Frequently
Asked Questions

A simple easy floating foundation is required.
Our optional pre-drilled foundation connector makes building with Pioneer Steel easy. Pioneer’s unique nut-and-bolt assembly provides strong, accurate, long lasting construction. For more information on the various types of foundations available, see the section of our site on foundations.

Pioneer’s clear span, trussless design ensures that your building will easily accept any form of conventional insulation methods: spray on, fiberglass rolls or rigid foam. Installing ducting for heating and air conditioning is also very easy.

The high aluminum content in our Galvalume actually helps keep the building cooler inside. The deep corrugation of the panel (which makes it uniquely 3-sided) leaves less exposed surface area which, along with our thick gauge steel, dramatically reduces noise.

Pioneer understands the importance of ventilation to our customer. Our clear span buildings offer unobstructed airflow and superior temperature consistency. We offer two types of ventilation systems for our buildings— gravity and turbine—or you can install a custom ventilation system.

That’s a common misconception. To start with, Pioneer buildings are easy to install. That results in lower assembly and building costs. Our buildings are virtually indestructible and maintenance free. Look at lower insurance costs and less overall maintenance over the years and you’ve got a winner.

We can ship most buildings within 2-4 weeks from when you place your order with us. Visit our Prices section for more details on your delivery options.

Pioneer buildings use standard sized panels (approximately 2’ x 10’) fastened together with a single sized nut and bolt system. Since this construction method is uniform throughout the building process, adding more arches to your building for additional length is no problem at all.

Pioneer buildings, due to their all steel construction, withstand fire extremely well. Interior fires can be contained within the building, protecting your home and other property. Fires burning outside will not ignite materials within the building due to the steel. Your building may be burned and blackened, but it will not fall down and will be virtually as corrosion resistant and protective for years to come.

Raising the sides of your Pioneer building can be done by constructing your foundation to include concrete sidewalls. Customers usually use this method to increase the sidewall height by 2' to 4'. Also, depending on the building model, higher sidewalls may be available as a customized option.

Pioneer buildings can be constructed on a wide range of foundations, including one with high walls. Pioneer foundation base plate installed on sidewalls constructed of concrete, block or steel are all ways of increasing sidewall height.

Running electrical wiring is no problem at all with a Pioneer building. If you don’t know how yourself, you’ll likely want to get an electrician to do the work, but many of our customers have installed lights and power outlets, not to mention machinery requiring electricity.

Once your building is up, customizing the inside is no problem. A partition is only one of thousands of ideas to best use the space available in our trussless, clear span designs. Be it partitions, walls or even cubicles for office space, you’ll find you have plenty of room for all your needs.

Several of our customers have added mezzanines to their buildings to provide themselves with even more storage space. Garages are an excellent example: put in a mezzanine over the large front door to give yourself some storage space for Christmas ornaments, gardening supplies, car maintenance materials, or anything you want.

Horses, cows, pigs—whatever animals you care for, adding stalls and pens in your Pioneer building is easy. Without support posts to build around, you can add as many stalls as you need and make them as large as you want.

Builders constantly praise the easy access provided by our clear span, trussless designs for installation not only of heating and air conditioning systems, but other systems as well including electrical wiring, plumbing, drywall, false ceilings and partitions.

Bulk storage is one of thousands of possible applications for your Pioneer building. Whether you’re storing grain, machinery, widgets or anything else, you’ll find that a Pioneer building provides you the space, protection and expandability you need.

Skylights should be staggered from side to side to maintain maximum building strength. Skylights are easy to install since our skylight panels use the same single nut-and-bolt fastening system as our steel panels. And, with a number of color options, you even have control over the natural light coming into your building.

When you need to match or complement existing structures or extend and customize your building, a wide range of endwall options—and our user-friendly endwall adapters—make it convenient to complete your project consistently and economically. Similarly, you can install a frame to accept any custom door.

No. Burying the building underground means that it is under constant weight, pressure from soil density and unpredictable stress from the earth in which it is buried. Pioneer buildings are not engineered for this kind of use.

Adding weight to the roof of a Pioneer building should be done with care. Pioneer buildings, once constructed can take a great deal of weight and stress. However, adding weight directly to the roof (a catwalk, for example) should be done only after consulting your dealer or an engineer.

Side entrances can be built into any of the Pioneer Steel models. Your side entrance can feature a service door, sliding door or overhead door. As with end doors, you can use Pioneer doors or install a frame for any custom door.

Pioneer Steel buildings are inspected on three separate occasions prior to shipment to ensure complete satisfaction. In the unlikely event that something is missing or damaged, simply call your dealer to report the problem. Replacement pieces will be shipped to you as soon as possible.

The Pioneer Steel name has been synonymous with clear span, trussless, self-supporting arch style steel buildings. Pioneer Steel is a leading edge manufacturer and worldwide exporter of dependable, steel building solutions. Specialized in-house engineering facilities and our years of experience and expertise enable us to successfully design and create steel buildings for virtually any application.

Although Pioneer Steel does not itself employ construction crews to help you construct your steel building, your dealer should be able to provide you with a list of dependable contractors who can erect your building in a minimum of time and at a reasonable cost.

Every city, town, region and county has its own by-laws regarding building and the kinds of permits and documentation required. Ask your dealer about by-laws in your area or where to find out about them. Should you need a permit, we can supply engineer’s blueprints or anything else you may need to secure one.

Condensation is not unique to steel buildings. All types of buildings create condensation if proper ventilation is not installed. If condensation is a problem, you may need to add more ventilators to your building.

Chances are you’ll have questions about your steel building at some point. While we’ve tried to answer as many as possible here, you may have additional questions. You can always ask your dealer any question that may come to mind—our dealers are well educated on our products. Or, if you’d prefer to get your answer from the source, our factory has a toll-free help line at 1-800-668-5422. You will be able to speak to one of our service technicians for the answer to any question.

You have a few options: if you have access to a forklift or front-end loader, either make it very easy to unload your building. If neither is available to you, round up some friends to help unload. The driver will give you a hand, but the more people there to help, the faster the unloading will go.

You can paint your steel building as you would any other type of building. For more information on how and what types of paint you can use, visit our pages on painting your Pioneer Steel building .

There are two warranties on your building. There is a 50-year warranty on the Galvalume steel panels against corrosion as well as a 12-month warranty against any manufacturing defects.

Different gauges of steel provide varying degrees of protection from such forces as snow and wind. In an area of heavy snowfall or high winds, a thicker gauge steel will provide the strength and stability required to withstand these stresses. You dealer will recommend a metal thickness suitable for your region, use and site conditions.

Pioneer buildings are engineered to prevent leaking. Once constructed, each panel overlaps the next one down by 9”. Furthermore, each arch overlaps the next by 3”. Just follow the instructions in your construction manual and your building should be virtually free of any leaks.

We know that a rusted steel building is an eyesore, which is why we manufacture all of our buildings from AZ180 (AZ60) Galvalume Plus™ steel, which carries a 50-year warranty against corrosion. Your building should remain eye-pleasing for years and years.

More than 75% of Pioneer customers erect their buildings themselves. Construction of a Pioneer building requires as few as four (4) people depending on the building. Construction can be done with fewer or more people, but four people can get the job done, depending on the size of the building, in a matter of days.

Steel thickness is measured in ‘gauge’. The lower the gauge number the greater the thickness. Pioneer uses Galvalume Plus ™ for all the various steel gauges it uses. We’ll recommend a lower gauge (thicker) steel to someone constructing their building in an area of heavy snowfall or high winds. The thicker steel provides additional protection from such forces.

Whether you use our endwall or your own custom option, it is possible to recess the wall to have an overhang above.