30x40 metal building material list
A full framing, sheeting, and trim takeoff for a 30' × 40' weld-up building: 12' eave, 4:12 pitch, one walk door, one 10'×10' roll-up door. Generated by Gable Takeoff; every number below is a real output, not a rounded guess.
Prices as of September 2026.
Where the money goes
Each category includes 8.25% sales tax and a 15% markup, matching the app's defaults. Both are adjustable to your own numbers.
| Category | What's in it | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Steel, sheet & trim | I-beams, purlins, girts, eave struts, end wall columns, roof & wall sheets, one walk door, and all trim | $16,766 |
| Doors & Windows | One 10'×10' roll-up door | $2,490 |
| Grand total | $19,256 |
Main frame members
Columns and rafters are cut as separate pieces and nested onto stock lengths with the least waste; each row is the stock to buy and how it's cut. Weight is quantity × stock length × pounds per foot (the second number in the size: W12x19 is 19 lb/ft), which adds up to the 1,990 lb above.
| Stock & cuts | Qty | Size | Length | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cut into 2 × 15' 9 3/4" rafter, 2 × 12' 0" column · 4' 4 1/8" drop | 1 | W12x14 | 60' | 840 lb |
| Cut into 3 × 15' 9 3/4" rafter, 1 × 12' 0" column · 0' 6 3/8" drop | 1 | W8x10 | 60' | 600 lb |
| Cut into 1 × 15' 9 3/4" rafter, 1 × 12' 0" column · 2' 2 1/8" drop | 1 | W8x10 | 30' | 300 lb |
| Cut into 2 × 12' 0" column · 0' 11 7/8" drop | 1 | W8x10 | 25' | 250 lb |
| Total frame steel | 1,990 lb | |||
Span charts behind these sizes
The highlighted rows set this building's sizes: a 30' clear span calls for W12x14 frames, and 20' bays call for 6" roof purlins. These are the app's default charts.
Main frame · gable
| Clear span up to | Beam |
|---|---|
| 30' | W12x14 |
| 40' | W12x19 |
| 50' | W16x26 |
| 60' | W18x35 |
Purlins & wall girts
| Bay span up to | C-section |
|---|---|
| 20' | 6" |
| 25' | 8" |
| 30' | 10" (roof only) |
Adjust them for your climate. Snow and wind loads vary by region, so every row is editable on the app's Settings tab. Change a size or a span break to match what your engineer or local code requires, and every new estimate uses your charts. More about span charts
Full material list
Wall, roof, and trim color: Charcoal Gray.
| Item | Qty | Size | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. I-Beams | ||||
| I-beam stock | 1 | W12x14 | 60' | cut each 2 × 15' 9 3/4" rafter, 2 × 12' 0" column · 4' 4 1/8" drop |
| I-beam stock | 1 | W8x10 | 60' | cut each 3 × 15' 9 3/4" rafter, 1 × 12' 0" column · 0' 6 3/8" drop |
| I-beam stock | 1 | W8x10 | 30' | cut each 1 × 15' 9 3/4" rafter, 1 × 12' 0" column · 2' 2 1/8" drop |
| I-beam stock | 1 | W8x10 | 25' | cut each 2 × 12' 0" column · 0' 11 7/8" drop |
| Tube stock | 1 | TS4x4x.188 | 40' | cut each 2 × 17' 0" center column · 5' 11 7/8" drop |
| Weld plates | 2 | 6" × 6" | — | one per column · 2 end wall center columns (TS4x4x.188) |
| Weld plates | 6 | 6" × 12" | — | one per column · 2 interior frame columns (W12x14), 4 end wall frame columns (W8x10) |
| 2. Purlins, Girts & Eave Struts | ||||
| Roof purlins | 16 | 6" | 20' | |
| Eave struts | 4 | 6" | 20' | 4:12 pitch |
| Sidewall girts | 12 | 8" | 20' | |
| Gable end girts | 6 | 8" | 30' | |
| Jamb purlins | 1 | 8" | 30' | nested — 2 jambs cut from these |
| Header purlins | 1 | 8" | 20' | nested — 1 header cut from these |
| 3. Roof & Wall Sheets | ||||
| Roof panels | 28 | — | 15' 10" | |
| Sidewall panels | 28 | — | 12' 0" | |
| Gable end panels | 20 | — | 13' 0" – 17' 0" | 4 @ 17' 0", 4 @ 16' 0", 4 @ 15' 0", 4 @ 14' 0", 4 @ 13' 0" · 36" wide |
| 4. Trim | ||||
| Ridge cap | 4 | — | 12' | 12" overlap · 4:12 pitch |
| Rake trim | 4 | — | 16' 10" | roof length + 1', seamed w/ 12" overlap |
| Eave trim | 8 | — | 12' | 12" overlap · 4:12 pitch |
| Outside corners | 4 | — | 13' 0" | sidewall height + 1', seamed w/ 12" overlap |
| Base angle | 6 | — | 25' | full slab perimeter, 12" overlap |
| Rake angle | 4 | — | 25' | end wall beams, full roof length, 12" overlap |
| Head trim (walk doors) | 1 | — | 3' 6" | top |
| Head trim (roll-up doors) | 1 | — | 11' 0" | top |
| Jamb trim (walk doors) | 2 | — | 7' 6" | both sides |
| Jamb trim (roll-up doors) | 2 | — | 11' 0" | both sides |
| Jamb wrap (roll-up doors) | 1 | — | 11' 0" | top |
| Jamb wrap (roll-up doors) | 2 | — | 11' 0" | both sides |
| 5. Accessories | ||||
| Peak boxes | 2 | — | — | one per gable end |
| Rake end caps | 4 | — | pair | left/right pair per rake run |
| Purlin clips | 82 | — | — | 2 per piece · 41 pieces to clip |
| Walk doors | 1 | — | 3' 0" × 7' 0" | Right sidewall · bay 1 · centered · White |
| 6. Doors & Windows | ||||
| Roll-up door | 1 | — | 10' 0" × 10' 0" | Front gable end · bay 1 · centered · Polar White |
| Steel, sheet & trim | $16,766 | |||
| Doors & Windows | $2,490 | |||
| Grand total | $19,256 | |||
Rough budgeting estimate, not a mill quote. Doesn't include permits, engineering, delivery, concrete, labor, or insulation (the Pro plans price those on top of the same takeoff). Prices use the app's default rates; your supplier pricing will differ.
Why a 30x40 needs this much detail
A 30x40 is one of the most common small shop/garage sizes — small enough that it's tempting to eyeball it, but the framing chart still matters: at a 30' clear span the main frame is sized off the beam chart, and purlins over a 40' depth still split into 2 bays of 20' 0" rather than running full length. Get the bay count wrong and every purlin, girt, and sheet length downstream is wrong too.
See it before you order it
This same 30x40 draws itself in the app. Pick your wall, roof, trim, door, and wainscot colors and the building repaints in 3D; switch to the wireframe to check where the purlins, girts, eave struts, and jamb purlins land. Eight views — four isometric corners and four straight-on elevations — so you can look at a door from outside or the framing from the corner you'll erect from.
Change any dimension and get your own real takeoff.