on the progress.