Pre-engineered steel buildings come in various shapes and sizes to suit all your commercial, agricultural, and residential needs. But did you know that these prefab buildings also come in multiple colors?

The buildings may be steel, but they can look different from it.

The color of your garage or metal barn isn’t just about personal aesthetics. Numerous factors can also influence the color scheme.

Your choice can also increase your brand recognition and lower your energy bills.

Read on to find out how to choose the right prefab steel building color. 

Consider This When Choosing Your Prefab Steel Building’s Color Scheme

The color you choose depends on the purpose of your building and the preferred aesthetic. However, the region, climate, neighborhood, and building codes can also come into play.

Here are the factors you need to consider when choosing general steel building colors. 

The Building’s Purpose

At Spry Steel, you can get the perfect steel building for all your needs, be it a commercial, residential, or agricultural building, a garage, or a storage structure. The type and purpose of your project should also factor into your choice of color.

Choosing a scheme that goes with the surrounding environment and neighborhood is crucial for your residential needs. Similarly, your prefab garage — for parking small vehicles, boats, campers, or use as a workspace — should go with the other structures nearby.

Opting for the red and white color scheme is traditional and trendy if it’s an agricultural facility. However, neutral earth tones can be soothing and hide the mess and the mud.

For your commercial buildings, high visibility is critical. Whether it’s a commercial garage or a warehouse, it can be easily spotted from the road, thanks to a bolder color scheme.

You can also choose brand colors to establish the steel structure as your company’s property.

Outside Temperatures

Outside temperature is a critical factor in choosing the right color. 

According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, darker buildings can absorb 70-90% of the sun’s energy. This energy is transformed into heat, raising the internal temperature of your property.

Similarly, painting your exterior with brighter and lighter colors reflects most of the sun’s energy and makes the interior cooler.

In fact, an article by the Yale School of the Environment indicates that simply adding a white roof can lower a building’s temperature by up to 38 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Conversely, the incorrect color choice can result in significant heat issues during hot days. With materials reaching up to 190 degrees Fahrenheit, neither the insulation nor ventilation can tackle the high heat.

Choosing black in cold regions and polar white in warm areas will also considerably reduce your energy bills for heating and cooling.

The Location of the Building

Carrying on from the temperature and climate talk, the location of the building will dictate the color. However, also consider the aesthetic rules of the neighborhood.

 Just like architectural styles, regions can have their own color palettes. The correct color combination will make your building a part of the surroundings. 

Some standard regional color palettes are:

• Northern. These palettes feature the colors predominant in the surrounding northern landscape of foliage and rocky mountains. This boreal color palette includes Koko Brown, Polar White, Hunter Green, Brite Red, and Light Stone.
• Southwest. The desert surroundings and the primary colors in Native American, Mexican, and Spanish homes influence the southwestern palette. The natural colors include Desert Sand, Light Stone, Medium Bronze, Cobalt Blue, and Saddle Tan.
• Coastal. Think of natural colors from the local scenery of the sea, beaches, and dunes. Ash Gray, Classic Green, Hawaiian Blue, Desert Sand, Cobalt Blue, and Fern Green.
• Tropical. The most vibrant of them all, the tropical color palette draws from exotic flora, fauna, and oceanic colors. The prevalent colors include Koko Brown, Fern Green, Crimson Red, Hawaiian Blue, Cobalt Blue, and Hunter Green.

Building Codes

The law of the land, building codes are rules enacted by the local code enforcement office.

While the requirements vary from state to county to city, they govern all aspects of construction, including color. 

For example, a light color finish could be mandatory if you’re running a commercial kitchen. Or your city could have an exterior color chart for you to follow if your property is part of a homeowner’s association, which means another specific color palette for sidings and wall panels.

In such cases, you would have to pick metal building color combinations similar to other structures in the neighborhood. 

So before painting your warehouse flaming pink to attract customers, look at the local building codes.

Your Desired Building Aesthetic

Your design reflects your and your business’s personality. So pick a color according to your desired aesthetic. 

An attractive building finish for a residential property could be modern with a blend of minimalism and drama. Striking greys, bright whites, and deep blacks will complement the bold lines and sleek finishes. For farmhouses or metal barns, metal building color schemes of clean white or red remain timeless. 

Go for a high-contrast combination with a dark rooftop and light paneling. Or do the reverse. You can also choose low-contrast varieties with subtle differences or tone-on-tone combos. 

If your company has an established brand style, try replicating that in the building’s color palette. Use or slightly adjust the primary colors from your logo or website. A consistent color scheme will set your structure apart and boost brand recognition.

Enjoy Custom Color Selections for Your Prefab Metal Building Kit

All the elements listed above are factored in during the engineering process, including outside temperature and building codes. Go through Spry Steel’s comprehensive color chart, choose the suitable metal building color options, and leave the rest to us.

Spry Steel has been offering quality prefab metal garage kits for nearly a decade. We value your time and budget and pride ourselves on building efficient, code-compliant, durable building customizations. Our team of experts and technicians is also available for any questions about the color scheme. Contact Spry Steel and request a quote today!