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Buyers Guide to Metal Buildings in Montana

Montana, “Big Sky Country” is located just south of the Canadian border, in between Idaho and North Dakota. The Continental Divide splits the state in half, creating a western and eastern region. The western portion of the state consists of mountain ranges, while the eastern portion is mostly prairie and plains. Summers are warm, and winters can be bitterly cold with heavy amounts of snowfall. The eastern side of the state sees up to 50 inches of snow per year, while the mountainous western side can see over 300 inches. Montana is prone to thunderstorms in the spring and summer, and snowstorms and blizzards in the winter that can shut down towns for days. 

If you are planning to build a steel building in Montana, you will need to take some precautions. Depending on where you are located, your snow load will be very important. If you are in the mountains of Montana, you will have a dramatically higher snow load than someone located on the plains. With the thunderstorms and blizzards, you will also need to have the correct wind loads to ensure that your building can withstand the strongest winds. Adding eave extensions over your walkways and entrances is also highly recommended, to protect your sidewalks and foundation from the elements. 

At Great Western Buildings, we use 100% American-made steel and provide many different customization options to our customers. We do follow all local building codes for your location, whether it is for insulation, wind, or snow load. These building codes are minimum requirements and you are always welcome to go above those, to feel even more confident in your building. We also recommend adding eave extensions to your building. These will extend out and cover any walkways, sidewalks, or entryways, protecting them from rain, ice, and snow. This allows for much safer walkways and also reduces the weathering effect on them. Since Montana does receive so much snowfall, especially in the mountains, this is a great option to keep those areas accessible during all times of the year. At Great Western, you can customize the building of your dreams while knowing that it will provide decades of durability and value.