Northern California's trusted metal building experts of over 30 years.
Red Iron Vs Cold Formed Buildings
Lets explore the differences between red iron and cold-formed structures to guide your metal building choice. With 30+ years serving Northern California, we’ll highlight their strengths and ideal uses for private, agricultural, or commercial projects, tailored to our region’s seismic and wildfire needs.
Red Iron "I" Beam
Red iron structures, utilizing iron and steel with hot-rolled I-beams, offer exceptional strength and durability for heavy loads. Supporting large clear spans up to 300 feet, and easily handling conditions like seismic activity, high winds, or fires, with a lifespan that can exceed 50 years. Upfront costs are higher per square foot due to robust foundations, labor-intensive manufacturing, and heavy materials, but they provide long-term savings through low maintenance for their entire lifespan. They can support small-large openings and large spans width wise easily. Installation is easier with fewer connections and no custom cuts. Red iron is protective against mold and fire.
If you're looking for a custom or express building with large openings, width greater than 40-50 ft, or want a very minimal maintenance building that could last you upwards of 50 years, red iron I beam is your building type.
Cold Formed
Cold-formed steel structures, crafted exclusively from lighter gauge rolled steel, provide a high strength-to-weight ratio and resilience for lighter loads and applications. They have a lifespan less than red iron but still adequate for moderate/light applications. Maintenance is higher than red iron but very manageable. Upfront costs are lower than red iron per square foot due to simpler manufacturing, lighter materials used, and reduced foundation slab and footing size. They can handle small to medium size openings and can only span width wise 40-50 ft. Installation is more intensive than red iron buildings, requiring custom cuts and additional connections. Cold-formed steel is protective against mold and fire. If you're less concerned with maintenance and lifespan and more concerned about price, while only needing a light to medium duty metal building, cold formed is your building type.
1
No Hidden Cost
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2
High Quality
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3
Comprehensive Service
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