There are lots of decisions to be made when buying a steel building. One of those decisions is how thick you want the steel to be. Thickness is measured in gauges and there are standards for each gauge set by the American Iron and Steel Institute. For example, a piece of 26 gauge steel will have an average thickness of .0217 of an inch and can not be less than .0187 of an inch. We should note that the smaller the gauge of steel, the thicker and stronger it is.
As you might imagine, thicker steel is stronger and provides more stability to the building, but it’s also more expensive. While it’s important to have a strong and secure building, there’s no reason to pay for something you don’t need. When deciding what gauge of steel to buy you’ll want to consider the type of building you’re buying, temperature variations the building will experience, and any extreme weather the building needs to hold up against.
Most steel buildings are made of 26 gauge steel, but we also offer a 29 gauge option at Lucas Metal Works. Our panels come in two profile options: Sturdi-Rib and Super Span X. The Sturdi-Rib option is available in 26 and 29, while the Super Span X is only available in 26 gauge.
We understand making decisions about steel gauge and other options can be confusing. The downside to offering so many customization options is that it can seem overwhelming at times. That’s why our experienced staff is ready to help guide you through the buying process and find all the options that are right for you.