Trusting Morton to Brave the Elements on the Gulf Coast

July 17, 2014

There’s a lot to like about Texas. From rodeos, barbeque, a distinguished history and its renowned love of football, the Lone Star State has plenty to hang its cowboy hat on. But as a resident of the Texas Gulf Coast, Michel knows Mother Nature can be especially cruel to the second-largest state in the union, presenting summers with oppressive heat and the threat of hurricanes throughout the summer and fall months.

When faced with the risks of building in extreme elements, Morton Buildings’ tradition as an innovator in the construction industry provides a natural solution.

Meet Michel’s car barn, a 3,300-square-foot hobby garage that showcases his fleet of antique and classic cars, including a 1931 Ford Model A. The structure, 54 feet wide and 62 feet long, sits at the end of a blacktop driveway approximately 200 feet from the road. A 30’ x 18’ canopy rests at the front of the building that features Morton’s Diamond “M” sliding doors. Acoustical steel inside the building also cuts down on sounds and echoes created by Michel’s classic cars.

The 14-foot ceiling gives Michel the option of adding a hydraulic lift to double the space inside, a very important feature when building a car barn. The high ceiling also provided the option of windows high off the ground, adding security for the car barn and limiting direct sunlight on Michel’s prized possessions inside.

“What impressed me most about the Morton building was the engineering behind it,” Michel said. “We’re in a very high-risk wind area along the Texas Gulf Coast … and because of that, we have to build to much higher standards. And that is reflected in the engineering behind this building.”

More than a dozen major tropical weather events have struck the Texas Gulf Coast since 2008. Of course, Morton’s non-prorated, non-pass-through warranties offer five-year protection against wind loads with no wind velocity limit. Any hurricane, tornado or other wind-related event that threatens Michel’s car barn will be protected by Morton’s industry-leading warranty on materials and workmanship. It’s a factor that led Michel to choose Morton.

“There was nothing in my mind that said this wasn’t the way to go. Being in the area I’m in, on Galveston Bay, in a high-risk environment from hurricane and storm damage, I wanted to go with the best building I could build. I think that’s what I’ve ended up with.”

Morton also provided its complete exclusive Energy Performer Insulation Package at the hobby garage, helping Michel combat the Gulf Coast temperatures that can soar into triple digits throughout the dog days of summer. The package is highlighted by Morton’s Hi-Rib Steel and six inches of insulation inside the walls to maximize climate control and reduce energy consumption inside the structure.

“What’s important for me and to protect my cars is basically we needed something where we could control the humidity. Because of that, the insulation in this building was very important to me. With the excellent insulation capabilities of the building itself, my utility bills are very, very low.”

Michel’s choice to build with Morton makes him a member of a family that includes nearly 500,000 satisfied customers across the United States.

“The question’s obvious,” Michel concluded. “Why would you want to build a building like this, close to Galveston Bay, with hurricane threats? My reply to that is I took that into account and the engineering behind the building reflects it. That’s why it’s a Morton building."

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