November 7, 2022
By Kaitlyn Timmons, Prime Metal Buildings & Components
When it’s time to think about sheet metal for the walls and/or roof of your metal building, you are most likely focused on color and pricing. While it is true that you can get a higher gauged sheet metal for a cheaper price, you must ask yourself if the risks of using a thinner metal outweigh the benefit of saving a few bucks upfront.
Metal gauge indicates the thickness of a metal panel. When referring to a metal’s gauge, the higher number represents a thinner metal. Typically, the industry standard for sheet metal is 26 gauge for most commercial and residential metal buildings however, there are some suppliers who offer a 29 gauge sheet metal.
The gauge of sheet metal you choose is a major factor that will contribute to the efficiency, longevity, durability, and appearance of your building. Thinner sheet metal, such as 29 gauge, can be a costly mistake in the long run. 29 Gauge sheets are less energy efficient and will not be as durable as 26 gauge when exposed to weather conditions such as hail, snow, and wind.
Another common issue of thinner gauge metal is the appearance diminishing over time. Thin sheet metal is often subject to a term known as oil canning. Oil canning is visible waviness or rippling of the metal and can be caused by many reasons, such as improper installation, thermal expansion and contracting, or uneven roof decking. If you are planning to spray foam 29 gauge metal, you will need to install decking before sheeting the building which raises overall costs.
For over 25 years, Prime Metal Buildings & Components have offered customers the highest quality of products on the market and the knowledge of which products will be the most durable for their specific project.
Prime’s standard gauge for sheet metal is 26, grade 80. To prevent oil canning, Prime runs sheet metal with striations. Striations are a series of ridges or ribs added to metal panels to reduce the resemblance of oil canning. Additionally, Prime does not run sheets in anything under 26 gauge, giving our sheets more stability and durability over time. Prime’s sheet metal is impact resistant and rated UL Class 4 for impact resistance and UL Class C for fire resistance and qualifies for most homeowners insurance breaks for metal roofing.
At Prime, we have a 24-hour turnaround time on our sheet metal. We specialize in PBR, PBU, 6V, Standing Seam panel, and Box Rib panels. We also specialize in custom made trim up to 32’. All of Prime’s panels come with a 40-year Sherwin Williams coil coatings warranty on painted panels and a 25-year warranty on acrylic coated galvalume.
For more information, please contact one of our sales representatives: Contact Us
Choosing The Best Sheet Metal For Your Home
Are you planning to revamp your house? Do you require a sheet metal for making improvements? Then, exploring this blog post might help you in selecting the best suitable one.
Sheet metal is a key material which is used in different areas. It is not only used for construction purposes, but also can support you in your home improvements or DIY projects. Choosing the right material is key for the success of your project.
Many different materials of sheet metal are available in the market, but which one would be the right one is the important aspect to be considered. You can choose your preferred material by taking a look at the features below.
Stainless Steel Sheet Metal
Stainless steel is one of the most popular metals which is widely known for its anti-corrosive property.
The content of minimum 10.5% of chromium is the main component that makes stainless steel sheet metal resistant to corrosion. Apart from this feature, stainless steel is durable, offers the facility to maintain hygiene, ease of fabrication, resistance to temperature, and has a very appealing appearance.
While there are multiple grades of stainless steel, 304 is considered to be the most commonly used, especially for homes. Marine applications would use grade 316, which is also more expensive compared to 304 stainless steel.
Aluminum Sheet Metal
The feature of corrosion resistant is not just limited to stainless steel. Even aluminum has potential to resist from getting rust when it comes in contact with any non-acid liquid. That and being a very light metal are reasons to be preferred for cans, as kitchen utensils, beer kegs, aluminum foil for packing food, window frames or even in the aerospace industry to name a few.
Aluminum has low density, high thermal conductivity. Above all, aluminum can be easily recycled, it is therefore considered as the perfect material.
Carbon Steel Sheet Metal
Prominently known as industrial steel, it is a steel alloy that combines carbon and iron. Apart from these two, other elements are also present in carbon steel that affects its properties.
Aluminum contains 2.1% of the carbon content that makes it different from stainless steel. The higher consistency of carbon, harder and stronger is the material. The only limitation of higher content of carbon is that it is less ductile. This the reason why mild carbon steel is preferably used for home.
Conclusion
Nowadays, selecting a material of sheet metal has become convenient as you can pick one from various choices. For even more details to each material, do not hesitate to browse through our website and choose the right one. At MetalsCut4U, you can configure your metal part in 4 easy steps or send us your drawing. If you want, we can cut, bend and weld sheet metal based on your specifications.