Steel v Timber
Steel sheds v Timber pole sheds
Are steel sheds better than Timber pole sheds?
Steel sheds are the dominant go to building type in NZ for people who need garaging and storage. Kitset Sheds NZ typically use steel framing although timber frames and poles are sometimes incorporated into our buildings depending on your requirements and intended use.
Steel buildings have become the norm now days because steel portal frames allow the building to have wide spans without the need for internal poles to hold the roof up, most modern garages and sheds are made entirely of steel in particular galvanized cold rolled steel. Galvanized coil is roll formed into accurate lightweight very strong framing materials in many shapes and sizes, even pre painted color steel cladding sheets start of as galvanized coil before the painting process begins.
Timber is rapidly being replaced with steel due to inconsistent supply chain issues, the benefits we get by using steel are huge, with lower production costs, less hours of labor during construction and the supply and availability starts here with New Zealand Steel at Glenbrook.
If you want a real good shed the materials need to be precise, by using bolted steel portal frames construction is easy by default. When building a timber pole shed you begin with a post or pole that is tapered and can vary in diameter by up to 30mm, when building with non-conforming materials it is difficult to get a sharp prefect result and you will find building with heavy timber at height is hard work and slow going compared to steel.
You Decide – Steel Frame or Timber
Steel
Has better track record in earthquakes.
Frames can be pre punched for bolt holes and wiring.
Is many times stronger than timber.
Isn’t combustible.
Does not rot or get mold.
Recyclable & Relocatable
Spans greater distances.
Reflective galvanized metal assists with better light inside
Indefinitely straight steel from day one
One man can lift most parts by himself.
Building tolerances are accurate to 1-3mm.
Precut to length.
Fast build times
Easy to keep clean.
Looks real sharp.
Timber
In an earthquake or cyclone timber can fail suddenly.
It is combustible.
Attracts ants, spiders, mason bees, borer.
Single use timber cracks if you try disassembling the shed.
Limited ability to clear span large distances.
Darker tantalized timber absorbs the light.
Is usually still drying and shrinks over time.
It is heavy most parts need 2 men to lift into place.
Needs measuring and cutting on site.
Is time consuming and slow to build.
Accurate to 5-30mm – looks ok but not sharp.
Prone to warping
Suitable for agriculture type use
Better in corrosive environments
Our kitsets come with easy to identify parts that are cut to length and are light and really easy to work with.
Looking for medium to large steel sheds and barns?
If you want to buy a good solid shed you want one that will withstand an earthquake or a cyclone, building’s designed for New Zealand’s extreme’s conditions is what we specialize in so call Kitset Sheds Ltd if you are serious about quality!
Quality steel sheds NZ wide
