Choose a Metal Building for the Best Self-Storage

From parking the mower to stashing seasonal decor, finding suitable storage space is a common plight of many homeowners. If you have the space, a durable self-storage structure will provide the most bang for your buck. You’ll find different variations of garden sheds built from 2×4’s and plywood on almost every lot in town. But if you’re in the market to buy a new shed, metal buildings are cost-effective, durable options that get the job done without rotting in the process.

What to Consider When Choosing a Self-Storage Unit

As with every commodity on the market, there is a range of sizes, materials, and quality with every self-storage shed. It is possible–although probably not cost or time-effective, to engineer a woodshed that is more durable than a budget-friendly prefab metal shed. But when we compare apples-to-apples, choosing similar size and quality builds from different materials, metal buildings offer distinct advantages.

Space Requirements

It’s a simple question–how much space do you need for storage? A typical garden shed is 80 square feet or 8 feet by 10 feet. And a typical extra-large self-storage shed is 12 feet by 20 feet. The bigger you go, the more materials you will need, driving the price up. Take some time to carefully consider your needs. Being too conservative with space estimates will have you looking for more storage while overestimating means that you might go over budget on unused space.

Budget

Either financial limitations or personal preference will determine how much you can spend on a storage shed. You can find options ranging from a few hundred dollars up to several thousand dollars, including pre-built sheds, build kits, and professional installations. If you need a lot of space, metal buildings tend to provide more square footage for a better price.

Why Choose a Metal Self-Storage Unit?

Metal buildings have a long history across rural America as the preferred material for housing animals and storing farming machinery. But more recently, suburban residents have taken notice of what the agriculture community was on to. Metal is a durable, budget-friendly, and sustainable building material, and now we’re using it to build self-storage sheds and residential homes.

Superior Strength and Durability

Metal is well-known for its strength. While wood tends to succumb to moisture and become warped, moldy, and rotten, metal is resistant to natural decay. With proper maintenance, a wood shed will last homeowners between 20-25 years. By comparison, metal sheds last two to three times as long with little or no maintenance.

Wood sheds require some upkeep, usually replacing shingles and adding a fresh coat of paint every couple of years. Meanwhile, metal buildings are notably low maintenance. Some may require painting every 15-20 years, but most modern sheds are built from colorfast-treated panels that don’t fade with UV or weather exposure.

More Flexibility with Sizing

Wood is a heavy material, and it requires post and beam structural support to erect a building. This means that adding on to wood structures can be challenging with load-bearing walls. It also means that larger sheds may require center supports that limit how the interior space can be utilized. Metal buildings are superior on both counts. Metal panels are comparatively lightweight, requiring less structural support. This allows the interior to remain completely open, and it’s why farmers prefer metal buildings for machine sheds.

Cost-Efficient Options

Metal self-storage sheds can save you money in a couple of different ways. First, the upfront cost of purchasing or building the shed is generally less than a wood shed of similar size. The cost of materials has been fluctuating for both metal and wood as the result of ongoing supply chain disruptions, and while that may continue for the foreseeable future, pricing should remain lower for metal.

Second, metal buildings are fire-resistant, so you’re likely to get a few dollars knocked off your homeowner’s insurance if you opt for safer building materials. And third, their long lifespan and low-maintenance needs mean that your investment will last a lot longer without leaching your money.

Climate-Control Options

While wood is a natural insulator, metal buildings work well with a variety of insulation materials that can help control the temperatures in your building. And while heat sources can be added to both types, the fire-resistant nature of metal buildings makes heating an unoccupied building a little safer.

Final Thoughts

There are plenty of things to think about when shopping for a self-storage shed. And while aesthetics might be important to some homeowners or some homeowner associations, modern metal sheds have seen some design improvements that make them a little more fitting for residential neighborhoods. They also make a perfect argument for choosing sustainable building materials and in making a quality long-term investment.

About Metal Sales

Metal Sales Manufacturing Corporation is the premier nationwide provider of metal panels for the construction industry. Metal Sales works with architectural specifiers and commercial construction professionals to create inspirational design solutions. With the industry’s largest and most knowledgeable sales and technical support team, Metal Sales has the expertise to address today’s challenges in high-performance, sustainable and Net-Zero building. Metal Sales has outreach around the world. Delivering outstanding roof, wall and fascia metal panels from its 21 facilities throughout the U.S.

For more information, visit www.metalsales.us.com
To find the nearest branch near you, please visit here.