Steel Buildings – Should They be Bolted or Welded?

• Apr 09, 2020

There is no question that steel buildings are a fantastic option for almost every building need you may have. The rising popularity of these buildings in the United States is indicative of this. This appeal exists for numerous reasons, including their impressive strength, unbeatable cost-effectiveness, unrivaled versatility, and, of course, their nearly unlimited customizability.

When it comes customizing your steel building to perfectly fit your needs, you’ll have seemingly endless options. One of the primary structural decisions you’ll have to make is whether you should opt for a bolt-up or weld-up steel building.

To help you make this important decision, we’ve put together a quick guide to both options. Read on to discover the best route for you and your needs.

What is a Bolt-Up Steel Building?

When you opt for a bolt-up steel building, the prefabricated pieces for installation arrive on-site with precisely designed pre-determined bolt locations. During construction, high-strength bolts are used to assemble the building as it was engineered.

Because they are simply designed, the installation of bolt-up steel buildings is exceptionally fast, allowing you to use your building sooner rather than later. This alone may be reason enough to opt for bolt-up over weld-up.

What is a Weld-Up Steel Building?

Unlike bolt-up steel buildings, weld-up buildings rely heavily on the builder. This means that the construction materials are often sourced locally, prepared on-site, and then welded at the job site. This requires less pre-project engineering but a lengthier on-site process.

Which is Better?

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to everyone’s building needs, which is part of what makes metal buildings so special—they can be specifically tailored to fit your exact specifications. The same holds true when considering bolt-up and weld-up steel buildings. Neither is inherently better than the other, but one may be far more suitable for your needs. To help you determine which one is right for you and your needs, we’ve listed a few deciding factors below!

• Time–If time is of the essence, a bolt-up steel building is likely the best route to take. While the lead time on a bolt-up steel building will be longer due to the designing and engineering that has to take place before the components of your building can be delivered, the actual installation process is far quicker than that of weld-up steel buildings.
• Quality – While, in theory, there should be little to no difference in quality between bolt-up and weld-up steel buildings, there are variables to consider. The primary consideration is the trust you place in whoever is taking on the task of welding your steel building. Are they experienced, knowledgeable, and otherwise fit to construct your building without making mistakes? With a bolt-up steel building, you aren’t placing the wellbeing and longevity of your building into the hands of someone who may or may not properly weld it together.
• Cost – The cost associated to build materials is likely less when you opt for a weld-up steel building because they can be sourced from different places and do not require specific engineering. However, labor costs could be substantially higher, as welding is an involved process.
• Construction – When you choose a weld-up building, you are committing to an involved process of measuring, cutting, and welding, oftentimes without a helpful instruction manual. The opposite is true of bolt-up steel buildings. They are prefabricated to go together easily and quickly. They also come with instructions to ensure just about anyone can complete the installation.
• Permits and Inspections – The process of inspecting and testing weld-up metal buildings for permit approval is a painfully involved one. Because there is no pre-engineering, each aspect of the building must be examined individually, from the materials themselves to every weld that holds them together. Because bolt-up metal buildings are pre-engineered, they can be designed to meet local regulations from the get-go. Talk about simplification and peace-of-mind!

Steel Carports – Your Bolt-Up Building Provider

While the choice between bolt-up and weld-up steel buildings is ultimately yours, the benefits of bolt-up buildings are many and fit the needs of most people. When you consider the advantages of work with Steel Carports, a bolt-up building seems even more appealing.

From its unbeatable customer service to its commitment to providing the highest-quality buildings on the market, Steel Carports is the go-to dealer of bolt-up buildings in the United States. For all your metal building questions and needs, simply call our experts today on +1 (833) 647-8335.