How Building Specialties in El Paso Can Enhance Your Commercial Space 

Every building needs a little steel. Metal is highly-popular in today’s construction. A building might require specialty services to help complete the final project by adding a steel component or additional infrastructure. After decades in the steel industry, we not only supply metal for construction jobs, but we help contractors source the material they need to put the finishing touches on a project. 

So how can steel enhance your commercial space? 

If you need steel fabrication for your construction projects in El Paso and the surrounding area, call Steel Specialties today and learn more. 

A Brief History of Steel Construction 

If you are in the construction industry, you know that steel is the darling of designers and architects. It is not only structurally sound and durable, but it also possesses an impressive strength-to-weight ratio.

As soon as steel innovation began, people realized it was an ideal building material. As railroads became a popular mode of transport the use of metal skyrocketed. It was the age of the three “ferrous metals” wrought iron, cast iron, and steel. Throughout the late 19th century, the steel production process has improved and increased in quality. Towards the end of the century, methods of steel production had advanced enough to produce it cheaply.

After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, local authorities began looking into requiring non-combustible construction materials and steel became a sought-after material. As the construction of skyscrapers and high buildings began, steel was one of the best materials for the job. 

Steel in the Construction Industry in the 21st Century 

After a long history of construction’s favorite building metal, steel continues to hold strong— although it has greatly evolved from its early iterations. Today, steel is the most widely used metal in construction, and technology in metal fabrication has profoundly affected how the metal is used in design and construction. 

Steel in the 21st century has grown in popularity because new production methods improved and lowered the energy required to produce the metal. In modern construction, steel is used in the building of roads, infrastructure, airports, bridges, skyscrapers, vehicles, and aircraft. Even when it is not the main component, builders use steel as a reinforcing material. 

How Steel Enhances Any Structure

Steel buildings are safe and robust. These characteristics are part of what makes them a favorable and sought-after building material. Here is why steel is popular in construction: 

• Confirmed Strength:  Steel has the greatest strength-to-weight ratio of any commonly used building material. 
• Consistent quality in building material: Unlike the other materials such as wood, there is no variety in strength in steel. When manufactured and fabricated properly, steel is consistent and dependable. 
• Fires Resistant: Steel is highly resistant to fires and therefore adds degrees of safety to any structure. 
• Reliability: Steel is a reliable metal that can withstand harsh conditions. Steel buildings, for example, can flex with applied force. That means under the strain of earthquakes or hurricane-force winds, steel is less likely to buckle. 
• Fast construction time: Because manufacturers can fabricate steel ahead of time, this reduces production time. In the construction industry, quicker time to production is an important component of keeping projects on time.
• Elasticity: Steel can withstand stress produced and remains proportional to the strain applied. 
• Ductility and warning before failure: Mild steel is a ductile material. When any steel structure is subject to failure it gives visible warnings. 
• Additions to existing structures: Because of steel’s flexibility, additions to already existing structures can be made relatively easily and effectively. For example, adding new wings or bays to a steel frame building can be done without major complications. 

What Are Building Specialties? 

Building specialties are additional steel structures that enhance spaces with steel components. Depending on the kind of structure you are building, you likely consider some amount of steel or steel frames. For example, here at Steel Specialties, we can provide the framing for benches or bleachers or the necessary material for flagpoles, stairs, and more. 

As experts in steel fabrication, Steel Specialties often supplies metal for additional projects such as:

• Stairs
• Handrails
• Plaques
• Bike racks
• Wrought iron 
• Frames 
• Expansion joint covers

Enhance Your Commercial Structure with Steel Specialties 

If you’re looking to add steel to your construction process, you want a steel expert by your side. Whether it is for supplying necessary steel or guidance on the best form of steel to use, the professionals at Steel Specialties can help. 

Steel is not only a durable, strong, and highly reliable material, but it has a high aesthetic value. The natural beauty of steel is praised by architects and designers across the construction industry. 

Do you want to learn more about what we do here at Steel Specialties? Call our team today.