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Ironbuilt is committed to delivering the best quality metal buildings and components at the most competitive prices. We accomplish this by using only the finest commercial grade steel and coatings in our buildings with exceptional design features. When comparing the standard features of an Ironbuilt steel building against those of other companies, the difference as shown in the metal building comparison below is dramatic.
Ironbuilt understands the most important part of your pre-engineered building is the roof. If the roof does not include the best materials and design it will not seal properly, causing heat loss in the winter and leaks that will damage the insulation and your building’s contents. The roof features discussed below show how the Ironbuilt steel building factory takes the design of our roofs seriously so they are tightly sealed against the elements and remain maintenance free.
Ironbuilt roof panels have 1) A larger corrugation
1 ¼” high. 2) 26 gauge commercial steel 3) Stronger steel with a tensile yield of 80,000 KSI. These three features produce a heavy duty panel capable of handling hurricane winds and the heaviest snow loads.
Ironbuilt’s roof and wall panels are approved for the Florida Hurricane Wind Code.
Many companies use thinner 29 gauge steel “ag” panels to save money. They may look similar but the buildings are weaker because the steel is like tin and is 30% lighter than Ironbuilt’s 26 gauge panel. They also use an inferior 5/8” high corrugation which is only 50% as deep as Ironbuilt’s 1 ¼” high rib corrugation.
Few companies’ roofs have been missile tested and have wind-ratings for the Florida Hurricane Wind Code like Ironbuilt does.
AZ55 Galvalume is used for Ironbuilt’s roof coating. It is composed of 55% Aluminum, 43% Zinc and 2% silicon. The aluminum and silicon combine to produce a barrier against corrossion. Galvalume is maintenance free, requires no painting and keeps its original sheen.
Gavalume has a 25 year warranty against perforations directly from the steel mill.
Most companies use AZ 50 Galvalume coating on their roof panels which has a thinner coating than Ironbuilt’s roof. Since it’s not as effective as Ironbuilt’s coating, only a 20 year warranty is offered.
Other companies use only a regular galvanized coating which is prone to rusting and perforations that cause leaks.
Ironbuilt’s roof fasteners are clad with stainless steel and prefixed with an EPDM rubber washer. They come with a lifetime warranty against rust. The stainless steel fasteners will never rust, or discolor black or grey.
Every Ironbuilt building has sidewall and endwall panels with paint that has a 40 year warranty against peeling, cracking, chipping or blistering. The paint contains special ceramic pigments for long term durability. There is a substrate galvalume or galvanized coating under the paint for added rust protection.
The sidewall panels have been wind force tested and are approved to meet the Florida Hurricane Zone Wind Code.
Most companies offer only a 10-20 year warranty on the paint.
Many companies have only limited or no approval for use in Florida’s Hurricane Wind Zone.
Ironbuilt Structural I-beam frames are made from only 100% USA steel. The flanges are fabricated from solid steel bar stock and the web of the column beams and the rafter sections are made from solid steel plate. For added rigidity, the flanges are made with a minimum of ¼” structural plate.
The I-beam frames are manufactured on a computerized automated continuous weld production line. Grey or red primer is applied to the framing, but custom galvanized or epoxy is also available.
Other companies often source their raw materials from Chinese or Mexican bar and plate stock, not American. The web may not be solid steel plate but a weaker web truss design. Most framing is not made on an automated weld line, but manually hand welded with gaps or poor penetration. Some fabricators use material as thin as 3/16” for the flanges which causes the beam to bow or flanges to warp. Custom galvanized or epoxy coatings not available.
Ironbuilt secondary framing, girts and purlins as a standard have hot dipped galvanized coating or red/grey primer. This prevents the components from bleeding or dripping rust. Epoxy or custom coatings are also available at additional cost if required.
Most companies use only red-oxide primer, inconsistently applied, which leads to rust blotches. This can bleed on to the panels and cause streaking or rust corrosion.
Many companies fabricate only the main frames and purchase the secondary framing, sheeting and components from a number of suppliers. While others make a few components and subcontract the frames to different fab shops which results in ineffective quality control procedures.
The trend is for these companies to outsource their engineering to consultants or foreign countries to cut down the cost. They often do not meet ASTM or IAS standards and result in poorly designed buildings. Most of the welding is done manually and the welders are not AWS certified.
The connection point of the wall and roof sheeting at the eave is specially designed to create a super tight seal. An outside foam closure applied at the top of the wall fits the corrugation of the wall sheeting and an inside foam closure sits on top of the eave strut sealing the roof sheeting for a weathertight seal and protection against leaks.
The metal eave trim closure covers the foam closure on the wall and tightly seals under the roof sheeting.
Some companies only use one inside closure and do not use a wall foam closure, and, in some cases do not use a metal eave trim to save money. This allows for penetration by insects, rodents and leaks that can rot the insulation.
Ironbuilt’s door openings come factory ready with the most complete trim and closure system offered anywhere. “J” trim is supplied for the cut edges of the wall sheeting around the door opening. Header cover trim and jamb cover trim enclose the door framing members so no exposed red iron framing can be seen. The door opening trims match the building trim and make the building look fantastic.
A foam closure is supplied for use in the header “J” trim to seal the top of the door opening from insects, rodents and driving rain.
Most other companies do not supply jamb or header cover trim and only supply the “J” trim for the cut edges of the sheeting at the opening. Since the jambs and header are exposed and only have a red-oxide primer, they eventually rust and it runs onto the wall sheeting and concrete floor which looks unsightly.
No foam closure is supplied for the header “J” trim, allowing insects and leaks above the opening.
Mounted around the outer perimeter of the slab or foundation is a heavy 14 gauge galvanized 4” tall base angle. It attaches to the interior of the wall sheeting, provides incredible strength at the base and prevents dents and creases. The base trim is attached to the base angle and reaches 1” below the top of the concrete slab serving as a shelf, sealing the bottom of the sheeting. A foam closure formed to the inside profile of the sheeting is also included to add additional protection against insects, rodents and leaks. The base trim color matches the building to allow a beautiful uniform look.
Many companies do not include a base trim which requires the customer to use an expensive notch in the concrete around the perimeter. The base angle is often only 2”x2” and not full sized, does not offer dent protection and is not galvanized which promotes rusting.
Other companies use a flimsy lightweight, 20 gauge one-piece base trim that is inferior as it is not as strong and does not seal as well against driving rain.
Need help? Contact our contractor services department at (800) 805-0084