Shops & Garages
A real workshop with room for the truck, the lift, and every tool you own.
Structural steel
Red iron buildings
I-beam steel frames with wide-open clear spans, tall sidewalls, and commercial-grade strength. When the building has to be big, heavy-duty, and permanent, we build it in red iron.
So what is red iron?
A skeleton of solid steel
“Red iron” is the trade name for structural steel buildings. It comes from the red-oxide primer on the heavy I-beam columns and rafters that make up the main frame.
Those rigid frames are bolted together on your foundation and tied into a lighter steel skeleton of purlins and girts. The roof and wall panels attach to that. The whole building is engineered as one system for your exact size, site, and wind zone.
The payoff is huge open floor space with no posts in the way. You can have tall walls for lifts and cranes, and add bays later when you outgrow it.
By the numbers
Typical red iron sizes
30′–100′+clear-span widths
10′–30′eave heights
Any lengthin 20–25′ bays
140+ MPHwind ratings available
Typical ranges. Every building is engineered to your exact dimensions, loads, and site.
Why red iron
Built for the big jobs
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Wide clear spans
Open floor space 100′ wide and beyond with no interior columns. Park equipment, run a shop, or set up racking anywhere you like.
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Serious height
Sidewalls up to 30′ and taller, with room for car lifts, overhead cranes, mezzanines, and 14′+ roll-up doors.
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Nothing to rot
Steel doesn’t rot or warp, and termites can’t eat it. That matters in Southern humidity, where a wood building is always fighting the weather.
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Room to grow
Red iron buildings can be designed with expandable endwalls, so adding bays down the road is straightforward.
What folks build
Popular red iron projects
Barndominiums
Living quarters and shop under one roof — the shell of your Southern dream home.
Ag & Equipment
Tractors, implements, hay, and feed — kept dry and out of the Southern sun.
Commercial & Warehouse
Warehouses, contractor shops, and storefronts built to commercial code.
Hangars & Big Storage
Aircraft, motorhomes, and boats — wide doors, tall clearances, no posts in the way.
Something else in mind?
If it needs a roof, we can probably build it.
Churches, event barns, kennels, storage units. Tell us what you’re picturing and we’ll engineer it.
Tell us about itWhat’s in a red iron building package
- Primary rigid frames: red-oxide primed I-beam columns & rafters
- Secondary framing: purlins, girts & eave struts
- Roof & wall panels in your choice of colors
- Trim, closures, sealants & fasteners
- Framed openings for your doors & windows
- Stamped engineered drawings for permitting
- Anchor bolt plan for your foundation
Make it yours
Popular options
- Roll-up & overhead doors
- Walk doors & windows
- Insulation packages
- Wainscot & accent colors
- Gutters & downspouts
- Lean-tos & overhangs
- Skylights & ridge vents
- Mezzanine & crane prep
No surprises
Delivery, foundation & construction
What your quote covers, and what needs to be ready on your end.
Delivery is quoted separately
Steel is heavy and job sites vary, so delivery is priced by distance to your property and shown on its own line of your quote. You’ll know the exact cost before you sign.
A concrete foundation is required
Red iron frames bolt to a concrete slab or piers poured to the anchor bolt plan we provide. Ask us about foundation requirements for your site when you request a quote.
Our crews build it
Our crews stand the frames, set the secondary framing, and skin the building. Construction is quoted on its own line too, so nothing gets folded in and hidden.
Good questions
Red iron FAQ
Why is it called “red iron”?
It’s the red-oxide primer applied to the structural steel frames at the mill. It protects the steel and gives the frames their signature color. Everyone in the trade calls it red iron, even when the frames end up painted another color.
How is red iron different from a regular metal building?
Many “metal buildings” use light-gauge tubing for the frame. Red iron uses heavy structural I-beams, the same kind of steel found in commercial buildings. That’s what makes the wide clear spans, tall walls, and heavy loads possible.
Is delivery included in the price?
No. Delivery is priced separately based on the distance to your site, and it appears as its own line on your itemized quote. You’ll see the delivery cost before you commit to anything.
Do I need a concrete slab?
Red iron buildings need a concrete foundation, either a full slab or piers, with anchor bolts set to the engineered plan. We provide the anchor bolt layout for you or your concrete contractor.
Can a red iron building be a barndominium?
Absolutely. The clear-span frame makes it easy to lay out living space and a big shop bay under one roof. We build and engineer the shell, and you finish the interior your way.
How long does it take?
It depends on engineering, permitting, and manufacturing lead times for your specific building. Ask for current timelines with your quote. We’ll give you a realistic schedule instead of a sales pitch.
Wondering if a pole barn would do the job for less? Compare red iron vs. pole barns →