DIY Steel Barndo

Customer Journey with the Bartlett Family in Kent City, Michigan

A large, black and beige warehouse with a gabled roof—Ref#013134—features multiple garage doors on one side and a person-sized entrance with two windows adjacent. Set against a cloudy sky, this hybrid structure rests gracefully on a grassy expanse.

“Shout out to the guys from Kansas City, Missouri who delivered our steel building kit to freezing cold Michigan!”
~Saydee

A blue forklift moves a brown metal truss under snowy conditions. A worker in a yellow vest directs the operation near a flatbed truck carrying similar trusses on a snow-covered roadside. Trees and bare ground are visible in the background.

Pier Foundation System

A large, tan-colored building with three metal garage doors on one side and a white door featuring a window on the other stands like a hybrid structure amid the grass field under a partly cloudy sky. Ref#013133.

“We built a barndo rather than a traditional home with a basement because our water table is only five feet down and we would have to install a special pump or build on a hill using tons of sand.”
~Paul

Two people work on a construction site in the snow. One uses a rotary hammer drill to drill into a concrete block on the ground. Wooden boards and a child on a dirt bike are visible in the background.

Concrete Piers

Aerial view of a snowy landscape with a rectangular arrangement of logs and scattered pieces. Tracks and tire marks crisscross the area, and a few small piles of logs are visible at one corner.

Concrete piers are pressed into the earth until they hit bedrock, which holds the structure rather than the soil. Pier systems create a very stable foundation, and is preferable in this particular situation where the water table is five feet below the ground.

A tan metal building, dimensions 24x36x10, features a dark brown roof and trim. It boasts a large, closed garage door and a smaller door with a window. Nestled in a grassy field under Ref#013132, its charm is enhanced by the blue sky dotted with clouds.

Setting Columns & Trusses

A blue telescopic forklift is lifting a metal beam vertically on a snowy construction site. The beam is secured with orange straps. In the background, there are leafless trees under a clear sky.

Worldwide’s steel trusses are jointed to the columns with large bolts that resist both vertical and horizontal movement for the most durable, sturdy, wind resistant frame available on the market today.

A large, rectangular 50x84x12 metal building with a pitched roof stands majestically. The structure features several garage doors on one side and an entry door with two windows on the adjacent side, set on a grassy area under a partly cloudy sky. Reference: Ref#013131.

Secondary Framing

A person wearing a white hard hat stands on an orange ladder, using a tool to work on a tall metal structure. The background is a cloudy sky with bare trees.

Once you have your columns set, you can begin the secondary framing of the sidewalls. The Bartletts chose to use metal as the material for their wall girts and roof purlins instead of wood, making it an all steel and metal building.

A large gray warehouse, measuring 72x96x14, boasts multiple white garage doors and a sloped metal roof. It stands on a grassy field under a partly cloudy sky. Ref#013130 might just lead you to this impressive structure.

Heated Concrete

Construction workers are visible spreading concrete over a floor with visible orange heating pipes installed on foam panels marked "FOAMULAR." Various tools and building materials surround the area.

Floor heating systems, or radiant heating systems can be installed in many types of flooring including concrete, and under wood flooring and tile which allows for year round warmth. In the Bartlett’s case, the 4 inch concrete would always absorb the ground temp and would never get warm enough so the concrete would always be cold and uncomfortable.

An empty room with a polished concrete floor and several windows. Pipes protrude from the floor near the center, and the walls are unfinished with exposed insulation. Natural light comes in through the windows.

Interior Framing

A man in a beige jacket and jeans crouches on a concrete floor, using a red power tool to assemble a wooden frame. Various construction tools and materials are scattered around the site.

Paul bought a new Milwaukee framing gun for this phase of the building process so he could DIY all the interior framing with his father and brother. It runs on battery so they did not have to use an air compressor, which is a big time saver.

Two construction workers are installing a wooden frame for a wall inside a building with metal beams. One worker holds the frame in place while the other secures it, surrounded by construction materials and tools.

Spray Foam Insulation

A person wearing safety gear stands on scaffolding inside a building, spraying insulation foam on the wall. The interior structure is visible, and sunlight streams through an open doorway in the background.

Utilizing spray foam insulation is not only a great way to seal all the gaps in the ‘envelope’ of your home, but is also very energy efficient for cost savings on your energy bills.

A person in a blue shirt looks out of a large sliding glass door in a partially constructed room with insulated walls. A brown dog stands nearby on the concrete floor, gazing in the same direction.

Custom Windows and Doors

A room with white walls features three small, rectangular windows in a row, topped with wooden frames. A modern black ceiling fan is mounted to the left, and a recessed ceiling light is situated nearby.

You can totally customize every aspect of your new steel building from the windows, doors, trim, flooring, ceilings, overheads, exterior siding and so much more.

A pair of black double doors with glass panels are centered in a modern entryway. There's a black wire dog crate on the left and a small potted plant on the right. A beige doormat lies in front of the doors, and a lantern decorates the floor.

Vaulted Ceilings

The Bartletts chose to sheet rock their interior walls and leave the high ceilings open with exposed duct work for an open concept design style that is very popular with barndominium builds.

Spacious open-plan living area with white walls and a high ceiling. Features brown leather sofas, a kitchen island with a marble pattern, hanging lights, large windows, and dining table. Decor includes plants and minimal shelving.

Interior Finishings

Spacious modern kitchen with white cabinets, a large island with four black chairs, and hanging pendant lights. The kitchen features stainless steel appliances, a visible pantry, and a cozy seating area in the background. Sunlight streams through the windows.

“I love a good, modern chic style but also the rustic farmhouse kind of vibe so I don’t really have a specific style. I just like clean lines, white, wood accents, leather and some pops of color.”
~Saydee

A modern kitchen island with a marbled countertop and waterfall edge. It features white drawers with gold handles and a wooden bowl on top. The surrounding area includes sleek chairs and a polished concrete floor.

Our Forever Home

“The whole house is 40×100 which is 4,000 SF but that includes the garage which is 24×40 so the living space is 3,040 SF and then the mezzanine loft will add another 36×40 SF adding 1,440 extra SF for storage.”
~Paul

View of a dark colored Barndominium sold by Worldwide Steel Builings

At Worldwide Steel Buildings, we are your one stop shop for all aspects of designing and building your new dream home. We cut out the middle man for cost effective, DIY metal building kits because we are the manufacturer with our own fabrication facility. Our clear span framing allows for maximum space usage and our 50 year structural warranty is the best in the industry. Call us at 800-825-0316 or contact us for more information.