More About the Steel used in Carports, Garages and Sheds

We have lots of customers call in and ask us questions about steel. What’s the difference between 12 and 14 gauge-steel? What does “galvanized” mean? What are the benefits to having a steel carport structure rather than a wooden carport structure? We hope that we’re about to answer all your questions and more, and provide you with a more holistic view of steel as a building material!

One of our most commonly received questions is about the gauges of steel. People often think that the higher the number for the gauge, the thicker the steel, but this is actually opposite from the truth. We offer steel frames for all carports and metal garages in both 12 gauge and 14 gauge. 14 gauge steel comes standard on all of our products, and it is actually not as thick as our 12 gauge steel, which is approximately 30% stronger. As a comparison, some of the metal shed kits that you may have seen before at the “big box” hardware chain stores use incredibly thin metal for their frames. Our standard 14 gauge frames are about six times thicker than these big-box “shed kits,” and our 12 gauge galvanized steel frames are almost ten times as thick as these commonly sold kits. Our carport and shed kits use only the best materials, as we know you want them to last!

All the steel used on the frames sold by Elephant Structures is galvanized. Galvanization is the process of applying a protective zinc coating to steel (or other metals) in order to prevent rusting. This is very important to us as the structures that are produced and installed are meant to be outdoors and exposed to the elements (rain, snow, wind, etc.). Steel does not twist, warp, crack, rot, split, or settle, leaving you with an incredibly strong, weatherproof structure that holds true to its original form throughout the duration of its use.
Steel has come a long way as an effective building material in the last twenty years. The evolved steel of today is more dent and crush resistant, as well as 30% stronger than it was just a decade ago. Its efficiency has also risen; steel carports and steel garages now require less materials for the same size and strength of structure than they did twenty years ago. In fact, steel has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any modern construction material, so less framing material is needed than if you were to use wood or other popular options as well. If you have a preconceived notion of steel based on a carport or barn from the 90’s or before, think about giving steel another look!

There are all sorts of other benefits that steel can deliver to your outdoor structure, too. Steel is fireproof, doesn’t rot, doesn’t need routine treatment/painting/sealing, it is affordable, it is durable, and our steel carports and steel garages are environmentally sustainable. Steel is impervious to termites, meaning that your structure will last longer and keep its integrity no matter what sorts of mites and bugs might be around. Steel roofs are incredibly strong and can last up to 50 years, which is really saying something; average roofs last only 17 years. Traditional asphalt roofs weigh twice as much as steel roofs, increasing your chances of an unwanted fall-in and putting unnecessary strain on your structure. Who needs that?

Overall, steel is a strong, durable, sustainable, versatile material, and that is why we have chosen to employ it in all of our steel carports and steel garages. If you still have questions, please call one of our steel structures experts! They would be more than happy to provide you with answers and walk you through our Elephant Structures building purchase process.

To design and customize your new steel carport or steel garage,