Disaster Resistant Buildings

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Tornado, Hurricane & Snow Protection From The Storm With Quonsets

If you live in a natural disaster zone, you want a building you can trust in the event a severe storm comes your way.

Wind Rated

Hurricane-rated building in Florida

Snow Loads

Snowfall on building after blizzard in Colorado

Hurricane Resistant

Hurricane Maria aftermath in Puerto Rico

Tornado Resistant

Tornado aftermath in Jonesville, Virginia

Earthquake Resistant

Building after 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Alaska

Fire Resistant

Remains after fire in Hampton, Virginia.

4 Things That Make Quonsets So Durable

Quonset Huts are well suited to withstand almost any natural disaster, including hurricanes, tornados, severe storms, hail storms, earthquakes, and snowstorms. But what is it about metal Quonset huts kits that make them strong enough to handle almost any natural disaster?

Low Gauge Steel

Wood, fabric, aluminum, tin and higher gauged steel are all weaker and prone to destruction

Corrugated Steel

Non-corrugated metal buildings are 5X weaker than corrugated

Arch Panels

Wind, snow and rain all glide off of arched building designs

Galvalume Plus

Corrosion and rust resistance makes maintenance and protection against the elements easy

SteelMaster Buildings

4.7

Based on 481 reviews

review us on

Michael Dudley

17:58 19 Dec 22

Gordon My Consultant gave Good information as well as, Conversation & He was knowledgeableAbout the things I was concerned about, which made it easy to Decide.Now We will see if the installation goes as smooth as the sale . .Michael

J Donajkowski

14:03 11 Nov 22

Customer service (Evan & Elizabeth) have been outstanding during the pricing stage and answering any questions. Works with the customer from start to finish. Stays in touch to explain every step from ordering to process of delivery.Will work with you on pricing. Product specifications seem of high quality.Waiting on delivery and excited to erect the building.

Peter Bors

17:34 28 Oct 22

Steelmaster was excellent to work with, Barrett and Matt made the process very simple and got me exactly the kit that I wanted. The shipping was fast, Jason the truck driver was excellent; he had great communication with his ETA, great backing skills, and was friendly. The kit was fun and enjoyable to put together, having previous experience from doing a Quonset about 15 years really helped, plus the fact of having cordless tools now (which weren’t popular/ were very expensive back then) made the process much easier. Once you get the first few arches up the building gets quite stiff and you can walk away from the project until you have time or bad weather improves, then with every bolt after that you can feel how strong it becomes. Very strong design and good metal. The building should last many many years, I wouldn’t be surprised if it outlives me. Thank you SteelMaster!

Barbara Riener

18:37 29 Aug 22

SteelMaster buildings are very beautiful clean lines no worries of insects. Maintenance free. Definitely need four men to build.

Bus Grease Monkey

18:52 03 Sep 21

We received multiple wrong arch pieces, defective pieces and was even shorted an entire arch piece. However since it was more than 30 days from delivery their “firm 30 day policy” was stated as the reason they wouldn’t replace the pieces. 1/2 of the anchor bolt brackets were also wrong. Directions were horrible and YouTube videos from others were way more helpful. Their customer support people do not understand the products and tech support are not very experienced at building their structures. The tech support person i spoke to said he assembled one in a parking lot before. We have video of the wrong panels, missing panel and manufacturing defective panels that we received. Metal strapping used to ship also caused damage to pieces.They have reached out to resolve our issues. I will update when the have completed the delivery of the missing parts.They did step up and replace the damaged and missing pieces but i highly suggest you inventory and inspect everything during delivery. It will take hours to check everything but you don’t want to go through fighting to get the right parts.We do really like the building it’s a shame the customer service didn’t do the right thing from the first contact because they would have been able to avoid a lot of negative feelings.

[The building] withstood all of the wind that I was told it would withstand. I would recommend one to anybody. I’m living proof that it will hold the wind.

Sammy Allen, Florida

An Answer To Every Natural Disaster Problem

Tornadoes & Hurricanes

There is no such thing as a “tornado-proof” or “hurricane-proof” building; however, steel Quonset huts can withstand some of the most severe tornadoes and hurricanes around.

Owners of prefabricated Quonset huts have survived disasters thanks to the unique engineering properties of arch-style buildings. While a typical building can succumb to wind or the impact of debris from hurricanes and tornadoes, the durability of Quonset huts can. As proof of this SteelMaster buildings have been tested and achieved the highest possible disaster rating for hurricanes with HVHZ certification.

Quonset Advantages:

HVHZ Certified
Florida Product Approved
Up to 190 MPH winds or higher
High steel tensile strength (82K – 65K KSI)
Thick, commercial grade steel

Blizzards & Hail

We sell buildings in the coldest of climates, even in the far northern reaches of Alaska, across the world because corrugated steel arches are simply stronger than traditional buildings. Plus they stand strong against the biggest and most intense hail storms with HVHZ impact ratings.

Quonset Advantages:

Commercial grade steel
Pitched roofing options
Rated for heavy snow loads

Wildfires

Every year, over a million fires occur all across the United States causing over $11.6 billion in losses, and thousands of injuries and deaths. Which is why many people choose the unmatched protection of owning a Quonset hut for fire-related disasters. Steel Quonsets are considered Type II (non-combustible) buildings giving you peace of mind should a wildfire threaten your building.

Quonset Advantages:

Type II non-combustible building material
Can withstand 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit
Galvalume Plus coating

Earthquakes

Because Quonset building walls and roof are all one piece they can better absorb seismic waves should your building be in an earthquake. Quonset hut kits’ engineering naturally makes them superior in earthquake resistance compared to buildings with separated walls and roofs.

Quonset Advantages:

IRC Level E building
Arch design absorbs waves
Bolt tensile strength (76K PSI)

California already requires that your entire exterior be non-combustible. All of these things happen naturally with the Quonset hut.

Vern Sneed, Architect

Wind Speed Ratings

Typical straight-walled buildings are especially vulnerable to the powerful winds characteristic of even the weaker storms. Winds as low as 65 – 75 MPH can cause catastrophic roof damage in traditional buildings. This is because the junctures of the walls and the edges of the roof are likely to fail and rip the roof right off of the building. This is especially true when pressure changes occur as windows are broken by flying debris.

Quonsets are challenging to remove from their foundations because it is almost impossible for strong winds to infiltrate the buildings’ overlapping joints so the wind can’t penetrate and cause destruction. This is one of the secrets to the arch’s super strength and why arched structures make very effective storm-proof buildings.

Wind Speed, Quonset

Wind Speed, Traditional Building

Heavy Snow Loads

Our arches are created with commercial grade, high-quality steel that can be customized to accommodate extra heavy snow loads in areas that experience frequent, severe snowstorms or are concerned with hail damage, you can rely on a steel Quonset hut for protection from the elements.

Quonsets follow the snow load provisions required by the IBC as well as observing many localities and zip codes specific codes. We use the official map provided by the National Weather Service to help calculate ground snow loads and work with engineering to determine the steel building that can weather any blizzard.

The International Building Code recognizes Quonset steel as fire-resistant and non-combustible which means our metal buildings meet the codes of every locality across the country and are considered to be both type 1 and type 2 buildings in fire codes. SteelMaster steel was exposed to heat at 1,382 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes and the maximum temperature didn’t rise beyond 96.8 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius) and had a maximum loss of mass below 20%.

[There was] not a bit of damage. The arches weren’t bent or twisted; bolts still intact. The best part—all of my husband’s tools stayed put on the shelving we built inside.

Jana G., Alaska

Impact Rated

The wind will not just rip the roof off of a traditional building but also hurdle debris at tremendous speeds causing punctures or catastrophic failure. A building made out of more traditional materials can’t provide the same protection a steel Quonset Hut, and we know because we tested it.

Unlike a typical building, Quonset Huts have been tested and are approved as Protocol 4 shelters. We propelled a 15 lb. wood 2”x4” at 100 mph for horizontal and 67 mph for vertical impacts, per FEMA protocols 320/361 and ICC-500. The tests on the .06-in. thick panel were successful for all listed impact speeds.

Seismic Wave Resistant

The weak point of any traditional building during an earthquake is the juncture between the walls and roof. When a tremor occurs, the ground moves, causing the foundation to move along with it. The roof tries to remain stationary because of inertia so by the time the roof starts to move in the direction of the foundation has been shaken, the foundation is then moving back to its original place which can lead to a complete building collapse.

When violent seismic waves ripple through a Quonset Hut, the walls and roof act as one allowing the waves to flow through, causing the least amount of damage possible. All of SteelMaster earthquake-resistant structures strictly follow the ICC’s seismic guidelines and provisions for a given geographic area.

Seismic Wave, Quonset

Seismic Wave, Traditional Building

Rapidly Deployable Emergency Relief Shelters

When a natural disaster occurs, emergency structures are important for those who have been displaced, plus medical teams responding to the area.

SteelMaster’s team of experts can assist in finding an emergency shelter building that fits your needs with a fast turnaround. Plus, our metal Quonset huts can be quickly assembled so emergency crews to get to work as soon as possible.

Our buildings are portable, making them perfect for temporary housing or medical clinic. However, they are also a great long-term solution due to their durability and low maintenance.

Quonset Disaster Certifications, HVHZ & More

If you want maximum protection from natural disasters, especially compared to traditional building types, you should choose a Quonset hut. Through years of engineering and research, SteelMaster Quonsets have disaster-resistant certifications, notably, HVHZ that provide our customers a good level of solace should a natural disaster strike.

HVHZ Certified

Primarily found in Florida but also up and down coastlines and in certain high wind areas throughout the United States, HVHZ Certification tests if a structure can stand up to both wind and impact from debris propelled through the wind in accordance with FEMA 320/361 and ICC-500 testing parameters.

Florida Product Approval (FPA)

Florida is now known as an international leader in storm preparation. Strict building codes were enacted to protect citizens from a powerful storm like Andrew. This prompted renovations of older buildings and new plans for future structures that adopt and add to top IBC standards.

Type-II Building Material

In accordance with IBC and NFPA standards, Quonset steel treated with Galvalume Plus is a Type II non-combustible building material. This means not only does it take an incredible amount of heat to damage (2,500 F) under typical building fire conditions of (around 1,500 F) it doesn’t lose mass or strength.

Seismic Design Category E

There are six seismic site classifications according to ASCE 7-05, A through F, with F being the strongest reserved for things like hospitals or emergency command centers. SteelMaster Quonsets are rated E meaning they can be next to a major fault line regardless of the soil or rock conditions.

GSA Certified

SteelMaster is GSA certified, so if you’re buying on behalf of a government agency and you need maximum protection from the elements, you can choose a SteelMaster Quonset hut.

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