Metal vs Wood Garage ? What would u do?

[1 Wild R/T]

I built all metal 30x42 with 12ft walls for a couple of 4 post lifts to do the dirty work in. Then I added on a 24x30 with 8ft walls for a clean room for engine building type of work. That room ended up with big screen t.v.'s and a pad for friends to come watch football and drink beer, lol. One subject nobody has brought up yet is with all metal your phone and wireless internet is compromised or might not get connection at all as in my case...this might not matter to some just throwing it out there to consider on wood to metal decision.

Not a problem at all... Just run Cat 6 into the building & a wireless router inside the building....

 

[Big Bad Dad]

Outlawd is right. My garage is a wood frame pole barn type building with sheet metal roofing and siding panels. Cell service is bad. I have to step outside to talk. But, its no big deal to me.

 

[Jesse6869]

Really would not of thunk that thanks for the reply

 

[moparedtn]

I built all metal 30x42 with 12ft walls for a couple of 4 post lifts to do the dirty work in. Then I added on a 24x30 with 8ft walls for a clean room for engine building type of work. That room ended up with big screen t.v.'s and a pad for friends to come watch football and drink beer, lol. One subject nobody has brought up yet is with all metal your phone and wireless internet is compromised or might not get connection at all as in my case...this might not matter to some just throwing it out there to consider on wood to metal decision.

This is true. Wifi signal to the house can be compromised in the garage.
I've learned where the good spots are in there at this point, though - and with cell service sucking so bad out here anyways, I've always forwarded the phone to the house number when I'm home.
Further, my cell grabs the home wifi and the cell phone itself uses that, too.
Wifi does NOT help with texting, however.

 

[QOTHL]

Knowing what u know now what would u do and why? I’ve was looking to sell my house and by a house with acres in California to build my garage. After 2years of looking and fires here in Solano county I would cost me a premium for insurance and I would need put a large down and or sell my house or rent it out and I’m close to paying off, and I was not loving the idea.

So I bought a house with 2.5 acres in Nevada 2 1/2 hours away its close. Now I can keep both houses and have a second home and build what I want.

The garage I want it to be 35’ to 40’ depth 4 car garage multiple doors not sure on length work shop area I have a mid car lift I want a full hight lift maybe 4 post lift. I’m amateur welder I want to paint couple cars. Basically have fun with it all.

I have a 69 charger I’m redoing everything , now I’m ready to paint it , 68 charger, 69 valiant, 68 valiant, 69 barracuda and looking still for more projects
There’s a 30’x60’ metal garage on it at some point make it a spray booth?

So metal vs wood garage metal is cheaper u have condensation, and heating it? more bang for your buck but it gets cold in Nevada
Wood easy to insulate more flexibility in design COST is way higher .

Thoughts and ideas are greatly appreciated .thank u in advance Jesse

Just my opinion, wood sucks. If I had it to do all over again, I'd build my steel garage big enough to live in. My house is steel and concrete so it's not going to burn down or get destroyed by termites. Steel - high winds don't effect it at all. Whoever posted that it's noisy must not have insulated it properly or maybe not at all. It can be windy as heck out and I can walk in that building and it's as quiet as a church. This is a pre engineered 40x60 steel free span building. Wood is difficult to get that much space with no center supports. I keep fans and heaters if I need to deal with condensation. Wood was way more $$ as well. The building was 24K and the concrete about 15K.

Roll up doors - no overhead clutter from standard garage doors. We put this up ourselves.

 

[Kern Dog]

Cement.

Cement by definition is a glue...a bonding agent.
The proper word is concrete.
Cement is a component of concrete along with rock and sand.
Ever heard of rubber cement? Contact cement?
Oh, I suggest wood. As a 35 year Carpenter, the freedom that wood gives you is fantastic. It is easily modified for any future changes. It looks far better than metal buildings too.

 

[451Mopar]

I wish I had a large shop/building. My friend has a nice metal 40'x50' open span metal building that is pretty nice, and has stood up to the weather pretty good over the years, although a heavy snow load did damage the rain gutter. The building is insulated, and has two 12' tall double wide garage doors. The insulation does a pretty good job, but it's still cold in the winter (no heater or A/C.) We have low humidity here. It is a fairly dry climate, so rust has not been an issue. Strength against high wind loads is one of the big factors in this area, The other would be Hail, and snow load. With any construction type, make sure the building is engineered to withstand the environmental loads in your area.

Anyone know how expensive the precast concrete buildings cost? My last job was in a precast concrete building that was rated to also be a tornado shelter.

 

[moparedtn]

Cement by definition is a glue...a bonding agent.
The proper word is concrete.
Cement is a component of concrete along with rock and sand.
Ever heard of rubber cement? Contact cement?
Oh, I suggest wood. As a 35 year Carpenter, the freedom that wood gives you is fantastic. It is easily modified for any future changes. It looks far better than metal buildings too.

The Clampetts would beg to differ, sir. Ellie May lets her critters bathe in their ceee-ment fishin' pond!

 

[Kern Dog]

Hollywood lies and Tom Foolery.

 

[747mopar]

Wood all the way, I built this a few years ago and would do it exactly the same if I had it to do over.. maybe a fuzz deeper. I like a finished interior, drywall, paint, etc and absolutely hate that white plastic insulation you see in metal buildings. I framed my garage exactly like you would frame a house, it's super tight and extremely easy to heat. Fire.. blah, blah, it's sheetrock, sheetrock doesn't burn.

 

[Jesse6869]

Wood all the way, I built this a few years ago and would do it exactly the same if I had it to do over.. maybe a fuzz deeper. I like a finished interior, drywall, paint, etc and absolutely hate that white plastic insulation you see in metal buildings. I framed my garage exactly like you would frame a house, it's super tight and extremely easy to heat. Fire.. blah, blah, it's sheetrock, sheetrock doesn't burn.View attachment 1050658 View attachment 1050660

And looks like u went tin on exterior?

 

[747mopar]

And looks like u went tin on exterior?

Yes, low maintenance, cost effective and quick.

 

[moparedtn]

Hollywood lies and Tom Foolery.

 

[QOTHL]

Wood all the way, I built this a few years ago and would do it exactly the same if I had it to do over.. maybe a fuzz deeper. I like a finished interior, drywall, paint, etc and absolutely hate that white plastic insulation you see in metal buildings. I framed my garage exactly like you would frame a house, it's super tight and extremely easy to heat. Fire.. blah, blah, it's sheetrock, sheetrock doesn't burn.View attachment 1050658 View attachment 1050660

I could finish the interior of my steel bldg with sheet rock etc. but don't want to. I have more important things to spend money on. After living in a solid masonry steel reinforced concrete beam house for over 23 yrs I would avoid ever living in a stick built house again. It would be nearly impossibel to match the strength of a steel frame bldg. with wood.

 

[blue69runner]

Metal will last longer than wood and less up keep as far as painting wood. Agree with floor heating. Spray insulation will keep noise down. I have a wood garage and have had to replace the wood siding after 35 year's. Have to paint from time to time. If I had to do it over again would go metal.

 

[747mopar]

I could finish the interior of my steel bldg with sheet rock etc. but don't want to. I have more important things to spend money on. After living in a solid masonry steel reinforced concrete beam house for over 23 yrs I would avoid ever living in a stick built house again. It would be nearly impossibel to match the strength of a steel frame bldg. with wood.

Because stick frames just blow away, burn down and decay. Not going to argue your point on strength because concrete and steel are obviously stronger but will my garage and home outlive me... absolutely without a doubt so your point is? Yes you can add sheetrock but only after you add something to fasten it too with those huge spans..

I was simply replying to the OP's question.. not looking for your input on my choice.

 

[QOTHL]

Because stick frames just blow away, burn down and decay. Not going to argue your point on strength because concrete and steel are obviously stronger but will my garage and home outlive me... absolutely without a doubt so your point is? Yes you can add sheetrock but only after you add something to fasten it too with those huge spans..

I was simply replying to the OP's question.. not looking for your input on my choice.

I've seen finished models at the manufacture where I bought my building, just FYI. The sheet rock can be fastened to the horizontal gurts. There may be more to it but I didn't bother checking it out since I'm not interested in a finished interior. I have built 4x8ft expanded steel shelves and hung them from the structure with no problem.

 

[Beep!Beep!]

Yes that’s the idea and what I’m looking into, but what I’m really looking for is what u have, likes a and dislikes and what if u could do it again would do different and or not change a thing. All advise and ideas are greatly appreciated. And pictures of what u have also would be helpful.

I had a metal shop that I just sold built in 2002,no problems, my building had 2" board insulation fastened to stringers then metal sheets ontop of it very warm and was the type with the bright foil on the insulation it was a welding and truck equipment shop. Safer than wood, I tried to burn a piece of the insulation wouldn't burn . MY EXPERIENCE Ceiling height 23' clear span i did put some metal on inside ,because there was some sheets leftover I would have liked to have done that all the way around walls about 8 foot up was easy to attach things to. The office interior walls were wood.

 

[blue69runner]

Steel stud's can be affixed to the pearling's to make a finished wall of your choice of sheeting. Was around many steel building's and they did this to make office wall's. So good luck and don't think you cant go wrong on a steel building.

 

[Coronet_Arch]

When we designed metal buildings we put approximately 3 foot of masonry around the base of the building to avoid damage to metal panels of the building. We had curbs inside the building to avoid damage to the walls from vehicles. They still managed to hit the outside of the buildings. Protection of the exterior of the building is an important consideration with a metal building.

My workshop is an old concrete block building. The previous owner had insulated with exposed Styrofoam panels that I tore out due to their flammability and poor condition. Any type of building construction comes down to considering how the building is to be used and how the interior is to be finished. Life safety is always a consideration in any project. Either type of building can be built to last the same amount of time and withstand the same hazards. It comes down to how the materials are used and put together.