Steel building systems make up nearly 70% of single story commercial construction because of their strength, ease of construction, and cost savings. You can maximize these benefits by following our recommended best-practices tips right from the start when unloading the materials for your steel building. Download instructions in our Roof Manual or our Wall Manual, under '1.0 General Information.
Mistakes, such as crimping an entire bundle of panels, can cost thousands of dollars. And unfortunately this happens at least 7-8 times a year. Worse still, injuries can result when mishandling materials during unloading. We cannot understate how important it is to follow the instructions when unloading.
Read what some of our experts have to share about unloading.
"Prepare your jobsite. Think about access to the jobsite. Can the truck get to your site? Where will it unload? Do you have enough space to store your materials and safely install them?"
--Curtis Jacob – Jacobs Brothers Contracting – Adairsville, GA
"Unload everything separately and group the different components in order of install. Panel bundles and trim will go on last, so locate them furthest away. Purlins should be located in front of the panels and trim, and the columns, rafters and girts should be in the very front as you will need them first."
--Charles Callahan – Charles Callahan Construction – Laurinburg, NC
"When unloading a truck, it's best, if possible, to put your columns on the pad and, if you know where they are going, lay them in place. Next, put your rafters close to the pad at your main entrance point. Place your wall girts and roof purlins on one side of the pad and on the outside, put your sidewall panels close by. Leave enough room so you can stack them out and do the same with the endwall panels. Finally, place the accessory box on the corner of the pad and always keep your roof panels elevated at one end so water doesn't get trapped in between them."
--Billy Williams – Piney Woods Metal, LLC – Fruithurst, AL
"If possible, rent or lease a telescoping handler. This is the easiest and safest way to unload building materials."
--Mike Phelps – GREL – Morgantown, KY
"A Sky Track is about all you'll need. It's like a forklift on steroids! It'll unload that truck three times faster than anything else!"
--Jim Tincher – Mountain Pride Construction – London, KY
"Inventory all materials as they are coming off of the truck. Note any damages (regardless of how small you think they are) on the truck driver's bill of lading and call your Arco Customer Service Representative immediately so that she can get any missing or damaged parts out to you before you need them."
--CoriAnn Batista – Arco Building Systems, Customer Service Manager
Finally, Rob Wright with RW Wright Construction and Contracting Inc. in Statesville, NC summarizes with the following tips.
- Safety should be the top priority during unloading material, making sure you have a qualified, clear-headed equipment operator.
- Handle material with care to reduce damage or injury to yourself.
- In order for material to be safely unloaded with minimum damage, the unloading and staging area should be level with stone, paving and concrete.
- High reach lifts are more efficient during the unloading and erection process.
- Stage material according to installation order with the last items to be installed (gutters, trim, etc.) staged furthest from the building pad.
- Use quality harnesses and chokers with no frays or cuts to prevent dropping material.
- Stage all panels on a slight slope to allow water/condensation to drain.
- Spreader bars should be used when unloading material wider than 30'.
- Stage material with similar pieces together.
Arco has been supplying the nation with steel buildings for over 30 years. Our main goal is for your project to go as smoothly as possible. If you follow these tips, we can achieve that goal together!
