Farm buildings must deliver unbeatable versatility and durability if they are to be suitable for the job at hand. This means selecting the right combination of building materials when managing their construction with the combination of prestressed concrete panels and cladding a firm favourite amongst the farming industry. Speaking to Duane Roberts, Senior Draughtsman at Graham Heath Construction, “We look at the versatility that is provided by using prestressed concrete panels and cladding in your farm building”.
Durable
The first thing to note about concrete panels and cladding is that they are incredibly durable. This is ideal for farm buildings where heavy machinery and powerful livestock can easily cause damage to flimsy materials. The strength of concrete not only safeguards it from physical damage, but it also helps to maintain the internal environment and protect whatever is held inside it. Damage caused by animals, inclement weather or malicious attacks are all protected against with prestressed concrete panels and concrete cladding and make them superior to other options, such as metal which would be easily dented by any powerful blows.
Uses
The strength of concrete panels and cladding make it incredibly varied in a farm environment. As well as being suitable for workshops and outbuildings, they are also suitable for any buildings containing livestock such as cattle sheds, sheep pens, milking parlours and much more. This is because you can tailor the thickness of the concrete to meet your specific needs. For example, sheep pens are usually recommended to have concrete panels and cladding around one metre thick while cattle sheds need a slightly thicker construction of say two metres.
This is to respond to the particular threats of damage present in each type of building – as cows are larger and more powerful animals than sheep, the buildings they are kept within need to be thicker and stronger to cope with any impacts. Concrete panels and cladding offer unbeatable durability and are the ideal option for farm buildings as they will resist damage better than metal constructions which could become easily dented.