The Advantages of Structural Steel Fabrication - Buy a Beam

28 Jul.,2025

 

The Advantages of Structural Steel Fabrication - Buy a Beam

Structural steel is such a widely-used material across the construction industry, and it’s clear to see why. With such excellent physical properties - not least its strength, reliability and load-bearing capacity - structural steel beams, bars, columns and channels are not so frequently used without good reason.

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Structural steel is the first choice among engineers, contractors, designers, and architects due to its versatility. With the help of steel fabricators, raw materials can be transformed into bespoke structures and products, with unique shapes and dimensions.

What is Steel Fabrication?

Structural steel fabrication involves turning raw steel materials into unique shapes. The process is quite complex; it requires highly-trained welders and specialists conducting a series of intricate tasks. The majority of these tasks require special machinery and welding equipment to carry out.

We’ve outlined the steps involved in a steel structure fabrication project below.

Steel Fabrication Process

  • Cutting
  • Punching
  • Drilling
  • Fitting and reaming
  • Straightening
  • Bending
  • Finishing
  • Rolling
  • Welding
  • Shot blasting
  • Surface treatment and cleaning
  • Transporting

Trusted, reliable steel fabrication specialists should only handle the processes listed above. These highly-trained and accredited people have gone through extensive training to weld and fabricate steel.

Depending on which type of structural steel product you require, the above processes will be carried out to varying degrees. Whether you are after a bespoke, mild steel frame building or a stainless steel staircase, your fabrication company will carry out the relevant processes. Some may take longer than others.

Steel fabrication projects don’t tend to take very long. For steel frame structures, the process doesn’t usually take longer than three weeks, but this can vary. Larger projects may require products to be supplied in phases, due to the limited space on the factory floor. 

Some steel fabrication companies may offer on-site services to make things easier, so it is worth checking with your local company directly if you are concerned about timescales.

Advantages of Steel Fabrication

Structural steel fabricators offer a tremendous range of benefits to customers in the construction industry. Here are just some of the reasons why you should consider steel fabrication:

  • Highly-durable materials

Steel is an incredibly resilient material. It’s comparatively lighter than concrete and wood while being resistant to corrosion and sustainable. Well-designed steel frame buildings have a very long lifespan in general, and that’s due mainly to the intricacies of fabrication work.

  • Cost-effectiveness

Structural steel costs are of significantly better value than other metals, where steel framing is typically preferred over reinforced concrete. Once fabricated, the structural steel components are more straightforward to install (compared to other materials). The extra effort during installation saves considerable time and money in the long run.

  • Flexibility 

Steel is renowned for its malleability, with its properties enabling it to be easily fabricated into unique, diverse shapes, sizes and positions. For example, steel beams can be welded or bolted together. This is one of the many reasons why engineers like structural steel frame buildings because last-minute alterations are easy to request and put in place. 

  • Recyclability

Everyone is rightfully concerned about their impact on the environment, and many companies are making strides in reducing their carbon footprint. Structural steel is an easily recyclable material, ergo, an environmentally-friendly option for fabrication companies.

  • Safety

Steel can withstand the harshest weather conditions, from strong winds and storms to extremely high temperatures. If appropriately built, steel frame buildings are some of the safest structures around. Most of these steel structures are built off-site, reducing the risk of on-site accidents during construction.

Find Local Structural Steel Fabricators

It’s clear to see the benefits of using fabricated steel, but you may be wondering how you go about choosing the right steel fabricator.

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What if we told you that there was an easy, stress-free way to buy steel online from local steel suppliers in your area?

With Buy A Beam, you can browse a vast range of fabricated steel products, from universal beams to steel box section, tube and pipe. You can do this via our online shop.

Your first option would be to enter your postcode area and select from a list of local steel fabricators who can process your orders. You’ll be provided with instant prices as you select the products you need, and you’ll also have the option to request customised products from your local supplier.

The brains behind Buy A Beam actually have considerable experience running a steel fabrication factory. We know all there is to know about fabricating steel properly and have built up a consolidated network of similar-minded, flexible and CE-approved suppliers.

10 Benefits of Building With Steel Beams | NSB

Both residential and commercial buyers have started to look beyond traditional building materials for their new projects. Some are hoping to find more cost-effective options. Others are curious about the technical possibilities that alternative materials may open up. The durability and versatility of steel make it a smart choice for framing almost any type of building. You can pair basic steel beams with other building materials to get the look you want.

There are four basic types of steel frame structures you can modify for any type of building you have in mind. Truss structures are the most economical choice for most smaller projects. Two- or three-dimensional trusses are made of steel beams or rods with hinges at the ends. These are stacked together to form a framework. For larger projects that need to bear a lot of weight, a rigid frame structure may be more appropriate.

This article outlines 10 benefits of framing your building with steel beams.

Why should I choose steel beams for my building frame?

Structural steel beams deliver strength and longevity that other framing materials can’t match. There are several different ways to measure the strength of a framing member: Strength-to-weight ratio and lateral load resistance are both important for building frames. Steel has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than other commonly used building materials. Because steel also has high tensile strength and a bit of flexibility, exterior walls framed with steel can also bear heavy lateral loads. This makes steel a superior material for buildings in places with a lot of seismic activity or high winds. 

Framing your building with steel beams opens up the possibility for more daring architectural designs, too. You can achieve wide interior spans without needing support columns, and there’s no height limitation for steel buildings. If you should ever need to expand, steel beams make it simple to add to an existing structure. The process of designing your steel building and getting your components made to order is simple when you work with a single-source steel building supplier.

10 benefits of building with steel beams

When you build with steel, you’ll likely be using a few different alloys for different parts of the structure. The frames in larger building projects are made of structural steel components like steel beams, joists and trusses. Smaller, lighter structures can be framed with cold-formed steel. These are sometimes called C-channel buildings because framing members are made in a C shape for maximum strength.

The best steel alloys to use for specific building materials will depend on your building’s design and your geographic location. Your building supplier should be able to determine which alloys will have the properties you need.

The following are 10 benefits you can expect when you frame a building with steel beams:

  • Strength to withstand earthquakes — Steel beams have more ductility than other framing materials like concrete or wood. They also maintain their structural integrity after exposure to high amounts of tension or compression. These qualities make steel beams one of the safest framing materials for areas prone to seismic activity.
  • Standing up to high winds — Buildings with brittle frames are also subject to shifting off their foundation during windstorms. The same properties that make steel perform during earthquakes are advantageous in areas with tornadoes or hurricanes. Steel beams are ductile enough to sway just a bit, which keeps them from breaking under pressure.
  • Accommodating wide interior spans — Steel portal frame structures or clear span structures rely on tapered outer columns for support. This eliminates the need for interior columns. Airplane hangars and recreational buildings that require uninterrupted space are typically made with structural steel.
  • Bold architectural looks — When you build with structural steel beams, you don’t have the same height limitations that you do with other materials. Some of the most daring building projects combine steel with materials like glass or stone to achieve stunning angles and curves. The prefabrication process allows for full customization, so you can get the look you want with the help of your designer or engineer.
  • Ease of expansion — Is there a chance you might need to add on to your building in the future? It’s easy to add on to a steel frame with a bit of planning. Ask your design expert where you can make room for an expansion a few years down the line.
  • Resistance to mold, rot and pests — Building with organic framing materials can make your building vulnerable to all kinds of problems. Common pests like termites and mice won’t nest in a steel frame, and they can’t do any damage. Steel also resists water damage, mold and rot. There are some types of corrosion that can affect steel frames, but if you apply the proper sealant, it won’t be a problem.
  • Incombustibility — Building with a steel frame can keep fires from spreading throughout the structure and make it possible to salvage more of the building. Structural steel retains 60% of its yield strength at 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. It could make the difference between your building collapsing and maintaining its shape in the event of a fire.
  • Fast and safe construction process — The cutting, sealing and detailing are done during prefabrication. When you build with steel components, you save a lot of construction time. It takes a smaller crew to erect a steel building. Because steel construction sites have fewer accidents than others, you should also save on insurance.
  • Sustainability — Steel is 100% recyclable, and in the United States, steel building components are primarily made with recycled materials. The old blast furnace method used to rely on coal energy, but electric arc furnaces are the new standard. Steel beams are a great choice if you want to reduce your carbon footprint.
  • Predictable material properties — With organic materials like wood, there can be some variation in strength, pliability and other important properties. For projects that require precision, steel is the best choice. The industry is highly regulated, so different grades of steel are made with quality control you can count on.

Choose National Steel Buildings for your next steel building project

Steel beams are a basic but critical part of a steel building project. You should work with a designer that’s familiar with all of the newest components that could be helpful for your project — for example, insulated metal panels and sealants that reduce heat conduction.

Many steel building contractors will only handle one part of the design and building process. It’s a common enough practice to work with an architect or building designer through one firm, then hire a separate manufacturer to prefabricate your steel components. And finally, some will find yet another contractor to do the construction. In these cases, communication between different parties can become an issue. In the end, you end up with the liability as the buyer. It’s much simpler and more efficient to work with one single-source supplier.

We do much more than supply steel building materials. National Steel Buildings sources so much high-quality steel each year that we have some of the best buying power in the industry. That means lower material prices for our customers. We also help with each step of the process, from design to sourcing, prefabrication, shipping and construction. You’ll have one person to communicate with, and we keep our clients up to date with their project status.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Steel Beam Manufacturer. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.