Custom Canopies Can Form Covered Walkways, Turnstile Shelters, and More!

Blog

Canopy for Loading Dock

Panel Built's line of prefabricated steel structures offers a wide range of applications for our product lines. While Panel Built's line of steel mezzanines may be the most well know of our steel products, we also provide a variety of exterior steel structures that can even utilize a similar bolt-together system, like steel canopy systems and covered walkways.

However, these steel canopy structures can be delivered to the project site in pre-assembled form as well! Especially for smaller canopy projects with dimensions that are more compliant with traveling on a flatbed, our shelters can be shipped fully fabricated and immediately ready for installation at the project site.

Metal Covered WalkwaysHowever, for larger canopy projects, like connecting buildings with a covered walkway system, the canopy may be shipped to the project site in components, to be assembled after delivery.  This allows for the installation of much larger, connected shelter/canopy assemblies that would be impossible to deliver pre-assembled.  

Different Panel Built Canopy Applications

Because of the highly custom nature of Panel Built's steel canopy systems and the variety of ways in which they can be delivered, there is a wide number of applications.  One of our most popular requests would be to pair one of our canopy systems with one of our security guard booths or with another piece of security equipment.  

Guard-House-with-CanopyFor example, at facility entrances, oftentimes high-security facilities will have a guardhouse acting as an access control point for the property. These buildings will often be paired with a gate and require the driver entering the facility to provide some sort of identification to gain access. The guardhouse acts as a way to protect the security officer from the elements and weather conditions, but for the driver trying to enter the facility, they might not have anything shielding them from the rain as they roll down their window to speak to the guard. In this case, Panel Built can offer a Steel Canopy system that extends out over the gate and entrance of the facility to make this interaction a little bit more convenient for all those who enter. This canopy system can be a freestanding, steel system, or in some cases, we can design it as an extension of the guard house's own roof.

Turnstile Canopy

Canopies can also be required for facilities that are entered on foot. Many facilities require a turnstile system to gain entrance to certain buildings or to get inside of gated areas. However, one problem frequently found with turnstile systems are the horizontal bars that make up the revolving door. Although they keep intruders from going through the turnstile without permission. They usually do not do a great job of keeping intruders from going over the turnstile, as the horizontal bars make the structure easily climb-able.

However, adding a turnstile canopy can greatly help with this problem. With the correct design and canopy dimensions, a turnstile canopy with effectively help prevent the climbing of the access control system.


Exterior Stairs With Covered Walkway

Able to Provide Shelter Solutions In A Variety Locations And Elevations

Although Covered Walkways are generally viewed as similar to a sidewalk canopy.   However, Panel Built can provide walkways with much more flexibility than strictly be regulated to the ground level.  Some of the most interesting and unique canopy/covering projects we have done include providing a walkway and canopy combination structures, utilizing our steel mezzanine, stairs, and catwalk systems and shelters into one system.

For instance, we oftentimes fabricate access stair systems for the exterior of buildings, going up to an entrance/exit at the building's second floor.  In some cases, especially if the stair system will be in use often, a building owner may want to provide a covering to the stair system in order to protect people from the weather.  Like the project to the right, Panel Built can incorporate a canopy system directly into the stair design to create a covered stairway system. 

Elevator Shelter

Additionally, Panel Built has the ability to fabricate and deliver shelters and coverings which are located at the top of buildings and other structures.  In many cases, the time and effort involved in stick-building a shelter on top of a building can cause projects to last forever and become more costly as the process goes on.  For Panel Built, our prefabricated walkway shelters can make for a great solution for buildings looking to add a walkway shelter to the top of their parking deck or as an extension to an existing elevator.  With these systems prefabricated in our facilities, the installation process is greatly reduced, keeping project times to a minimum.  If needed, Panel Built can enclose these elevator shelters to create a fully formed vestibule in front of the elevator entrance. 


Metal Transit Shelter

In short, Panel Built's structural steel shelters, walkway covers, and canopy systems over a great variety of customization, able to fit shelter projects of nearly any type. These steel structures are also incorporated into the designs of bus stops, acting as transit shelters.  These spaces serve to provide a safe place for passengers to wait for the bus.  The shelter keeps the passengers in a well-lit area with a 360-degree field of vision. Panel Built can also incorporate a variety of features into the shelter design, including mounted benches, advertising boxes, interior and exterior lighting, solar lights, and garbage receptacles.  Utilizing a prefabricated transit shelter allows for the structure to be installed at the project site as fast as possible, allowing for fast project turnarounds. 

These unique structures have applications ranging from sheltering pedestrians from the rain to added access control to facility entryways. Operating in all 50 states and internationally, Panel Built has the capabilities to design a canopy or shelter system to fit into your project's environment, able to meet stringent state and local codes.

If you have any questions about Panel Built's canopy and shelter systems, give us a call at 8006363873, send us an email to info@panelbuilt.com, or let us know in our LiveChat feature in the bottom-right of the page. We're always more than happy to answer any questions or concerns that you may have.