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Construction
One of the greatest advantages of purchasing a prefabricated Quonset hut kit is that it’s simple to assemble. If you can turn a wrench, chances are you can build a Quonset hut.
In this guide, we explain how to build your own metal building from the ground up, from construction site preparation to assembling the pieces and tightening the bolts.
Quonset hut kits offer a streamlined construction process, requiring minimal tools and limited building expertise, making them significantly more accessible than traditional building methods. Because Quonsets are comprised of smaller prefabricated arch panels, the whole construction process is a simple, straightforward six-step process:
The time it takes to build a Quonset hut varies depending on the amount of planning, build site prep and customizations for a building.
Once the building site preparation is complete, construction is a smooth and relatively quick process, with a team of at least three people being able to assemble and place between 6 – 8 arches a day.
Each arch is two feet wide so a simple 20 x 20 garage can be assembled over the course of two days while larger projects for commercial facilities with more purpose-driven customizations would require more planning and construction time.
Even though Quonset construction is easy to do, it still requires good planning and careful execution. These are more detailed steps and tips to consider when constructing your building.
You can always schedule a meeting with a Building Specialist if you have more specific construction questions!
Before moving forward with building a Quonset hut you need to check with your county that Quonset’s are permitted. In rare instances, certain localities will place restrictions on the types of buildings allowed, including Quonsets.
After you’ve confirmed that Quonset-style buildings are permissible, you’ll need to have planned and budgeted your building at least 6 weeks in advance.
You can start with your plans for the building and then what that means for your budget, or you can focus on your budget and what that means for your building. Regardless, you’ll want to consider:
If you know these answers or have a good idea of the answers, you’re ready to talk to a building specialist to finalize your planning and budgeting details:
Pro tip: When planning and comparing pricing, always consider the total cost of erecting a building, including construction costs, maintenance costs and any building warranty available.
As with any building, you’ll have to prepare the building site before you begin construction.
Most Quonsets use a concrete slab, shipping containers or concrete blocks as a foundation.
Foundations add structural integrity and equal weight distribution but are not always necessary, consult with your building engineer on your options in the planning phase.
Pro tip: Most Quonset hut builders hire local contractors to pour the foundation and do so within a week or a month before building delivery so the cement slab can fully cure.
Arches are delivered stacked together (like Pringles chips) with pre-punched holes and the necessary nuts and bolts to assemble them. Every arch is first put together on the ground and hand-tightened together.
Pro tip: Pick up drift pins from the hardware store to help hold the arched panels in place as you’re screwing the panels together.
Now that your arches are assembled, you can lift them into place. Small or basic Quonset huts can be raised into place by hand in most instances, for larger or more complicated buildings additional tools and equipment could be useful or may help make construction go faster.
Tools:
Equipment:
Once an arch is lifted into place, it needs to be bolted to the foundation and the other arches. Repeat this process until every arch is up and attached.
Pro tip: The larger the building, the more people or machine power can be helpful. Arched steel panels weigh no more than 40 pounds in standard 22 gauge steel. Added together, a Quonset arch can weigh less than 200 pounds. However, the gauge and size can cause fluctuation in the weight of the arch.
With the building arches up, the Quonset hut is almost completed. Go back and tighten every nut and bolt using a socket wrench or a cordless drill. While not required, it’s suggested to use a cordless drill driver (3/8″ minimum, variable speed) or pneumatic impact gun with corresponding drill bits to make this step go faster.
This step ensures an arched building that can last for decades:
Pro tip: SteelMaster Quonsets come with a 50-year warranty, active from the day your building is purchased
Quonset huts are used in a wide array of applications. From simple storage sheds to backyard brewery, metal shop, RV cover and even large agricultural facilities to houses and barndominiums.
A Quonset hut is a durable and affordable building shell that you can transform into almost whatever building application you need. See our guide to metal building customization for all the ways you can personalize your Quonset hut.
The most common customizations for Quonsets include:
Pro tip: Most Quonsets can be delivered with standard steel endwalls, doors, windows and insulation. Further customization and personalization are up to the owner’s discretion and expertise.
Endwalls are installed after all the arches have been erected and all of the bolts in the arches have been tightened.
The first step of installation of any style of endwall is to mark the centerline of the building on the foundation. Use this reference point to position the endwall panels.
When installing a solid endwall, the centerline will mark the position where the two longest endwall panels overlap. Be sure to tighten the bolts with your fingers only during this step.
Install the two longest panels first, and then install the remainder of the endwall panels working out towards the walls.
Once the panels are all in, you must go back and tighten the bolts with a drill to 10 to 12-foot pounds of torque.
SteelMaster provides the steel arches, nuts and bolts, and a set of instructions for building your Quonset hut.
No, SteelMaster does not offer contractor services to build your Quonset hut. You are provided with detailed instructions with your building and our team is available for questions during the construction process.
Because metal Quonset huts are prefabricated, there is typically no significant cutting, drilling or welding required. Additional tools may be helpful for the installation of certain optional components or may help simplify or make construction go faster.
Tools:
Equipment:
Typically, no. Because Quonsets are assembled using simple tools, only a basic understanding of the building process is required. Many customers will also opt to hire a local contractor to put together and raise the arches for them, making it even easier.
No, you don’t need to know how to read a detailed building or structural plan to build a Quonset hut. These structures come with a construction manual that includes straightforward, step-by-step instructions with illustrated diagrams.
However, having basic skills like reading assembly diagrams and understanding measurements will be helpful. If the project involves custom modifications you might need to consult professionals or refer to specific plans.
If the building site is ready most buildings can be completed in a matter of days. That said, the time it takes to put a metal Quonset hut together greatly depends on the building’s size, complexity, customizations, and number of people helping you with the construction processes.
For example, building a small, 10’ x 10’ outdoor shed can be done in a day by yourself, whereas a large secure storage facility that has power and plumbing will take significantly longer.
With a team of a minimum of 3 people, assembling and placing the arches can be a relatively quick process at a rate of at least 7 to 8 arches per day.
A 20 X 20 open-ended building with 10 arches can typically be assembled in about 1.5 to 2 days by a small, efficient team, though factors like experience, tools, weather, and site conditions may affect the timeline.
Typically, no. For most buildings, the most that is needed is a ladder, scaffolding or scissor lifts and enough people to safely raise the arch in place. However, using a crane is recommended for a large Quonset because the weight of the steel arches can add up.
For all buildings, some type of foundation is required. Your foundation can be concrete or made from other materials like shipping containers based on your intended use.
SteelMaster’s engineer-stamped blueprints typically provide you with the dimensions of the concrete footers and slab, plus the locations and specifications of anchor bolts and reinforcing steel for our foundation design.
Endwalls are installed after all the arches have been erected and all of the bolts in the arches have been tightened.
The first step of installation of any style of endwall is to mark the centerline of the building on the foundation. Use this reference point to position the endwall panels.
When installing a solid endwall, the centerline will mark the position where the two longest endwall panels overlap. Be sure to tighten the bolts with your fingers only during this step.
Install these two panels first, and then install the remainder of the endwall panels working out towards the walls.
Once the panels are all in, you must go back and tighten all of the bolts with a drill to 10 to 12 foot pounds of torque.
While you can construct your panels on the ground by yourself, the speed of construction goes faster with more people. Most Quonset hut buildings are built by teams of at least three people and can be erected in a few days.
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