Archive for May, 2009

Uses for Quonset Huts

Saturday, May 23rd, 2009

The modern day steel building is patterned after the World War II Quonset huts. Quonset huts were used to house soldiers in the field during the war. Quonset huts were easy to put up and take down. Civilians caught on to the idea of the Quonset hut design and they quickly became popular. Today, the building design is still used to provide protection for vehicles, farm equipment and animals and many other uses.
Quonset huts have an arch design where the curved walls meet the floor. The original design of the Quonset hut made it impossible to put furniture or machinery against the walls of the building. The design of the walls of the Quonset hut was changed so that they had a 90 degree angle to solve the problem of wasted space.

Quonset hut buildings inspired the design of modern day prefabricated steel buildings. The Quonset hut is the idea behind many of the steel buildings today. These buildings are very light weight and can be put together quickly.Right after World War II, airplane hangers were made out of steel and designed after the Quonset hut. Thousands of the Quonset huts began to be made. The huts were easily put together by hand tools.
The military still uses the Quonset hut style steel buildings. Quonset huts can be used for office buildings as well as for storage. There really is no end to the different ways the Quonset huts can be used.

Quonset huts are not very attractive but they are extremely strong and durable. Civilians use Quonset huts for storage and office space also. Even American farmers will sometimes use Quonset huts to store their farm equipment in, livestock feed and other things in. If you have room on your property, you can use small Quonset huts to keep vehicles and motorcycles in too. The Quonset hut is so popular, that there are even portable plastic style ones available now too.
Quonset huts are used for green houses, canopies for recreations vehicles, boat shelters, animal shelters, the list goes on and on. Quonset hut canopies are now used for boat shelter, animal shelters, green houses, etc. The Quonset style green houses are made out of a metal frame with a plastic cover. The shape and size on the Quonset green house, makes them really easy to heat. New style Quonset hut buildings are worth looking into.

Quonset Huts Were the Predecessor of Our Current Metal Buildings

Thursday, May 14th, 2009

Hundreds of thousands of Quonset huts were manufactured during World War II. The Navy spurred the production of so many Quonset huts, because they needed portable sturdy buildings that could be put in place without construction crews. Quonset huts are prefabricated semi circular structures that were modeled after similar structures created by the British in WWI. The hut is named after Quonset Point, where it was first created in Rhode Island. Because of their simple yet strong iron arc structure, Quonset huts offered a very efficient use of interior space. The huts were shipped easily to various locations and used for restrooms, living quarters, hospitals, hangars and mess halls. They offered a step up from the combination of tents and wooden platforms that were previously used for such purposes. After the war, the Quonset huts were sold to the public and started being seen across the country for various civilian uses. Since then, Quonset huts not produced by the military have been manufactured and utilized for a plethora of commercial and residential uses.

The metal buildings you see today had their beginnings in the design of Quonset huts. One of the big problems with the semi circular design on Quonset huts, was that it was difficult to place square items flush to the wall on the floor. The design was later reconfigured with short straight walls on the side that made sense for uses that could not utilize the curved space on the original design. The design change actually allowed the structures to break down even smaller and made it lighter to ship. And many metal building makers today still utilize the arched construction of the original Quonset huts.

The same portability and ease of construction concept that made Quonset huts so invaluable to the U.S. military is why steel buildings are such an attractive option for residential and commercial uses today. Steel buildings, much like Quonset huts, can be assembled with a handful of people without special equipment. Steel buildings are used for a wide variety of commercial and residential purposes. They are gymnasiums, body shops, churches and garages. The structures offer a very efficient use of space and do not necessitate much time or money to build or maintain. The Quonset huts live on.

Metal Buildings Are Environmentally Friendly, Easy to Construct and Light on the Budget

Friday, May 1st, 2009

Whether your building or storage needs are commercial or residential in nature, a good metal building can be the answer. For starters, steel, the major component of these structures, can withstand wind and will not rot in wet climates as wood does. A well constructed metal building is also virtually maintenance free as well as pleasing to the eye. To top it off, the building components are recyclable and are themselves made from recycled materials.

Now that you have decided to go with a metal building, you need to do a little homework before you dig in. If you do your upfront work, you will have a long lasting and aesthetically pleasing asset as a result. You will also avoid unnecessary frustration and stress. Make sure you understand the benefits and drawbacks of the various types of buildings before you get started. Your intended use may exclude certain structural components and designs.

Commercial and residential projects, of course, have different requirements. A homeowner looking for a metal garden storage shed or a metal garage building will want something that is strong, attractive, watertight and fire proof, and resistant to pests. The components of most of these types of buildings are coated to enhance durability. The do it yourselfer will also appreciate the building panels ease of assembly.These same attributes make metal buildings attractive to farmers. Not only are the buildings versatile and strong enough for use as a barn or horse arena, but they are resistant to insects and vermin as well as warping, deterioration and rot.

A commercial strip mall or warehouse project would have other requirements. Here, a pre engineered metal building would be the best alternative as you can have the structure designed to your specifications. On the other hand, a panelized metal stud building would work very well for a commercial office building project. They are able to support several levels and have great flexibility for multiple designs. If you are looking to construct an industrial site, the pre engineered metal building is your best alternative. They have the flexibility and size needed for manufacturing and warehousing needs.

Metal buildings, therefore, can be the answer for most, if not all, of your structural needs. You are almost certain to find a metal building design that meets your requirements in a green and cost effective way. This alternative may be the perfect solution. What could be better than a solidly constructed and long lasting structure for short and long term savings on construction, utility, insurance and maintenance costs.