Pros and Cons of Different Building Materials

A new building is a major capital investment. You want a structure that will serve you well for as long as possible. How do the materials factor into that decision?

When we talk about traditional buildings, we’re referring to the materials and styles most commonly used in the past. For commercial purposes, that might be metal buildings, wood buildings, or even brick-and-mortar or concrete buildings. But you can also consider PVC-clad structures, a different type of permanent commercial structure.

Related article: Speed and Quality: The Role of Hybrid Building Materials

Each type of building material offers certain advantages and drawbacks. Every structure is unique in some ways, so it’s important to consider every detail. Let’s see how various building materials compare based on key decision-making factors.

Clear Span Capability

A clear span building has no interior columns or support posts breaking up the floor plan. Every square foot is usable, and there's nothing to design around for equipment, storage racking, or overhead cranes.

Steel can achieve a clear span, but it gets expensive fast—past roughly 150 feet, the steel needed to support the roof without interior columns adds to the high cost.

Concrete and wood can't achieve a true clear span at all; both need columns or load-bearing walls at intervals, which limits how the space can be used or changed later.

PVC-clad structures are the exception. Built on a rigid steel I-beam frame, they can reach 300 feet or more of clear span with no interior columns and without the cost of steel jumping at that scale. The same frame can also carry equipment like conveyors, cranes, and catwalks, hung from the beam wherever they’re needed, rather than fixed to a column location.

What This Means for Bulk Storage, Ports, and Process Facilities

For a bulk storage operator, a steel building's corrosion risk can mean replacing the structure well before its expected lifespan ends, especially when storing salt, fertilizer, or other corrosive materials.

For a facility running a bridge crane or conveyor, the column requirement in concrete and wood buildings limits where that equipment can go.

A clear-span PVC-clad structure removes that constraint, since the equipment hangs from the frame instead.

Total Cost of Ownership

The ultimate value of a building comes from its ability to perform as expected with the least hassle over time. Fully investigate all your options to achieve the building you need now and for the future.

Consider the pros and cons over the number of years you expect to use the building–initial cost, time to occupancy, maintenance, repairs, operations overhead, and intangibles such as worker safety and comfort. We encourage you to learn more about how PVC-clad construction compares with your specifications, location, timeline, budget, and long-term goals.