Fabric covered buildings

Hi folks,
I was in the US last week visiting friends in Connecticut.
While touring around I passed several boat yards (there were a lot in the area ) and I noticed large fabric covered
modern looking buildings , like barns in the yards being used as workshops or storage. I didn't get a chance to look closely but they were white fabric .
I have never come across this type of building before .
Here in Ireland almost all industrial or agricultural buildings are made of corrugated steel.

Does anyone know the type of building I m talking of,. Are they permanent structures or temporary ?

common and not requiring permits or special foundations. Jim
link to one

My neighbor's brother is a dairy farmer. He's got 3 or 4 of them, one is about three years old, the others must be about 25. He likes them. Another farmer has one maybe ten years old.

Here's a couple of websites that will give you a better idea of what all is out there. Be patient with the 2nd URL - they have some moving graphics that take some time to load.
https://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/cat1a;ft_fabric_buildings.html

https://www.legacybuildingsolutions.com/

'Looks' a lot cooler than sheet metal.

Thanks for the replies everyone.
Yep they are the type of building I saw.
Thanks for the links

In my part of the country, Indiana, if the structure has a foundation it will have a building permit.

I've only seen one of those and the guy that has it only uses it once in a blue moon. He leaves the framework up but takes the fabric off of it when he's not using it. Looking at the prices they appear to be nearly as expensive as a metal building so I don't see the point of doing that for a permanent structure.

It's the whole temporary vs. permanent thing. While the building may not cost any less than a pole barn, it does not go on your taxes as a farm structure, as it is technically a temporary building.

The definition of temporary buildings varies from area to area, so it may not work for some.

(quoted from post at 09:12:31 06/05/18) It's the whole temporary vs. permanent thing. While the building may not cost any less than a pole barn, it does not go on your taxes as a farm structure, as it is technically a temporary building.

The definition of temporary buildings varies from area to area, so it may not work for some.

Click to expand...

Exactly.
They became very popular in southern Ontario for farmers in the 1990's.
No permits, no new taxes.
Then the gooberment saw lost revenue and declared they are no longer exempt from either.

We have a church and a small sports arena
in this area built with metal framing and
several layers of fabric for the walls and
roofing. Am told they can withstand
hurricane force winds. Apparently thick
enough that insulation is adequate. This is
in mid Michigan where we can get mighty
strong winds and mighty cold cold spells
Have been up for a number of years with
minimal or no damage

Around here we call them "kites". :lol: Unless you get one of the real big, heavy duty jobs and bolt it down to a good foundation (99% of the ones here aren't) there's at least a 75% chance that sooner or later it will take off and smash itself into the tree line, another building, your car, your neighbors house, etc.

(quoted from post at 05:32:11 06/06/18)
Around here we call them "kites". :lol: Unless you get one of the real big, heavy duty jobs and bolt it down to a good foundation (99% of the ones here aren't) there's at least a 75% chance that sooner or later it will take off and smash itself into the tree line, another building, your car, your neighbors house, etc.

Click to expand...

Truer words ain't nebber been spoken! :wink:

I've got a small 12' x 20' here that I threw up before Winter to cover my skidloader. Had "planned" on working on it some now and then - but wife and I passed a bug back and forth all season long. Anyway, the other day we had a nice, breezy day and I actually had to get about half a dozen ratchet straps and anchor the thing down to the skidloader. Even then, I wasn't certain that everything wasn't gonna fly away.....including the skidloader! :shock:

(quoted from post at 09:12:21 06/06/18)

(quoted from post at 05:32:11 06/06/18)
Around here we call them "kites". :lol: Unless you get one of the real big, heavy duty jobs and bolt it down to a good foundation (99% of the ones here aren't) there's at least a 75% chance that sooner or later it will take off and smash itself into the tree line, another building, your car, your neighbors house, etc.

Click to expand...

Truer words ain't nebber been spoken! :wink:

I've got a small 12' x 20' here that I threw up before Winter to cover my skidloader. Had "planned" on working on it some now and then - but wife and I passed a bug back and forth all season long. Anyway, the other day we had a nice, breezy day and I actually had to get about half a dozen ratchet straps and anchor the thing down to the skidloader. Even then, I wasn't certain that everything wasn't gonna fly away.....including the skidloader! :shock:

Click to expand...

This thread is not about any fabric covered building you might buy at the flea market, big box store, etc.

(quoted from post at 18:52:59 06/04/18) Hi folks,
I was in the US last week visiting friends in Connecticut.
While touring around I passed several boat yards (there were a lot in the area ) and I noticed large fabric covered
modern looking buildings , like barns in the yards being used as workshops or storage. I didn't get a chance to look closely but they were white fabric .

Does anyone know the type of building I m talking of,. Are they permanent structures or temporary ?

Click to expand...

I believe what you're referring too is not actually fabric, but a specialized poly or PVC material. These buildings are permanent structures, they need to be professionally built but once in place they are very strong.

They are nothing like the cheap big box "portable sheds" for homeowners. The "skin" of these buildings is tremendously thick and tough.


Here's an example of a company that does these: https://www.clearspan.com/

They are very popular in dairy and livestock rearing operations. The chief advantages are the buildings are very fast to build and can be built at significant cost savings compared to steel. They shed snowloads better than steel. The farms that I know where they have been built have told me that the poly material used has a rated lifespan of 25-30 years. But even factoring in the cost of recovering them once, they are still cheaper than a similar sized steel building. They have a better wind rating than steel because they have give and flex where steel just tears.

I know 2 cattle operations that have them and both owners are very happy with them.

Interesting development in buildings.

Grouse

(quoted from post at 12:18:15 06/06/18)

(quoted from post at 09:12:21 06/06/18)

(quoted from post at 05:32:11 06/06/18)
Around here we call them "kites". :lol: Unless you get one of the real big, heavy duty jobs and bolt it down to a good foundation (99% of the ones here aren't) there's at least a 75% chance that sooner or later it will take off and smash itself into the tree line, another building, your car, your neighbors house, etc.

Click to expand...

Truer words ain't nebber been spoken! :wink:

I've got a small 12' x 20' here that I threw up before Winter to cover my skidloader. Had "planned" on working on it some now and then - but wife and I passed a bug back and forth all season long. Anyway, the other day we had a nice, breezy day and I actually had to get about half a dozen ratchet straps and anchor the thing down to the skidloader. Even then, I wasn't certain that everything wasn't gonna fly away.....including the skidloader! :shock:

Click to expand...

This thread is not about any fabric covered building you might buy at the flea market, big box store, etc.

Click to expand...

No kidding? I've seen 100 footers take off and wind up 3/4 mile across a field. Doesn't matter if it's from TSC or Farm Tek, it's got to be secured to some sort of foundation if you live in a windy area.