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Barndominium decorated for the holidays

Our customers prove over and over again, at every time of year, that living in a metal home or barndominium can be just as warm, cozy and comfortable as living in traditional construction. That’s true around the holidays, as well.

If it’s your first holiday season in a metal home, you might be thinking you need to celebrate and decorate differently than you did before. After all, how can you hang lights and wreaths outside when you can’t hammer in nails to hang them from? Worse yet, will your loved ones worry a holiday celebration won’t feel the same in a metal home?

This is the winter you can prove them wrong. A metal home is a home, plain and simple.

In fact, the winter holidays are one of the best times to live in a metal home, because steel construction makes decorating and gathering easier than ever before.

Let us show you what we mean:

Hanging Christmas lights on a metal roof?

Okay, so we won’t try to tell you hanging Christmas lights on a steel roof is fun, necessarily. But that’s true about any roof, right? As long as you’re up there on a ladder, a metal roof might actually make hanging lights easier. Know why? It’s magnetic. That means no more fumbling with nails or plastic clips. If you already have lights to string, you can buy magnetic clips and just pop them onto your roofline and string the lights from there. If you need new lights anyway, you’re in luck — they actually make magnetic lights now. Isn’t that awesome? Not only are they a breeze to hang on a metal home, but they ensure your lights are all pointing in the exact same direction, which means your Christmas lights will be perfectly positioned. Metal hooks are also good for hanging wreaths, stockings, or whatever else you use to decorate.

A cozy outdoor patio with a wooden roof, adorned with string lights, is the perfect holiday retreat. Tables and chairs are neatly arranged beneath a warm yellow light fixture that illuminates the area, while greenery provides a lush backdrop to this charming metal home escape.

Gathering with friends and family?

First of all, celebrating with loved ones is about the people, not the place. Gather the people you love in any old building — steel, brick, wood or straw — and that’s what matters. But because a metal home gives you such an opportunity for enormous clear span and a truly open floor plan, you can actually gather more people together in one room than you could in most traditional homes. No more deciding who has to eat on the couch in the living room! Break out the folding tables and celebrate with everyone you love in one place.

Baby, it’s cold outside?

No problem. Metal homes, properly insulated, can do a better job of maintaining temperature than traditional construction, thanks to the conduction properties of steel. It’s also less likely to develop any cracks where critters looking to escape the cold could make their way inside — a common occurrence in many homes during winter.

Open-concept farmhouse kitchen and dining area with a high vaulted ceiling, perfect for celebrating the holidays. Features a wooden dining table with chairs, a kitchen island with bar stools, rustic barn door, modern appliances, and farmhouse-themed decor including a windmill wall art piece.

Expecting a snowstorm?

You can sleep easier in a metal home. Steel is less susceptible to water damage and less likely to be damaged structurally in the case of a heavy snow load, wind speeds or fallen tree limb. Just salt the walks before guests arrive and focus on the fun parts.

If you’re getting ready to celebrate your first holiday season in a metal home, cheers! We can’t wait for you to experience just how sweet a metal home can be. If you’re tired of just thinking about your metal home project, now is the time to reach out to the team at Worldwide Steel. We’ll help you start designing the building of your dreams so it can be ready in time for next winter. Contact us today to take advantage of 2021 pricing! Call (800) 825-0316 or request a quote online.

Two small white and red airplanes parked in front of an open aircraft hangar on a grassy field. One plane has floats, and the other has wheels. The hangar is large and metal, with a clear blue sky in the background.

Like most passions that require a heavy investment of time, commitment and finances, there’s something about the transition from renting to buying that just feels good. For pilots, buying that first aircraft is almost always a milestone. The one that makes you feel like a real pilot rather than someone who just dabbles in flying. The step that confirms this isn’t just a hobby you might outgrow or lose interest in. This is for life.

In aviation, there’s another monumental transition after purchasing your own aircraft: When you make the choice to take ownership of where you keep that aircraft.

When should you build your own aircraft hangar?

You should consider building your own hangar after you’ve done the math and realized renting hangar space just isn’t the best choice anymore. Or maybe you’re running a business that’s dependent on your personal aircraft and don’t want any aspect of that  business to be at the mercy of someone else’s decisions. 

When you design and build your own hangar, you get to choose where you want it located, include all the features you could possibly imagine, and enjoy 24/7 private access with no chance of hangar rash (unless you’re building a hangar for multiple planes … in that case, just factor in some additional square footage to stay safe and comfortable). 

Sounds like a dream come true? For our customers, it has been. Designing your own hangar from the ground up means you can customize it to your individual needs — the size of your airplane (down to wingspan and tail height), the way you use it (are you loading it up with goods for regional flights? Flying customers with deep pockets to and from business meetings? Enjoying the freedom of destinationless joy rides?), plus additional space for equipment storage, utilities, facilities, even living quarters. 

A hangar with two helicopters inside, one white and blue, and the other marked with "UCH." A person inspects equipment near the helicopters. The hangar door is open, allowing natural light to illuminate the space.

How to start designing your own metal hangar

With all that choice can come a bit of uncertainty as well, especially for first-time builders. You know how important this project is, and you don’t want to mishandle any aspect of it. At Worldwide Steel, we understand the gravity of each and every decision, and work with you to shoulder the responsibility of each and every consideration — so the entire process is enjoyable and rewarding for you, not stressful. 

Here are just a few aspects you’ll need to consider when building your own hangar, and why Worldwide Steel is the right partner for this project

1. Material quality. A hangar isn’t just an investment in and of itself — it’s literally protection for another investment. That means it isn’t a place to cut corners or make guesses. Worldwide Steel is an ideal partner in this respect for four primary reasons.

  • First, unlike some other metal building companies, we’re the manufacturer of our products, not just the broker. 
  • Second, we offer an industry-leading 50-year structural warranty that guarantees the materials and workmanship of your hangar will be defect-free for decades.
  • Third, we’ve been doing this a long time. We have expertise in things you may never think of on your own — like how an aircraft hangar needs to be built on a significantly thicker concrete slab than a metal building that isn’t designed to support so much weight on such a small surface area, or things to watch out for when choosing a site (like grade and soil quality).
  • Fourth, we’re an APOA Lifestyle member, which means we have access to information on the latest aviation regulations, new advancements in the industry and more. If there’s a question our years of experience building hangars doesn’t answer, we can reach out to the world’s largest aviation community for support.
A large metal hangar with a partially open door reveals a small yellow airplane inside. The building stands on a grassy area with a concrete apron. A flagpole is to the right, under a clear blue sky.

2. Accessibility.  One of the most important choices when designing a hangar is its doors. Worldwide Steel offers three types of doors that are often chosen for hangars:

  • Traditional bi-fold doors fold in half when opening, like an accordion. They open outwards, which means you don’t have to account for interior space to accommodate them — your plane(s) and equipment can take up the entire interior.
  • Hydraulic doors operate like a standard garage door on a house. They open upwards and rise as a single unit. Some customers appreciate that they can be built with windows to let in light. They do take up vertical space when they’re open, so hangars with hydraulic doors need to be designed slightly taller than they would otherwise be. 
  • Stack doors aren’t a super common choice, since their size is constrained by the overall width of the hangar and limit the space in which a plane can maneuver straight in and out of the building. Think of a barn door that slides along the wall to open. The upside of stack doors is that they can be opened manually, in case of a power outage. Sometimes we recommend a fly-through hangar (with doors on both sides) that has bi-fold or hydraulic doors on the front and stack doors on the back, so you’re covered in case of emergency.

3. Customization options. Because Worldwide Steel manufactures hangars ourselves, you’re not limited to off-the-shelf components. The customization options are almost literally endless.  You can check it out yourself with our 3D Building Designer, which lets you test out hangar ideas visually before committing. The tool even lets you add a little guy and a personal aircraft for scale. Fun, right?

Interior view of an airplane hangar with two small aircraft parked inside. A large Texas flag hangs at the back of the metal structure. The hangar has a corrugated metal roof with several lights.

4. Big ol’ clearspans. Yes, that’s the technical term. But really. With available clearspans from 24′ through 100′ wide — no need for columns — our hangars can be designed to accommodate everything from a helicopter or single-engine to a small fleet of jets. That also means you can factor in space for everything you’ll need to maintain and repair your crafts, like ramps, stairs and lifts.

5. Hassle-free assembly. Worldwide Steel building kits use a pre-punched truss system that bolts together easily, which makes assembly a snap. Often, you won’t even need to rent heavy equipment or hire a crew to erect your hangar. For larger structures, however, some customers have found having access to a forklift or tractor makes the process even easier. 

When it’s time to level up your passion for planes, it’s time to get in touch with the team at Worldwide Steel Buildings. We can’t wait to get started on your custom aircraft hangar — just give us a call at (800) 825-0316 or request a quote online

Red and Brown Steel Garage

All our buildings are steel, but your metal building doesn’t have to look like a typical metal structure. With the right color scheme, it can transform into an architectural masterpiece, be it a metal garage, a commercial building, or a residential metal home.

Sure, there are ways to add siding of different materials to your exterior, but even if you choose to stick with the metal panels (like most of our customers do), there’s a world of possibilities to explore with exterior metal building color schemes. 

In fact, exploring different colors is one of the best ways to make your steel building design feel unique. When you’re thinking through all the possibilities of a building kit, considering them in vibrant or neutral colors can help bring your ideas to life.

All the components of Worldwide Steel metal building kits are available in a range of color choices, featuring 17 classic, sophisticated options including burnished slate, rustic red, charcoal gray, gallery blue, and light gray. Our color chart is a fantastic resource for visualizing these color options. You can choose your metal roof color, trim color, wainscoting, and wall panel colors individually, creating endless metal building color combinations.

But wait — with just 17 metal building color options, can’t I head to the hardware store and choose from hundreds of paint colors? With Worldwide Steel, you don’t have to, and the benefits are substantial. 

Crafting your ideal Worldwide Steel building means you don’t have to worry about the time or cost of painting your new building after construction. We offer pre-pigmented CentralGuard (powered by Valspar) Panel-Loc Plus metal panels. This means the actual colors are integrated into the material, not just a layer on top. This integration offers an extra layer of protection to your steel building.

The CentralGuard panels consist of a protective backer, dent-resistant steel, rust-resistant Galvalume, two layers of primer for paint adherence, and an outer top coat. These layers, combined with a silicon polyester resin, ensure that the panels are incredibly resistant to sunlight, UV rays, ice, snow, acid rain, and pollution. This is crucial for maintaining the color integrity of your metal roofing and wall panels.

While other pigmented metal buildings show significant fading over time, CentralGuard metal buildings maintain their vibrancy, with minimal fading over 30+ years. The silicon polyester resin also means they resist dirt, staining, and abrasion, increasing the lifespan of the color and the building itself.

How to Choose Your Steel Building Colors

All available colors offer durability and low-maintenance benefits. Lighter colors like polar white and light stone add energy efficiency, reflecting sunlight to keep the building cooler. Conversely, dark colors like charcoal gray or quaker gray can absorb heat, useful in cooler climates.

A modern, two-story commercial building with grey and brick exterior walls, large windows, and a blue logo on the side. It is surrounded by a paved driveway and grassy areas under Shawnee's clear sky, reflecting artistic expressions of architecture.

Consider the building’s planned usage when choosing the best colors. For agricultural buildings, traditional reds or earth tones offer a classic or camouflaging effect. For a commercial building, consider colors that represent your brand or industry. For instance, a landscaping business might opt for green siding. If constructing your building near other structures, color harmony is essential.

Light Colored Steel Barn
Sunrise over a barndominium
Green Siding 3D rendering with three garage panels

Mostly, though, we just want you to choose something you like. To choose a metal building kit you’re excited about. To look at your building and be happy with your color palette choice for decades to come.

Ultimately, the choice is yours. Whether it’s a metal garage, pole barn, or barndominium, we want you to be excited about your color choices. So let’s get started! Check out our color selector tool and start exploring your options with this interactive color visualizer! Just remember, that the colors in the tool are a close representation but may look different on different monitors. What you see as crimson red on your laptop might be a slightly different shade on your metal home or commercial building. The way light hits your building can affect the way the colors appear, as well. Physical samples in the form of color chips are always available upon request.

If you need guidance, our team is ready to help. We can show you examples of Worldwide Steel buildings in various color schemes and discuss the functionality and benefits of different color choices.

At Worldwide Steel, metal building color selection is a journey of creativity. There are no set rules — it’s about what you envision for your building. To start planning your metal building options, explore some of our pre-built customizable building designs, and further refine your choices with our online color selector.

Ready to learn more about designing, building, and using a Worldwide Steel building, or curious about our industry-leading 50-year structural warranty? Contact us for a free quote on your project at 1-800-825-0316.

indoor pool

Metal buildings, known for being strong and durable, are now more than just practical in today’s world. No longer just for storage or basic shelter, today’s metal buildings are a testament to the ingenuity of metal building design, blending high-quality building materials with versatility in both layout and function. They offer an array of customization options, from prefabricated layouts to DIY metal building kits, catering to specific needs. This guide explores the vast world of metal building ideas, highlighting their potential to meet a variety of purposes while maintaining their hallmark low-maintenance and DIY-friendly nature.

Metal Building Ideas and Types

The concept of metal buildings has evolved dramatically. Today’s steel structures are used for many things, from simple storage sheds to big riding arenas and steel barns. They are not just useful but also look great. The versatility of these building types includes cozy metal homes, trendy barndominiums, spacious horse barns, robust aircraft hangars, and even steel garages, each reflecting a unique blend of design ideas and functional excellence. Whether it’s a church, a recreational center, or a state-of-the-art commercial metal building, the adaptability of these structures makes them a smart choice for various applications.

Metal Homes

Metal building homes are revolutionizing residential metal living spaces. They offer the ultimate combination of durability, energy efficiency, and low maintenance, negating common household issues like pest control or fire hazards. Customizable with various floor plans and design ideas, metal homes are a testament to modern home design and functionality.

Barndominiums

Barndominiums epitomize versatility, blending living spaces with functional areas like workshops or garages. These steel structures cater to those who desire a unique living arrangement, offering a perfect blend of style and practicality, making them an ideal choice for a modern man cave or auto shop.

Horse Arenas

Metal horse arenas provide vast, unobstructed spaces ideal for equestrian activities. With the ability to support clear spans up to 225 feet, these arenas, often referred to as riding arenas, ensure a safe and comfortable environment for horses and riders, regardless of weather conditions outside.

Airplane Hangars

Metal airplane hangars, a specific type of aircraft hangars, are known for their strength and variety of door options, accommodating different wingspans. They offer optimal protection against natural and other forms of damage, making them a reliable choice for aircraft storage.

Churches and Recreation Centers

Metal buildings serve as excellent venues for churches and recreation centers. They can be constructed to accommodate large groups and are easily expandable. The natural climate control features of metal buildings make them comfortable year-round, fulfilling specific needs of such community spaces.

Greenhouses

Metal greenhouses provide a controlled and sustainable environment for both hydroponic and traditional gardening. Customizable to various sizes and specifications, they are ideal for backyard hobbyists and commercial producers alike, exemplifying the energy-efficient and versatile nature of steel structures.

She Sheds

She Sheds made from metal offer a unique personal space for relaxation, creativity, or entertainment. These structures are customizable, low-maintenance, and a perfect addition for those seeking a private escape within their property.

Garages

Whether you’re looking for a single car garage or a larger steel garage to hold a car collection, a steel garage building offers unmatched strength and resilience to weather conditions. With prefab steel building kits, you can easily customize your door placements and exterior look, ensuring that your metal garage not only meets your specific needs but also enhances your property value.

Workshops

A workshop, whether it’s for woodworking, an auto shop, or just a hobby, provides a safe space and storage for your craft. Metal workshops are not only convenient and safe, but also customizable to match your home or have a standalone design.

Guest Houses

Metal guest houses are an affordable and stylish solution for extra living space. Whether for family members, friends, or as a rental, these steel structures provide comfort, privacy, and can be customized to match the aesthetics of your main residence.

Office

Prefab steel buildings, ideal for office spaces, offer stylish designs with windows, doors, and customizable layouts. Instead of renting office space, a steel office building can be built on your property, providing a comfortable workspace that can be adapted for both small businesses and larger commercial needs.

Commercial Buildings

Metal buildings are a smart choice for commercial spaces, such as warehouses, retail stores, or office buildings. They offer flexibility in design, are cost-effective, and can be scaled to fit the evolving needs of your business.

Customization Options: Tailoring to Your Needs

One of the standout features of modern metal buildings is the extent of customization options available. From size and layout to finer details like windows, doors, and exterior finishes, each building can be tailored to meet specific needs. Prefab steel buildings, in particular, offer an excellent balance between custom design ideas and practicality. They can be adapted into comfortable home offices, expansive workshops, or stylish garages, all while reflecting the owner’s personal style and requirements.

DIY and Low-Maintenance: A Practical Choice

The DIY aspect of metal buildings, including building kits and prefab options, is a significant draw for many. These structures are designed for easy assembly, making them a popular choice for those who prefer a hands-on approach. The low-maintenance nature of steel further adds to their appeal, ensuring they remain a long-lasting and cost-effective solution. This DIY-friendly nature extends to all building types, from small storage sheds to large clearspan buildings.

Building Materials: Durable and Sustainable

The quality of building materials used in metal constructions, particularly steel, offers unmatched durability and resistance to various environmental factors. This resilience makes metal buildings a practical and sustainable choice, capable of withstanding harsh conditions while requiring minimal upkeep.

Versatility in Applications: Meeting Diverse Needs

The adaptability of metal buildings is evident in their wide range of applications. They can serve as secure and stylish guest houses, innovative greenhouses, or spacious venues for gatherings. The ability to design buildings with clear spans of up to 225 feet opens up possibilities for large, unobstructed spaces, suitable for everything from equestrian activities to aircraft storage.

High-Quality and Customer Satisfaction: The Worldwide Steel Promise

At Worldwide Steel, we’re committed to providing high-quality custom metal buildings that meet and exceed customer expectations. Our 50-year warranty is a testament to the trust we place in our products and services. We pride ourselves on excellent customer service, ensuring that each project, regardless of its scale, receives the attention and expertise it deserves.

Whether you’re looking for innovative metal building ideas, seeking practical design solutions, or require a custom metal building that caters to your specific needs, the possibilities are endless. With our focus on quality, versatility, customization, and low-maintenance, metal buildings are not just redefining the standards of modern construction and design, but also offering sustainable, cost-effective, and stylish solutions for every need.

Ready to explore the possibilities for yourself? Contact Worldwide Steel today to start bringing your vision to life. Whether it’s a residential metal home, a versatile workshop, a spacious garage, or an expansive commercial building, our team is here to guide you every step of the way. Let us help you create a space that’s not just built to last, but also tailored perfectly to your lifestyle and needs.

Don’t wait to transform your space with the strength and style of steel. Call us now or get a free quote and begin your journey towards building your dream with Worldwide Steel.

A beige barndo with a tall pitched roof and small balcony stands proudly. It features large windows, a sliding door, and an attached carport. A vintage car is parked nearby, tall silos dot the landscape, and cloudy skies stretch above the surrounding trees. It's a treasure of rural charm.

When you’re about to invest in a new building, it’s important to look beyond the build itself. For example, when you’re considering prefab steel building kits, you have to look past the price of the kit itself (which are very cost-effective at Worldwide Steel) to the costs of construction, maintenance, and importantly, the insurance policy. This insurance policy aspect is vital, as it factors into the overall affordability of steel structures.

One area where these benefits combine to be most obvious is in insurance costs. Metal building insurance is an important consideration whether you’re going to use your building for commercial or personal purposes, and insurance prices should be lower than insuring traditional wood-framed construction. This is because the cost of insurance is typically lower for steel structures due to their durability and fire resistance.

There’s a lot that goes into determining insurance rates for different buildings, which are based primarily on the projected replacement cost of the structure. The cost of insurance is influenced by factors such as the building elements (the building materials used in the frame, interior, and exterior walls – both load-bearing and not –, support beams and joists, and roof construction) and fire resistance (the amount of time a passive fire protection system can withstand fire).

Insurance Services Office (ISO), part of Verisk Analytics, has been a leading source of information for property and casualty insurance risk for commercial and personal assets for fifty years. Many US insurance providers use ISO Construction Classifications – which rank buildings by fire resistance – to help determine how much to charge you for insurance coverage on a building. Getting an insurance quote for a steel structure usually falls into a favorable category in this classification.

There are six classifications of fire resistance, from least to most fire resistant:

  • Construction class 1: Frame. “Buildings with exterior walls of noncombustible or slow-burning construction with combustible floors and roof or walls and roofs with composite assemblies that include both combustible and noncombustible materials.”
  • Construction class 2: Joined Masonry. “Exterior walls are constructed of fire-resistive materials rated at not less than one hour or masonry with combustible floors and roof.”
  • Construction class 3: Noncombustible. “Exterior walls, floors, and roof are constructed of noncombustible or slow-burning materials or are supported by noncombustible or slow-burning supports.”
  • Construction Class 4: Masonry Noncombustible. “Exterior walls of fire resistive construction rated at not less than one hour or masonry not less than four inches thick, with noncombustible or slow-burning floors and roof.”
  • Construction Class 5: Modified Fire Resistive. “Exterior walls, floors, and roof constructed of materials described in Construction Class 6 Fire Resistive but there are deficiencies in thickness and a fire resistance rating of less than two hours but not less than one hour.”
  • Construction Class 6: Fire-Resistive. “Solid masonry walls not less than four inches thick or hollow masonry walls not less than eight inches thick or assemblies with fire resistance rating of not less than two hours. The floor and roof assemblies have a fire resistance rating of not less than two hours. Horizontal and vertical load bearing, protected metal supports with a fire resistance rating of not less than two hours. Includes pre-stressed or post-tensioned concrete units.”

According to the ISO, almost all prefab steel buildings fall into Class 3 based on their slow-burning nature. This classification not only affects the property insurance aspects but also often leads to more favorable insurance quotes for steel structures compared to traditional constructions.

While it’s possible to build more fire-resistant buildings, it’s also cost-prohibitive and impractical for most people considering a metal building kit in the first place. Not many people in the market for a metal home, barndominium, or steel building for a small business are interested in constructing a building with a four-inch-thick masonry floor or eight-inch hollow masonry walls.

Moreover, the difference between insurance rates for Class 3 buildings and Class 4-6 buildings usually isn’t large enough to justify the added cost of materials, construction, maintenance, and so on. Thus, the overall cost of insurance remains a strong advantage for metal buildings.

If your metal building is less than 15 thousand square feet, the rate you’re charged to insure it will be based on these classifications. In some circumstances, you may be able to further lower your insurance costs by adding active fire-resistance elements (like a sprinkler system) to your building. This can influence your insurance quote positively. If you’re constructing a building larger than 15 thousand square feet, most insurance companies will take additional factors under consideration as well, like losses aggregated by your state, region, and building type, and the actual value of your building.

For example, if you’re building a metal airplane hangar in a part of the country that regularly sees earthquakes, tornados, or hurricanes, insurance companies will take the possibility of natural disaster into account. But even in these cases, steel buildings are cheaper to insure than traditional construction. After all, wood-frame buildings in the same area would get hit by the same hypothetical natural disaster … and would be much more likely to incur damage. The fact that steel buildings are resistant not only to fire but to earthquakes, water damage, and high wind make them very attractive to insurance providers (not to mention homeowners).

Because Worldwide Steel metal building kits go up much more quickly than any traditional construction project, they’re appealing from the get-go. Add in the lower building costs, customization options, and the lower costs over the life of the building – including insurance premiums – metal buildings keep looking better and better.

Ready to start talking about a metal building of your own? Give our team a call at 1-800-825-0316.

hybrid wood and steel construction project comparison

The number of people getting in touch with Worldwide Steel experts because they’re interested in a metal building for residential use (like a metal home, residential garage, barndominium or even personal storage building) is on the rise. And if you’re reading this, you’re probably considering the same thing yourself.

It’s not unusual to see metal building framing in commercial buildings or personal buildings designed for, say, outdoor use or heavy machinery storage. That’s where we all expect to see steel structures. But in residential construction, traditional wood framing still reigns supreme.

The Benefits of Using Steel and Wood

Despite the obvious benefits of steel building materials (including but definitely not limited to: shorter construction and finishing time, structural strength, fire resistant, lower labor costs, lower material costs (especially at the moment), energy efficiency, durability against high winds and snow loads, immunity to termites and lower upkeep and maintenance over the life of the building), many potential builders shy away from it in favor of wood buildings. While wood framing construction materials are heavier, making it potentially more durable in some situations (although we would argue that’s a misconception as well), the cost-effectiveness, durability and almost nonexistent barrier to entry of using steel frame construction are enough to outweigh the benefits of wood framing.

Here’s where wooden buildings still shine: aesthetics. Even for prefab metal building enthusiasts like us, we understand that most people still consider a traditional wooden structure more attractive than one made of steel. So if you’re intrigued with the benefits of a pre-engineered steel building kit, but can’t get your mind off how beautiful a wood structure would look (or if you’re looking to build in an area with strict building regulations), we suggest you consider a third building type: a hybrid steel and wood building.

A hybrid steel and wood building combines all the benefits and longevity of metal trusses with all the coziness and hominess of a wood frame building.

When you add secondary wood framing to the interior and/or exterior of your Worldwide steel building, you’re combining the best of steel with the best of wood for a structure that’s easy to erect, stands up against pests and the elements, and is less susceptible to many long-term deterioration issues. With wood construction incorporated in the secondary framing, you can turn a simple metal frame kit into whatever interior configuration you choose, and can often overcome HOA or municipality building restrictions with wood exterior siding. This means truly endless configurations, floor plan options and finishes, so your Worldwide Steel building kit becomes even more customizable (we know, hard to believe).

Sounds perfect, right? In many cases, depending on your priorities, your budget and your timeline, yes.

A steel frame at the heart of your hybrid construction still means you’re reducing your building cost and optimizing your longevity and durability. You would need to purchase, construct, prime and paint even more wood if you chose the traditional route, and you wouldn’t get any of the benefits of steel.

A high-quality hybrid approach also means easier customization in the future. If you wanted to add a wing to your building ten years in the future, you could do so with an additional metal building component without worrying as much about the difficulties of expansion.

Call Worldwide Steel For All Of Your Steel Building Needs

Here at Worldwide Steel, we predict a continued rise in steel for residential buildings, but we recognize that change doesn’t happen overnight. In the meantime, to appeal to both design-conscious builders and the rules of building organizations, we urge you to consider the benefits of taking a hybrid approach and incorporating both steel and wood in your project.

If you have questions (and you probably will – our most conscientious customers ask many), please don’t hesitate to reach out. Our experts are as passionate about your building plans as you are, and look forward to talking through the possibilities for your new building project. They can even show you some examples of recently completed hybrid projects so you can picture your options. 

Let’s get started with a free quote! Give us a call at 1-800-825-0316 to learn more about steel construction projects, our building systems, and the 50-year structural warranties offered on all our building kits.

A small red and yellow airplane is parked inside a spacious metal airplane hangar with a high ceiling. The hangar features polished floors, and a motorcycle is in the background on the right side. Several windows and overhead lights illuminate the space.

If the time has come that you’re thinking about building your own metal airplane hangar, you probably aren’t new to aviation.

Most hobbyists begin by renting space at a local hangar. But eventually, aviation becomes a lifestyle. While renting is cost effective for a while, it comes along with its own challenges and inconveniences. You don’t get to choose where your aircraft is located, you can’t control the climate inside the hangar, and sometimes you can’t even come and go as you please.

When the cons of renting an airplane hanger begin to outweigh the pros, or if you’re investing in an expanded aircraft fleet, it starts making a lot more sense to build your own personal metal airplane hangar.

Worldwide Steel Buildings knows how important it is that your aircraft is protected from all the things that could potentially damage it – natural disasters, weather conditions, excess humidity, extreme temperatures, vandalism and more. And our experts know just what it takes to keep your investments safe.

Worldwide Steel is a member of AOPA, so you can trust our commitment to your aircraft as well as your building. Our team has the experience and knowledge to help you design, craft and build the perfect steel aircraft hangar for your needs. Our consultants have worked on all types of hangars, from single aircraft storage and t-hangars, including a hangar that houses the helicopters for a St. Louis Children’s hospital, and our customers have never experienced aircraft damage due to steel building failure.

When you work with us, you get the ease of a metal building kit with the power of customization that is anything but off-the-shelf. Whether you’re housing commercial airplanes, a personal prop plane, helicopters, gliders or any other type of large vehicle, a Worldwide Steel building kit can accommodate your needs.

Because there’s no middleman when you work with Worldwide Steel, you can design everything to spec. We recommend bifold doors for aircraft hangars, but if you want something different? We can do that. Want to add office space to your hangar? We can do that too. You can add plumbing, electricity, even a tarmac.

You can check out just a few of the aircraft hangar projects we’ve worked on recently to get a feel for your options. Check out the variation in size, color, use, location, and general aesthetics. These hangars all look so different, but fundamentally, they’re built from the same strong, energy-efficient, precisely manufactured building kits.

At Worldwide Steel, you get to design the hangar of your dreams (really – you can get started right now with our online 3D building designer) without sacrificing quality or durability. We manufacture all our own steel building parts right here in the midwest, which means the components of your custom-designed hangar are delivered straight from our hands to yours. And we’re so confident in the structural stability of our metal buildings that we offer an industry-leading 50-year warranty on all our metal building kits.

If you want a steel aircraft hangar that’s yours and yours alone, an aircraft hangar that you designed from scratch (with a little reassurance from the experts), an aircraft hangar that can be passed down the generations … then you want Worldwide Steel.

To learn more about designing an aircraft hangar that will fit your needs, and to learn more about the benefits of working with Worldwide Steel Buildings (like our DIY steel building kits and that 50-year structural warranty), give us a call! Reach our experts at (816) 608-8520.

Photo of the finished interior of a Worldwide Steel Buildings barndominium

One of the greatest benefits of a Worldwide Steel building is the level of customization we offer for every building project. Many other metal building companies just give buyers four walls of steel framing in predetermined sizes, plus metal sheeting for the walls and roof. 

At Worldwide Steel, you’re presented with options from the moment you begin conceptualizing your building design. And each kit comes with the precut pieces and instructions for those interested in a DIY building project to take pride in. From doors, windows and skylights to gutters, eaves and cupolas, you can truly make your building your own. 

Outside, this means finishing your steel building with something other than corrugated metal panels – stucco, wood or vinyl siding, cedar shakes, or even brick. Then there are porches, patios, walkways, landscaping and a variety of other elements to add curb appeal.

And for some of our customers, customization stops there — at exterior walls and external appearance. Maybe they’re storing heavy machinery, hay or building a metal garage. In these cases, function comes well before form for a building’s interior. They just need heavy-duty building materials, proper ventilation, some spray foam insulation, and the right size doors. Maybe some plumbing, HVAC systems, electrical wiring, or liner panels if they want a more finished industrial look. 

But what about our customers who are interested in outfitting a pole barn home with comfortable living quarters? Those building homes, barndominiums, man caves, small business buildings, rec centers and churches? When people will be spending a lot of time in a building, they want some additional comfort and beauty on top of the durability that’s a given with Worldwide Steel Building kits. Not just metal framing and concrete floors. 

Upgrading the Interior Finishing Of Your Metal Building

If you’re in the market for a new building that you’ll spend a lot of time inside, it’s important to consider how you want the interior space to look, feel and operate. Fortunately, when you work with Worldwide Steel, you have options to finish the inside of your steel building just like you would traditional construction. 

Add character and coziness to your floor plan by carefully selecting interior finishes that will add to the comfort, looks, privacy and practicality of your new metal building. When it comes to finishing the interior walls of a metal building, the possibilities are nearly endless! From wood framing to wall panels made from reclaimed timber, drywall or shiplap, to wood flooring, shelving and fireplace mantels, and even secondary interior framing with wooden beams. Each option offers unique benefits and aesthetics, catering to different needs and preferences. Here, we explore some of the most popular choices:

  1. Drywall: A classic and widely used option, drywall is favored for its smooth finish and ease of customization. It can be painted in any color, allowing for complete control over the interior appearance of your metal building. Drywall is also relatively easy to install and provides a certain level of insulation and soundproofing, making it ideal for office spaces, workshops, or living areas within metal structures.
  1. Metal Panels: For those seeking to maintain the industrial look of their metal building, interior metal panels are a perfect choice. These metal wall panels are incredibly durable and resistant to damage, making them ideal for high-traffic areas or environments that require robust materials. They also offer a seamless look, aligning with the exterior aesthetics of the building, and are easy to clean and maintain.
  1. Wood Paneling: Wood paneling adds warmth and a natural aesthetic to the interior of a metal building. It’s an excellent choice for creating a cozy, inviting atmosphere, especially in residential or public-facing commercial spaces. The variety of woods and finishes available means you can achieve anything from a rustic cabin feel to a sleek, modern look. However, it’s worth noting that wood paneling requires more maintenance than other options and may not be suitable for very humid environments.
  1. Vinyl or Fabric Wall Coverings: For those looking to add a decorative touch or specific theme to their metal building, vinyl or fabric wall coverings are ideal. These materials come in a wide range of colors, patterns, and textures, allowing for a high degree of customization. They are also relatively easy to install and replace, giving you the flexibility to update the interior look without major renovations. Additionally, certain types of wall coverings can offer additional insulation and soundproofing benefits.

Anything you could expect to find in a home or office building, you can include in your Worldwide Steel building.

You can purchase many customization options directly from Worldwide Steel to be delivered as part of your building kit. And when you’re looking for metal building finish options beyond what we provide, we don’t leave you to fend for yourself.

In cases where we don’t directly manufacture or supply building finish accessories, we partner with some of the highest-quality finish providers in the midwest. When we recommend another business to our customers, you can be sure we’ve done our due diligence. The product will be quality, the craftsmanship will be quality, and the service will be exceptional.

Case in point: Elmwood Reclaimed Timber. Elmwood brings your visions to life through their reclaimed timber options and custom wood solutions. 

Get To Know Elmwood Reclaimed Timber

Whether you want to panel the walls of your man cave with a rustic reclaimed barnwood, add an accent wall of American walnut to your bedroom, add timber beams to the ceilings of your barndominium, or add a warm-yet-corporate finish to your office building with American ash, Elmwood has you covered. 

They offer reclaimed wood planks for walls that can help you achieve any design look you’re going for, from “rustic cabin” to “timberchic” and everything in between. Elmwood paneling collections include reclaimed oak, heart pine, elm, Douglas fir, mixed wood, barn wood, American walnut, American white oak, American ash, European white oak and custom options. 

We love partnering with Elmwood because we’ve seen how their reclaimed wood paneling can transform a metal building, and because they’re just great people to work with. Just like Worldwide Steel, they offer unbelievable customization options. Whatever you have in mind, they’re ready to help you bring it to life! They’re passionate about their craftsmanship and are always ready to help make your interior and exterior finishes the best they can be. You can check out some of their projects for proof (and for inspiration).

Of course, adding custom interior finishes to your metal building kit will add to the final cost of your metal building. However, that cost will almost always be less than the cost of finishing traditional construction. Plus, even when you add traditional finishes, you still get the benefits of steel – like the resistance to mold, mildew and pests, the ruggedness to stand up to fires, weather and other natural disasters, to name a few.

Think wood paneling is a design trend that was left behind decades ago? Think again — wood-paneled walls are back, and better than ever. Here are some modern wood paneling trends for walls and ceilings in 2023

Ready to get building? Let’s talk. Call Worldwide Steel at (800) 825-0316 today.

Design your next steel building, barndominium, or metal garage kit with Worldwide Steel Buildings.

When you’re excited about starting construction on your new metal building, it’s easy to focus primarily on the building itself. The paint colors, the steel frame building materials, the facade, the unlimited potential. After all, Worldwide Steel offers so many options for bringing your construction dreams to life, and our 3D Online Building Designer makes it fun to see how changing the specs of your building could change the way it looks and functions.

But before you get too carried away with designing your dream metal building, you need to know where that building will be located. Whether you’re still looking for land or choosing a plot and building orientation on a property you already own, it’s crucial that you think carefully about your building location and build proper site preparation into your construction timeline.

From zoning requirements to deed restrictions, soil and water issues to utility access, underground obstructions to wind and sun exposure, metal building site selection can make or break your project.

When you work with Worldwide Steel, however, you aren’t left on your own when it comes to building site selection. Usually, do-it-yourselfers are solely responsible for complying with local building restrictions and all other site selection considerations. Our experts do the grunt work for you and with you. We check local building codes, wind and snow loads, zoning restrictions and anything else that could mean trouble for your new building.

But we can’t choose your building site for you (and you wouldn’t want that anyway). A site that will impact your satisfaction with your metal building for decades to come.

And because our building kits are truly DIY, they won’t be there once your kit is offloaded from the delivery truck. That means you’re responsible for how the building ultimately comes together on the property. And we figure you want to feel confident with every aspect of your building projects … including where you’re going to build your new structure.

Here are a few things we advise our customers to consider when they’re choosing and preparing a construction site for their new steel building:

  • Survey the site carefully. Make sure you’re aware of any permits you’ll need to build a commercial or residential building, where any underground utilities may be, the exact boundaries of the property, and the grade.
  • Consider the total space you have and/or need. Your metal building will need more room than just its square footage. Any access, walking, parking, growing or green space also needs to be accounted for.
  • Look at the grade. Is your building site flat? Will water run away from the building? If so, will it negatively affect anything on the property around it?
  • Clear and level. You will likely need to regrade the building site, level the property or clear trees and brush.
  • Ensure your documents are in order. Confirm the accuracy of permits, property deeds and building plans you’ll need to legally begin construction.
  • Think about your climate. Unique frost lines, soil types, average weather conditions and location may influence the site selection and building design choices you make.
  • Face the right way. Sun exposure can seriously impact the efficiency of steel buildings.
  • Know which utilities you’ll need and how you’ll access them. If there are already utility lines running under the property, you’ll need to avoid them during construction. If there aren’t, how easy will it be to get them? If you aren’t able to tap into a city’s water supply, you’ll need to plan for a well and a septic system.
  • Confirm the site’s accessibility. You’ll need clearance for construction, space for the delivery truck and setback according to local laws at the very least.
  • Have your soil tested. If it hasn’t been mapped and you haven’t built on the property before, it can be helpful to get a soil test performed. If your soil is too loose, too hard, or contains too much clay, it can affect the functionality of your building. A professional will likely be able to mitigate any issues, but it is important to know about them so they can be dealt with.

We’re confident you’ll love your custom-built metal building. But we’ve been in business long enough to know that customers who put as much thought into site selection as the selection of their prefab steel buildings are the happiest with their decisions for years into the future.

Want to chat about site selection (or our 50-year structural warranty, or pricing on our steel building kits, or anything else) for your steel building? So do we! Give our building experts a call at (800) 825-0316.

A partially-assembled building
At Worldwide Steel Buildings, we pride ourselves on three things above all else:

  1. Industry-leading metal building kits (with industry-leading 50-year warranties)
  2. Our sky’s-the-limit design/build expertise (no middlemen to be found)
  3. A true DIY construction experience (no special skills or equipment required)

We say you can DIY the assembly of your metal building, and we mean it. 

While other steel building vendors require you to hire contractors and rent expensive specialized equipment, our user-friendly metal building kits mean no need to hire outside help, no need to buy unexpected supplementary materials or tools, and no need to slow down the construction of your new metal building. 

With a toolbox full of basic tools, an extension ladder, steel-toed boots and thick gloves, tin snips, a screw gun, a metal cutting blade and a way to unload and hoist your building materials, you’re ready to start building.  

Our metal building kits show up ready to be assembled, straight off the truck. All you need when your steel building kit arrives is a way to unload the materials from the and to hoist the steel trusses during assembly.

Everything we package and deliver is designed to make the unloading, handling and assembly of your steel building kit as easy and safe as possible. 

However, as soon as our delivery truck arrives on your property, that property becomes an active construction site. There will be heavy materials involved in your build, and safety should be your top priority. 

Here are some tips and things to keep in mind while unloading, handling and assembling your metal building kit: 

UNLOADING

  • Wear protective shoes, gloves and safety gear. 
  • Clear your jobsite. Make sure a truck can access your concrete foundation and there’s room for all your building materials upon delivery. 
  • Know how you are going to get your building material off a flat-bed trailer. Most of our customers like to rent a tractor or skytrack if they don’t already have one. 
  • Remember that least-handled material is safest-handled. Know exactly where each part of your building kit is going when it comes off the truck, and unload in a manner that creates an easy pathway to get materials where they’re going.
  • Know what’s in each bundle you’re unloading so you know where to put it the first time.
  • Be prepared with 2x4s. You won’t want to unload your metal building materials directly onto the ground where water or mud could damage them. 
  • When your material bundles are delivered, inspect them for any damage that may have occurred during shipping. If you find any, let the driver know so a notation can be added to the Bill Of Lading.

HANDLING AND STORAGE

  • Once again, we recommend only handling your metal building kit when you absolutely have to. The more materials are moved around, the more risk there is for injury or damage. 
  • Be careful with painted surfaces. Our paint coating is durable and impact-resistant, but dragging it across other metal surfaces may mar the finish.
  • We don’t recommend storing your metal sheeting in its bundles. If, however, something prevents you from starting assembly right away (like inclement weather), keep your materials as dry as possible. We recommend keeping them off the ground, elevating one end of roof and wall sheets, and covering materials with a canvas (not plastic) tarp.

ASSEMBLING

  • Worldwide Steel metal building kits are delivered with easy-to-read step-by-step building instructions. Read them carefully. This isn’t the time to wing it. 
  • Don’t try to be a superhero. Make sure you have enough manpower to assemble your metal building safely. You and your crew don’t need to be experts, but you do need to be clear-headed and wearing proper safety equipment. 
  • Don’t be afraid to brag. Once your metal building is assembled, take a few steps back and admire it. You designed and built that yourself! 

Worldwide Steel metal building kits – no matter what type of building they become – are easy to assemble. And with some pre-planning and proper precautions during unloading, handling, storage and construction, they can be fun to assemble, too. 

Want the fun to start right now? Check out our 3D Building Designer online and watch your steel building take shape virtually. Then give us a call at (800) 825-0316 and talk to one of our steel building consultants about turning it into reality.

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