Metal Buildings

If you’re like most people, one of the reasons you chose a VersaTube steel building for your structure is because it’s impervious to water damage. However, that doesn’t mean you want to hassle with water creeping inside! The good news is, keeping water out of your building is simple if you take a few precautions right from the beginning. It all begins with your foundation!

Plan for Good Drainage

Excessive rain, floods, and normal weather conditions for some regions can allow for moisture to seep up from the ground. Just like adding rocks to planters before pouring in the soil, drainage materials under your concrete slab can prevent moisture sneaking in and avoid condensation around the foundation. Gravel and crushed rock are both good choices for drainage materials under the foundation. 

Consider Drain Pipes and Gutters

Gutters and drain pipes direct excess water away from your foundation that could potentially collect right at your foundation. When the soil becomes oversaturated, that water will start seeping back up. A relatively inexpensive addition to your building (especially if you consider the possible costs of damage if you forgo them), a drainage system with gutters is one item you might consider. 

Consider Installing a Vapor Barrier

Installed between the subfloor and the concrete slab, a vapor barrier can be invaluable for preventing condensation from building up on metal walls. As a bonus, many vapor barriers are designed to serve as radiant heat barriers as well, which will help regulate your building’s temperature in hot weather and prevent condensation from humidity. 

The biggest thing to keep in mind is that it’s much easier to take precautions with your foundation to prevent water from the get-go than to come back and fix a problem down the road. Although to be fair, your new VersaTube building goes down just as easily as it went up, but pouring a new concrete slab with proper drainage and then rebuilding your shed, workshop, or barn would be a frustrating and unnecessary expense. Plan from the ground up and moisture in your VersaTube building shouldn’t be an issue! Got questions? We’re here to help! Contact one of our specialists here.