Exterior Ideas for Metal Buildings

[snakebit95]

I have a lot of metal buildings local to me that are for sale at nearly scrap prices, but most require that you take them down and remove them from the property. I am in the planning stages for a fairly large workshop / 3-car garage and am thinking about using one of these metal buildings for the primary structure. However, my neighborhood does require that anything added to the property must match the home to some degree (in other words, no industrial looking metal buildings). I am curious to know if anybody has sided/roofed with something outside of the normal tin siding / roofing that are typically found on metal buildings. Pictures would be much appreciated too!!

Thanks,
Wayne

 

[Riverside]

Aside from the aesthetic issues, if the building does not come with engineered plans, you may not be able to get a building permit.

 

[snakebit95]

I live in a fairly rural area, where permits are often not required for small additions. They simply have to be approved by the area developer; who I have already spoken to about the workshop. I am not expecting a permit to be an issue.

 

[dhubbard422]

As long as you can attach some girts to the posts (wood girts may have some advantages), you can create just about any look.

These are Websteel buildings: http://www.wsbnw.com/vaulted/index.html

 

[Whiskeymike]

I have the same exact issue with my HOA. They are relaxed, but there is one stipulation of it being similar to the house in finish.

Has anyone seen it covered in limestone masonry? That wood sided bldg looks awesome.

 

[rsanter]

What is the finish on the house you are trying to match?

You can use the steel structure and roof then wood frame, and stucco the walls.
You can put the metal siding back on then screw barn wood to the steel siding.
You can make real or fake brick walls.

Bob

 

[bczygan]

Think of the metal building as just a structural framework.

In fact, look for one that is just that. One where the structure is steel beams and columns and trusses or purlins. Buy it and then scrap the metal roof and siding panels.

Now, simply use additional metal or wood framing as needed to provide additional support for whatever wood or masonry wall facing and roof decking that you desire.

Some other things to do to make it more compatible with the existing house are to use the same materials and colors. Repeat window and door and trim and overhang details and sizes. Landscape similarly, and tie together with landscaping. Try to match the roof pitches. Use similar lighting. Break up the larger mass of the shop building, to keep it more in scale with the house. You could even add on to the house to give it more presence.. Site the shop at a lower elevation so it doesn't overpower the house. Site it some distance away and screen it with trees, walls or fencing.

 

[snakebit95]

Love the wood sided building!! Absolutely beautiful!! My home is a mix of medium and dark brown brick. The shop would be built behind the house, out of site from the front yard. I was thinking of doing some type of brown shake siding that is close to my brick color and dark brown trim around the eves to match the house. Fastening wood to the steel beams is my concern. It seems like it could turn into a real task drilling and bolting/screwing. I was hoping to hear how others have dealt with this potential headache.

 

[dhubbard422]

Love the wood sided building!! Absolutely beautiful!! My home is a mix of medium and dark brown brick. The shop would be built behind the house, out of site from the front yard. I was thinking of doing some type of brown shake siding that is close to my brick color and dark brown trim around the eves to match the house. Fastening wood to the steel beams is my concern. It seems like it could turn into a real task drilling and bolting/screwing. I was hoping to hear how others have dealt with this potential headache.

Yes, I too expect that fastening the wood girts to the steel could be a challenge, but it probably depends a bit on the design of the steel frame. Websteel basically welds a flange onto their frame members to which one can easily attach the wood girts (2x4s or 2x6s). If the posts have square/flat faces, it might not be too big a chore. A nice powerful cordless drill to drill the pilot hole and another to drive the screw and it'd go pretty quickly, especially with a buddy helping.

However, if the faces are not perpendicular/vertical, you might have to stick build a frame inside the metal frame... at which point you might start questioning the advantages of the metal framed building.

If Websteel had been closer. i.e. not halfway across the country, I would have had them build me my shop, but they are and the shipping charges were a bit high. Anyway, the hassles that I perceived for finishing the interior of a red iron building pushed me towards a Morton building with wood posts/trusses.

In part this is a bump and maybe others will have some first hand experience and suggestions!

 

[dhubbard422]

Oh... and if you are interested in more inspiration for recycling old metal buildings, this is an award winning repurposing of an old cement plant. Of course, I don't believe that the finishes are an example of what you need to blend into your neighborhood... but the use of stone, metal and glass is pretty sweet; the 3 story screen porch is simply amazing. I love the variety of the 3 buildings - each uses a segment of the old cement plant.

 

[slip knot]

When I built mine I elected to have the roof pitched to match the house. The roof and wall colors match the house colors as well. At first glance most people dont even realize its a metal building.

 

[joe_padavano]

You can't simply replace the metal siding on a metal frame building with wood. The metal siding and roof panels serve as shear panels to prevent the frame from wracking under high winds. Either the new siding needs to be equal to the original in structural capacity for shear loads or you have to incorporate internal diagonal bracing to the frame before adding non-structural siding.

 

[bullnerd]

I know a guy that OSb'd it and vinyl sided it to match his house.