Post-Frame vs. All-Steel: Which Building Is Right for You?

Post-Frame vs. All-Steel: Which Building Is Right for You?

If you're planning a new shop, storage building or commercial space, you've probably come across two common options: post-frame and all-steel construction.

Both are good options, but they fit different projects. The right choice depends on the building, the site and how you plan to use it.

Post-Frame vs. All-Steel at a Glance

	Post-Frame	All-Steel
Cost	Often more economical for many agricultural and storage projects	Cost varies with size, span, foundation and features
Clear Span	Economical for many typical building sizes; very wide spans can increase cost	Often more economical for wider clear spans, especially over 50–60 ft. and beyond
Foundation	Posts are typically anchored to a foundation; frost walls can be used when needed	Typically uses concrete piers along with a perimeter frost wall
Common Uses	Farm shops, equipment storage, agricultural and commercial buildings	Wide-span shops, agricultural buildings, larger commercial/industrial buildings and projects needing steel framing

 

Post-Frame Buildings

Post-frame construction works well for many agricultural, equipment and storage buildings. It is also a practical option for commercial buildings where an open, flexible interior is important.

With a typical post-frame building, the main columns are set directly in the ground. This can reduce the amount of perimeter foundation work compared with a steel building. If the site or building calls for it, post-frame construction can also be built with a frost wall.

Post-frame also gives you plenty of flexibility when planning the building around how you work. Overhead doors, windows, insulation, lean-tos and interior layouts can all be incorporated into the design.

SMC works with Wick Buildings to provide post-frame building systems for agricultural, commercial and storage needs.

 

All-Steel Buildings

All-steel buildings are often a good fit when wide open interior space, durability and clear spans are priorities.

As building spans get wider, steel rigid-frame construction can become a more economical way to get the space you need without interior columns. Once you get into wider clear spans—generally around 50–60 feet and beyond—an all-steel rigid frame can often be the better fit than pushing a post-frame design to achieve the same span. The actual cost and design will depend on the building, site and engineering requirements.

Steel buildings typically use piers along with a perimeter frost wall, which adds concrete and foundation work that should be considered when comparing the overall project cost.

Steel can also make sense for smaller buildings. SMC offers the Centra Series bolt-up line from Central States Manufacturing as a right-sized option for projects that don't need a large pre-engineered building.

SMC works with Varco Pruden for pre-engineered steel building systems and offers Central States Manufacturing's Centra Series for smaller steel building needs.

 

So, Which Should You Choose?

The answer comes down to the building you're planning and how you need it to work.

Post-frame works well for many agricultural, equipment and storage projects, particularly when cost, flexibility and an efficient building system are priorities.

All-steel is often a good fit when you need wider clear spans, a rigid-frame system or a larger commercial or industrial building.

Building size, span, site conditions, foundation requirements, insulation, doors and plans for future expansion can all affect which system fits your project.

 

How SMC Can Help

If you're not sure which direction fits your project, talk with the SMC team. We can look at how you plan to use the building, your site and your project requirements and help you compare the options.

SMC handles foundation work and building erection, giving you one point of contact from the ground up.

SMC Concrete & Construction builds both post-frame and all-steel buildings throughout north-central and northwest Kansas and southern Nebraska.

Ready to talk through your project? Call SMC at 785-781-4383 or request a quote to get started.