There’s the idea that the Amish people of Pennsylvania are so skilled at building barns that they can do it at superhuman speed. If only the Amish people were available to build you a barn, shed or warehouse, life would be so much easier when it comes to extra storage space. But in reality for the most of the population, we will need to go through the process of finding the best design, choosing materials and finding a great contractor. This actually seems straightforward, but it’s not always so easy- particularly when it comes to choosing what to actually make your warehouse out of; and there are circumstances when a metal warehouse is best, and other times when wood or brick seem to be a better choice. So what is the best material to purchase when it comes to building a warehouse?

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is by far the easiest material to work with when it comes to constructing a warehouse, since all that’s required is to affix the galvanized metal sheets to the frame. The material is durable, although steel isn’t the cheapest option and a large amount is required to create a warehouse. Stainless steel is perhaps not the best choice if you’re building a warehouse in a cold climate, because while you can certainly insulate the facility, steel provides minimal natural insulation against the cold. On the flipside of that, if you’re building a stainless steel warehouse in a hot climate, consider a roof that reflects the sunlight. This can be as simple as painting it white, since otherwise you and your staff might have to work in a sauna, which also impacts on the warehouses quality as a storage facility.

Brick

The most aesthetically pleasing choice for warehouse construction for most people is undoubtedly brick and many towns and cities around the world are home to some gorgeous red brick warehouses. These warehouses are often repurposed as upmarket apartments and stores after the buildings warehouse days come to an end. Brick is somewhat more labor intensive than constructing a comparable sized facility from wood or steel, and is less weathered and earthquake resistant than a stainless steel warehouse. Brick has excellent natural thermal mass, meaning that the building will retain warmth, which can lead to reduced heating bills during winter.

Wood

Wood might seem like the weakest choice when it comes to building a warehouse, but modern building techniques that come from sustainable forests can result in a warehouse that doesn’t even need heating or cooling, meaning that the end result is an extremely environmentally friendly facility. Like brick, wooden warehouses retain heat far more effectively than stainless steel buildings, although unlike brick, they can be erected fairly quickly and inexpensively.

The ultimate decision about which material to construct your warehouse from comes down to your budget and what you plan to store or process within the facility. Each material has its own pros and cons, and while you might like the idea of setting up shop inside a beautiful red brick warehouse, financial and time constraints might mean you opt for wood instead. Once the warehouse is up and running, you will also need to consider maintenance costs, and of course steel and brick require less ongoing maintenance than wood.

As far as cleaning and maintaining the interior of the facility goes, you might want to think about engaging the services of a professional specialized cleaning service like American Clean & Seal Warehouse Cleaning, since a regular professional clean will add years to the life of the facility.