WHAT IS A COVERALL BUILDING?

The Origin of "Coverall Building"

If you've spent time around Canadian farms, municipal yards, or industrial sites, you've probably heard the term "coverall building." It's one of the most commonly searched building terms in Canada, but it's actually a brand name, not a building type.

Coverall was a company that sold fabric-covered steel buildings across North America. The brand became so widely known that Canadians started using "coverall" as a generic term for any fabric building, the same way people say "Kleenex" when they mean tissue. The Coverall brand is now defunct (the domain is parked for sale), but the name stuck.

The proper industry term is tension fabric building: a permanent structure built on a rigid steel frame and covered with a high-strength engineered fabric membrane.

How Tension Fabric Buildings Work

A tension fabric building consists of two primary components:

• Steel Frame: Heavy-gauge steel arches (typically oval tube steel) form the rigid structural skeleton. The frame bears all structural loads including snow, wind, and seismic forces. Arches are spaced at regular intervals along the building length.
• Fabric Membrane: A high-strength polyethylene or PVC fabric is tensioned over the steel frame, creating the building envelope. The membrane is engineered for UV resistance, tear strength, and weather protection. It is not structural. The steel frame does all the heavy lifting.

This is fundamentally different from temporary tent structures or tensile fabric structures where the fabric itself is load-bearing. Tension fabric buildings are permanent, code-compliant structures that happen to use fabric instead of metal panels for cladding.

Benefits of Fabric Buildings

• Natural Light: Fabric membranes transmit natural daylight (up to 30% with agricultural membranes), dramatically reducing lighting costs and improving conditions for livestock and workers.
• Faster Installation: Fabric buildings can be erected in 1 to 3 weeks once the foundation is in place, significantly faster than conventional steel buildings.
• Lower Cost: At $15 to $38 per square foot installed, fabric buildings typically cost 30-50% less than equivalent conventional steel structures.
• Corrosion Resistance: The fabric membrane cannot rust, and the steel frame is galvanized for long-term corrosion protection. This is critical for salt storage and agricultural environments.
• Clear-Span Interiors: No interior support columns required, even at widths up to 160 feet. This maximizes usable floor space and allows free movement of heavy equipment.
• Code Compliant: Modern fabric buildings are engineered to the same building codes as conventional structures, including the 2020 National Building Code of Canada.

Common Applications

Tension fabric buildings serve a wide range of sectors across Canada:

• Agricultural: Dairy barns, livestock shelters, hay and grain storage, equipment storage, equestrian arenas, and fish farming facilities.
• Industrial: Commercial warehousing, composting facilities, mining storage, port operations, and airport hangars.
• Municipal: Salt and sand storage, fleet shelters, public works yards, recreational facilities, and event spaces.

Fabric Building Cost in Canada

The cost of a tension fabric building in Canada depends on several factors:

• Building width: Wider spans (100'+ ) require heavier steel and deeper trusses, increasing cost per square foot.
• Length: Longer buildings add incremental cost per arch section.
• Foundation type: Concrete slab is the most expensive but provides a finished floor. Concrete blocks are the most economical and allow repositioning.
• Options: Garage doors, service doors, insulation, ventilation, and snow deflectors each add to the total cost.
• Location: Remote sites increase delivery and installation costs.

As a general guide, fully installed tension fabric buildings in Canada range from approximately $15 to $38 per square foot. A 50' x 100' building typically falls between $75,000 and $190,000 depending on configuration.

Building Code Compliance

Every fabric building we supply is engineered to the current 2020 National Building Code of Canada (NBCC). This is not an optional upgrade. It is standard on every build. Each structure comes with sealed engineering plans that account for site-specific snow loads, wind loads, and seismic classification.

This means fabric buildings go through the same permitting process as conventional structures and meet the same structural requirements. For municipal procurement, this code compliance is essential.

Why Choose Integrity Builds

Integrity Builds is an authorized MegaDome distributor and professional installer serving Southwestern Ontario. Our buildings are manufactured by Harnois Industries in Quebec, a Canadian manufacturer producing tension fabric buildings since 1999.

What sets us apart is that we handle the full project from sale through installation. You get a project manager, professional installation crews, and a complete building solution from consultation through to finished structure. Every building is backed by manufacturer warranties covering the steel frame, membrane, and hardware.

Explore our building series profiles, review available customization options, or learn more about our team in Southwestern Ontario.