Steel Standing After Hurricane Ike Devastates Texas

Widespread coastal flooding, winds over 110 mph, and a 6.8-meter storm surge contributed to devastating losses across Texas when Hurricane Ike walloped the coast in 2008.

The category 2 storm cost millions in damages. Thousands of residents had to be rescued, and several lost their lives. Yet in the middle of the devastation, the Brugman family’s SteelMaster building stood firm, with everything inside untouched.

A Building Designed to Last

“The building was a lifesaver,” says Greg Brugman. “Thankfully it was coated with Galvalume or it would be a complete rust bucket.”

SteelMaster Quonset huts offer extreme disaster resistance because they’re made with at least 22 gauge steel. Additionally, the buildings are coated in Galvalume Plus, a dry, clear, organic resin standard coating used on SteelMaster’s arch panels. It protects the steel from corrosion and helps keep energy costs down.

Evacuating Before the Storm

When Hurricane Ike was approaching, the Brugman family moved to a hotel four hours away. While they took shelter inland, the category 2 hurricane smashed into the coast, left millions of people without power, and destroyed homes and businesses up and down the Texas shore.

Knowing how much damage the storm had done to the area, Greg was terrified about what he would find when he returned home.

Returning to Destruction

“My current elevation is approximately 8 feet above sea level, and our home revealed 5″ of standing water,” said Brugman. “I along with a close friend and my brother-in-law ripped out the entire contents of my home from the bottom to 8′. The only thing left was sheetrock on the ceilings, plumbing in the walls, and soaked studs.”

The home itself was gutted. The SteelMaster building, sitting on the same property, told a different story. When Greg walked over to check his SteelMaster building, everything sat untouched. Two beta fish were swimming in their tank as if nothing outside had happened.

A Pattern of Strength Across Storms

SteelMaster buildings are known for surviving the most dangerous weather events around the world. The arch panels are High-Velocity Hurricane Zone certification and can withstand the strongest winds.

Hurricane Ike was not the first time a SteelMaster building proved its strength.

2004: Hurricane Charley in Florida

In 2004, Hurricane Charley slammed into the West Coast of Florida as a Category 4 storm, costing billions in damages and killing 10 people.

SteelMaster customer Scott Rambo’s building came through the same way the Brugmans’ did.

“Our SteelMaster made it through Charley with flying colors,” said Scott Rambo. “Our building made it through a category 4 hurricane without even a wrinkle in the panels.”

Built to Stand

SteelMaster buildings have been tested by hurricanes, tornadoes, and severe floods across decades of real-world conditions. Their proven performance and durability continue to make them some of the strongest steel structures on Earth.