There is almost no end to the usefulness of a garage. Far from just a place for protected parking – although that is a good use – a garage can be home to valuable storage space, workshop endeavors, and so on. Whatever you have in mind for your garage, making sure you have the right garage size to make it happen is essential in the planning phase.
On the surface, creating your own metal building might seem like an intimidating challenge. You’ll need to figure out many things as part of this project, including the basic design, the specific materials you will use, and much more. Going into it alone would be an uphill battle, to say the least.
Sustainability is an important topic that is on the minds of many. When you take on any kind of significant project, like creating a new building, you are probably thinking, at least in part, about how that project will impact the surrounding environment.
Owning horses is a great pleasure. Not only are these animals beautiful to look at and wonderful to ride, but they are also capable of performing many useful tasks on a farm. If you enjoy owning horses and need a reliable shelter to keep them safe, using a metal building is a great option.
Adding a storage building to your property is a great upgrade. If you currently lack storage or are paying a monthly rental fee at a storage facility, building a storage structure is a good way to gain convenience and save money over time.
When you consider adding a new building to your property – whether for residential or commercial purposes – one of the key considerations for the project is the longevity of the structure. If you can expect the building to have a long and useful lifespan, it will be easier to see the value it will provide compared to the financial investment you have to make.
In addition to a nice collection of tools, a great workshop space is something that every mechanic should have. A good workshop is necessary to get the job done properly and to get it done day after day throughout the year. While plenty of types of buildings can technically be used for a workshop, building one properly from the start will give you a far better experience.
If you are picturing a metal storage building as a drab, boring gray box on your property, you need to take a fresh look at what can be accomplished with these structures. Through the use of creative design, along with some great paint, you can have a metal storage building that is as attractive as it is functional.
Fresh paint is the way to go if you have a worn-down old metal building that could use a new lease on life. In this post, we will take a closer look at paint for metal storage buildings. Painting metal doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult, but it does work a little differently than painting wood.
Of course, if you don’t yet have a metal storage building on your property, turn to American Carports, Inc. for help. By working with us, you can add a nice structure to your property that will be useful for many things, and there will be no need to paint it because we can customize it before it is installed. Get started today with our Build & Price tool, or contact us to learn more.
It Starts with Surface Prep
Just taking a can of paint out to your old metal storage building and rolling some won’t yield great results. The issue with painting directly over existing painted metal is that the surface will be too smooth to accept the new paint properly. Most likely, your new paint won’t adhere very well, won’t go on evenly, and will quickly peel away after it dries. If you want to get good results from this fresh paint job, you must take the time to prep the surface properly.
As a starting point, clean the entire structure with soap and water, much like you would wash a vehicle. With that job done, you can use some sandpaper to rough up the surface and prepare it to accept paint. You don’t want to be too aggressive with this step, so use light grit sandpaper and go over the surface lightly. Also, it’s a good idea to use a primer after you have sanded so you can be sure the coat of paint you apply will have the best possible chance to stick and look great.
Picking the Right Paint
It’s critical to pick out a paint that has been formulated for use on metal surfaces. Fortunately, these types of paints are easy enough to find, as recommended surface materials will be listed right on the can. If you visit a large home center, you can browse the paint section for a bit and find some products that are meant for metal. Alternatively, you could go to a specialty paint store, and the employees there can point you in the right direction.
For metal that lives outdoors, consider going with an oil-based paint. Applying oil-based paint can be a little trickier than water-based, but you’ll usually get a tougher finished product ready to stand up to the environment. Oil-based paint takes longer to dry than water-based varieties, so plan that drying time into your process.
Watch the Weather
Painting outside means paying close attention to the weather forecast. First and foremost, you want to make sure there is no threat of rain on the day you hope to paint. If rain is forecast – even just a little bit of rain – wait to do this project on another day. You’d hate to go through the trouble of applying a new coat of paint to the structure only to have a quick rainfall ruin your efforts before that paint has had time to dry. Also, extreme temperatures (in either direction) will make things more difficult. You want to look for a “just right” day with mild temperatures and dry skies.
Is It Time for a New Building?
While a fresh coat of paint is certainly the quickest solution, you might find as you get started on this project that you need a new building, not just a coat of paint. With a new structure, you can design it to make sure it fits perfectly in the space and serves your current needs – not whatever your needs were when the building was first constructed. Before you start painting, make sure that going ahead with a paint job is truly the best course of action.
We’re Here to Help
You can get great results when painting a metal storage building by picking out the right paint and taking your time with the project. To order a new building that will be beautifully painted when it arrives, contact American Carports, Inc. for more information about our products. We’d love to serve you!
For some businesses, there can never truly be enough storage. Just when it seems like you might finally have enough space for the supplies and products that you want to keep on hand, something else comes up, and your current solution becomes packed to the limit. Managing the storage battle is an ongoing challenge, but you might be able to turn the corner and get it under control with the help of a durable metal building from American Carports, Inc.
There is a lot to like about using metal buildings for business storage, and we’ll outline some of those key points below. When you are ready to start this project, be sure to reach out to our team or check out our Build & Price tool to get started on your own. Either way, now is the time to put the wheels in motion and start working on a building that will help your business grow and thrive for years to come.
Why Go With Metal Storage Buildings for Business?
As you think about adding a new storage building to your commercial property, you might think first about using wood as the building material of choice. To be sure, plenty of great buildings have been constructed with wood, and there are some advantages to using this material. However, when you take a closer look, the many benefits offered by metal are simply too much to ignore.
What will you gain when you opt for metal? Consider the following –
Durability. Metal structures are incredibly durable, and you can count on getting excellent performance from yours for years to come. This is particularly true when you work with a trusted supplier like American Carports, Inc. on this project.
Low-maintenance. Not only will the building last for a long time, but you’ll need to do very little along the way to keep it in good condition. This means you can keep significant maintenance costs from piling up on your budget, leading to a lower overall cost of ownership over the lifespan of the building.
Flexibility. There are designs that are possible with a metal building that simply can’t be achieved easily with wood construction. The overall light weight of metal compared to wood means you can do things with the design of your metal building that wouldn’t be structurally sound with a wood version.
Save money. Perhaps the most exciting point of all for a business owner is that a metal building can be significantly cheaper than a similar wood structure for a couple of reasons. First, metal tends to be more affordable than wood, so the materials cost should be lower. Also, construction is quicker with metal, meaning the labor costs of having the building completed are reduced.
Careful Customization is Key
To get the performance you desire out of a new metal building, it’s important to customize it strategically from the start. Working with American Carports, Inc. will give you the opportunity to fully customize your order so the finished product fits nicely in the space you have available and serves your storage needs.
One customization point to consider is the kinds of doors you want to include in the design. If large items are moved in and out of storage in this building, multiple big, roll-up doors will make a lot of sense. Also, if you or others spend time in the storage building regularly, adding some windows could make it more enjoyable.
Trust a Proven Partner
There are plenty of businesses out there that are willing to sell you a new metal storage building for your business. Unfortunately, not all of them are going to deliver products that are up to your quality expectations, and you might not feel like you got your money’s worth in the end as a result. If you take on this kind of project, be sure to work with American Carports, Inc., as we have a proven track record of success in this industry. With a long list of satisfied customers to our credit, you can be sure the building we deliver will not only be exactly as you ordered, but it will be ready to stand the test of time.
Now Is the Time
Are you ready to get started on this metal building project? Whether you already know what you want to create or are just in the initial stages, our team will be happy to help you bring together a plan that serves your needs. Thank you for taking the time to consider American Carports, Inc., and we look forward to working with you soon!