| There are many great garage building kits on the | | | | door opening, a garage door, and if a door, do you |
| market today, but the brand I am most excited | | | | want an electric opener? |
| about is VersaTube. There are a lot of reasons why | | | | Besides choosing how many doors and windows you |
| VersaTube is a great building kit, such as strong steel | | | | want, you can also specify where you want the |
| framing that will not rot, they are easy to assemble | | | | windows and doors placed. This allows a lot of |
| using a patented slip-lock fastening system, and they | | | | versatility. Where you choose to place them can be |
| are very affordable. What I really like about them, | | | | dependent upon the use of the building, the |
| though, is the great range of choices that are | | | | placement and the layout of the building in relation to |
| available. Some of the choices are purely personal | | | | other structures. |
| taste, while others will be affected by the use of the | | | | Steel gauge - you can get VersaTube garage building |
| building and such factors as where you live. Lets take | | | | kits with either 26 or 29 gauge steel. Gauge is a |
| a look at some of these many options now. | | | | measurement of thickness, and the smaller the |
| Color - it is only your outbuilding, storage shed or | | | | number, the thicker the gauge. |
| shop, so who cares what color it is? Well, many | | | | Truss system - the truss system in a building is used |
| people do care, and if you don't, your wife may! The | | | | to support and strengthen the structure. You can get |
| colors available include: green, stone, charcoal, blue, | | | | a building with no truss or any of the following truss |
| white, brown, tan, red and gray. These colors are | | | | systems: |
| available for both the siding and the roof, and you | | | | - Truss Type 1 offers a basic collar tie brace that |
| can choose different colors for each of these. | | | | spans across the width of the building. |
| Siding - you can choose either horizontal or vertical | | | | - Truss Type 2 has the collar tie with a vertical brace |
| siding. I believe this is just a personal preference, | | | | connecting the collar tie with apex of the roof. |
| though the vertical siding always costs a bit more. If | | | | - Truss Type 3 is the sturdiest type of truss system |
| there is any reason to choose one over the other | | | | available. It has the collar tie, but instead of a simple |
| than personal preference, I do not know what it | | | | vertical brace, it has a web brace. Picture a "W" |
| would be. | | | | connecting the collar tie to the roof. |
| Size - there are a large variety of sizes available, | | | | I would generally recommend at least a Type 2 |
| from small storage type buildings to large shops. The | | | | Truss system, but if you have only a small building, |
| size varies by length, width AND height. So get a | | | | and live in a hot area that does not see many |
| garage building kit that will suit your needs. | | | | storms, it may not be necessary. A larger building will |
| Window and door configurations - basic garage | | | | need a better truss system, as will an area that sees |
| building kits do not include windows and doors, but | | | | a lot of snow or wind. |
| are optional. You can have two or four windows (or | | | | So, as you can tell, there are a lot of great options |
| more if you really desire). You can also add a | | | | and customization that you can get with garage |
| pedestrian door, or doors, if the building is large or | | | | building kits. So, if you are in the market, make sure |
| you need access from more than one side. You can | | | | you compare them to stick built structures. I think |
| also choose the size of a garage door opening you | | | | that you will be very happy with the versatility, the |
| want, if one is enough or if you want two garage | | | | cost, and the ease with which a VersaTube building |
| doors. You can also decide if you want just a garage | | | | can be constructed. |