Steel Beats Wood

When it comes to building barns, shops, or storage structures, one of the biggest decisions you’ll make is whether to use steel trusses or traditional wood trusses. At Blackwater Truss Systems, we specialize in prefabricated steel trusses that offer significant advantages in strength, efficiency, and long-term value.

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1. Fewer Trusses Required

Steel trusses are engineered to span longer distances with fewer supports. This means:

- Wider spacing between trusses compared to wood.

- Fewer total trusses are needed for your structure.

- Reduced installation time and lower labor costs.

Where a wood building might need trusses every 2 feet, a steel truss building can often span 8 to 12 feet between trusses, depending on the design and local code. This drastically simplifies construction and reduces material usage.

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2. Prefabricated for Speed and Accuracy

Every steel truss from Blackwater is fully prefabricated in our shop, ready to install when it arrives at your site:

- No field assembly required—unlike many wood trusses that must be built on-site or pieced together.

- Consistent factory welds and measurements ensure perfect alignment and structural integrity.

- Faster installation means your building goes up quicker and with fewer errors.

This prefabrication approach eliminates many of the headaches and time delays associated with wood truss framing.

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3. Structural Advantages of Steel

Steel outperforms wood in almost every structural category:

- Higher load capacity: Steel trusses are engineered to handle greater snow, wind, and live loads.

- Longer spans: Steel can easily handle clear spans up to 100 feet without interior posts, allowing for more open floor plans.

- Dimensional stability: Steel does not warp, twist, shrink, or settle like wood. Your roofline stays straight and true for decades.

- Fire, rot, and pest resistance: Steel won’t burn, rot, or be damaged by termites and other insects.

These advantages make steel trusses an excellent choice for long-term durability and performance.

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4. Long-Term Value

Although steel trusses may have a higher initial cost compared to wood, their longer lifespan, lower maintenance needs, and reduced material usage often make them the more cost-effective choice over time. With fewer trusses needed and faster installation, labor savings alone can offset much of the initial price difference.

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5. Engineered Confidence

All Blackwater steel trusses are professionally engineered and stamped, ensuring your structure meets or exceeds code. With wood, on-site cutting and assembly can introduce inconsistencies—but with steel, you’re getting a precisely fabricated structural component that’s ready to perform.

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The Bottom Line

Steel trusses provide superior strength, speed, and longevity compared to traditional wood trusses. With fewer required trusses, prefabricated precision, and engineered performance, choosing steel means building smarter, stronger, and faster.

Blackwater Truss Systems is here to help you design the perfect steel truss system for your project.