When you embark on the construction of a new mini storage facility one of the primary considerations will be which type of material you should use to build it. It’s a question that until recently had a number of potential answers any of which were perfectly reasonable. Because of the advent of metal insulated panel technology, however, the number of reasonable answers has been greatly reduced.
Mini Storage Building Materials: The Choices
As we stated above metal insulated panels have pushed many older mini storage building materials aside in recent years. Still there are a few old fashioned materials that continue to be used including:
- Concrete Blocks: Storage facilities built of concrete blocks dot the North American landscape. There was a time when they were the defacto choice of building material for this type of structure because they were relatively cheap and the alternatives were few. You’ll still find some new mini storage facilities built from concrete blocks but there numbers are diminishing.
- 26 Gauge Metal Panelling: Many self-storage facilities today are constructed using 26 gauge metal panelling attached to a framework. Inside, insulation is added after the fact with a finish layer over the insulation. This method is typically faster than building with concrete blocks but there are potentially a number of different trades involved that can run up the cost. Also, creating a shell that is both energy efficient and airtight is a challenge not everyone is up to.
The Rise of Insulated Metal Panels
While concrete blocks and metal panelling continue to be fairly common mini storage building materials their use is declining due to the rise of metal insulated panels. Simply put their advantages extend to every aspect of building and maintenance including:
- Faster builds – You’ll enjoy a much faster build as single piece insulated metal panels are simply locked together on site to form a completed, fully insulated and airtight shell. No miscommunication between trades causing problems with the finished product.
- Superior insulation – Each metal panel comes completely insulated with Roxul R-value: 3.6/in, and EPS R-Value: 4.04/in. The panels lock snugly together using discrete fasteners to form a stable interior environment perfect for the needs of a mini storage facility.
- Real savings – You’ll enjoy lower installation costs as insulated metal panels have a formidable strength to weight ratio that allows for wider spans. Having fewer trades involved also means measurable savings in labour while operation and maintenance cost are greatly reduced as well.
- Design Versatility – Insulated metal panels come in a wide variety of finishes and colours along with a plethora of different accessories and trims. Keep it strictly modern or go gothic. It’s all possible with metal insulated panels.
The building of mini storage facilities today has become simpler and more affordable than ever as old mini storage building materials have taken a back seat to metal insulated panels from Eco-Insulated Panel Manufacturing. Give us a call on 1.855.838.9393 to find out more.