Tension fabric buildings have been used for decades as a practical and cost-effective way to enclose and protect bulk materials. In addition to their natural resistance to corrosive elements, the uninsulated fabric roof provides a high level of translucency, allowing natural daylight to flood the building’s interior and supply more than enough light for routine daytime work.
 
For many years, polyethylene (PE) was the go-to choice for fabric membranes on these structures, while polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was generally reserved for higher-budget applications. That changed when Legacy Building Solutions introduced a new PVC fabric designed to offer better performance and longevity, all while remaining comparable in price to standard PE fabric.
 
This upgraded PVC uses a tough woven base fabric that is finished with primer and lacquer layers. Independent testing has confirmed that it maintains more than twice the tensile strength of PE, meaning the fabric structure can achieve several additional years of service life.
 
I-BEAM ENGINEERING
The design possibilities of tension fabric structures took a major leap forward about 15 years ago when Legacy Building Solutions pioneered the combination of fabric cladding with rigid-frame engineering. Before that point, these buildings almost always relied on hollow-tube, web truss frames. The transition to structural steel I-beams immediately elevated the credibility and engineering reliability of fabric buildings.
 
With a rigid-frame system, customers can fully tailor a building to their exact requirements, just as they would with traditional construction. Each project begins with a clean-sheet design to achieve the precise dimensions and floor plan needed. This capability has been especially valuable in the dry cargo sector, where long clear spans are frequently necessary to provide ample storage volume. Structural steel I-beams make these wide-open spaces more economical to achieve, resulting in facilities with unobstructed floor areas for storage, loading, and vehicle movement.
 
When an operation calls for an overhead conveyor or additional loads to be carried by the structural frame, those demands can be incorporated into the original I-beam design. Engineers use finite element analysis to strengthen the exact points where added support is required, avoiding unnecessary over-engineering of the entire structure and thereby reducing cost. By hanging conveyors overhead, operators preserve the full floor area for flat storage, truck access, and other day-to-day operations.
 
 
CORROSION RESISTANCE
One of the reasons that fabric became a preferred cladding for enclosed storage buildings is that it is inherently corrosion-proof, which makes it much more suitable than steel cladding for housing salt, fertilizer, potash, or other corrosive commodities. The fabric itself will never rust, but the supporting structure beneath it could be at risk if not properly protected.
 
Hot-dip galvanizing is commonly used to guard against steel corrosion, but it is not always enough in harsh environments. Galvanizing can slow down the rusting process but does not stop it altogether. To offer more durable protection, Legacy incorporates blasting and painting lines in its own manufacturing operations, which allows the company to apply a high-performance epoxy coating to steel beams. This coating creates a protective barrier that prevents corrosive dust from ever reaching the steel surface.
 
QUALITY CONTROL
Enhanced building design is one thing, but making sure the product is fabricated exactly as intended is another. Along with offering rigid-frame engineering, Legacy has also improved quality assurance by taking steel beam production in-house rather than relying on outside suppliers.
 
Historically, quality control in the fabric building industry was difficult because parts and materials often came from multiple vendors and were shipped straight to the jobsite. To solve that problem, Legacy invested in its own fabrication facilities and employs Certified Welding Inspectors to oversee each I-beam produced for every project. Having onsite inspectors provides the flexibility to adapt designs on the fly when customers request changes that impact the final design of the steel frame.
 
Legacy has its own onsite facilities to weld steel framing members and create fabric panels. Keeping these manufacturing services in-house shortens the supply chain and reduces reliance on outside entities. There are fewer steps in the process, fewer vendors to deal with, fewer shipping modals, and fewer ways for a building to be delayed.
 
Having full control of manufacturing allows the team to plan projects more efficiently. Because they know exactly when building components will be ready and where they need to be delivered, schedules can be better optimized. When potential delays are pinpointed, it’s easier to find workable solutions. By controlling every phase — from design to manufacturing to installation — Legacy is able to consistently deliver some of the fastest project turnaround times in the industry.
 
MADE FOR GO
Today’s tension fabric structures have become the preferred solution for many dry bulk operations, striking the right balance of flexibility, resilience, and long-term performance. With rigid-frame I--beams, they provide engineering freedom to customize layouts, integrate operational equipment, and keep floor areas clear and usable. Epoxy coatings ensure long-lasting corrosion protection, while durable PVC fabrics extend service life. Add to that faster construction schedules, lower costs, and proven performance in harsh conditions, and these buildings offer unmatched value for modern enclosed bulk material storage.