If you need a safe, secure place to store your car(s) but your home does not have access to a conventional attached garage, a custom-built detached garage on your property can be an excellent solution. However, a detached garage must be both strong and durable, and since they can't rely on an adjoining building for added support, choosing the right structural framing is critical.

Traditional timber framing is still widely used to create detached garages and other outbuildings, but if you want your new garage to truly stand the test of time, consider structural steel framing instead. While steel framing is usually more expensive than timber framing, it has numerous advantages that make it ideal for detached garage construction projects.

Why Choose Structural Steel Framing For A Custom Detached Garage?

Quick And Easy Construction

Erecting a timber frame for a new detached garage is a laborious, time-consuming process that requires a lot of skilled labor. Steel framing can be erected much more swiftly and can usually be constructed by a smaller workforce. Choosing steel framing for your garage will get your garage up and running more quickly while helping to keep labor costs low.

This is even more true if you need a custom-built frame for an unusually shaped or sized garage. Constructing a custom timber frame for these garages can be very challenging, and minor modifications to a timber frame design can dramatically undermine its overall strength. Steel frames are much more forgiving and can be modified extensively without losing supporting strength.

Thinner Walls, More Space

Structural steel has a much higher strength-to-weight ratio than structural timber, and a steel garage frame uses much less material than a timber garage frame of equivalent strength. This means that detached garages with steel framing tend to have much thinner walls.

This is definitely an advantage if space on your property is tight, as it allows you to maximize the interior space inside your garage while minimizing its overall footprint. Steel framing is especially useful for detached multi-vehicle garages and is also a good choice if you want a larger garage that can also be used as a workshop or home gym.

Environmental Resistance

A well-constructed detached garage made with a timber frame will last for many years. However, all timber-framed buildings are vulnerable to mold and rot if moisture comes into contact with the frame itself. Termites and other wood-boring insects can also deal serious damage to a timber-framed garage, and repairs can be hideously expensive.

Since detached garages tend to be placed in more exposed locations, they are particularly vulnerable to water damage and the attentions of termite colonies. Choosing structural steel framing will make your new detached garage much more resistant to these environmental hazards. 

Steel frames are naturally completely immune to termites and other insects, but surprisingly, they can also be more resistant to moisture than timber frames. Bare structural steel will rust when it comes into contact with moisture; however, custom-made steel frames can be treated with a variety of anti-rust coatings, such as powder and galvanized coatings, that provide long-lasting protection.

Contact a supplier of custom structural steel to learn more.