Quonset huts are a kind of prefabricated steel building, known for their arched shape, first used by the military during World War II. They are named for Quonset Point, Rhode Island, where they were originally manufactured. Then, as now, they were built using corrugated steel. No professional assembly is required to install the huts, and they are light weight and inexpensive.
Today, Quonset huts have found their way into the private sector. During America’s post war era, the military sold many left over Quonset huts to the public for a thousand dollars per building. Ever since, the huts have become widespread. The design has changed some over the years, such as the introduction of walls that are shaped to stand at a ninety degree angel to allow for optimal storage space, steel fronts and backs instead of the original plywood, and a variety of colors. Yet the roofs remain rounded, so they have the same easy maintenance as always.No worries about cleaning off or repair the roof!
Who uses Quonset huts? They are the practical and cost effective solution for many businesses, farms, and more. The simple arch construction makes them popular. Because of this, all the Quonset hut needs is a roof and two walls. Less parts equals cheaper construction. Putting them together is a snap, too. No professional builders are needed, though some companies provide the service if wanted.
How are Quonset huts used? They are often used to store boats, RVs, tractors, and trucks. These huts also make excellent shops for small businesses who don’t want the high overhead of a more traditional building. Hobbyists who have the room can also build their own shops for things like pottery and ceramics, furniture reupholstery, car repair, photography dark rooms, and so on. As for agriculture, Quonset huts are a no brainer, as farms across America can attest.
One curiousity of the Quonset hut are those individuals who have made the huts into residential housing. This is a historical as well as modern phenomenon. A model for domestic use, created by the Great Lakes Steel Corporation that took over Quonset hut manufacture in 1943, was introduced in 1946, featuring windows on the arch and a little bit of white picket fencing. Recently, as a way to live more green, a few inventive types have even used Quonset huts as “shells” for their underground homes, which need hardly any energy to heat or cool.