Block garage or metal garage?
Garages · 5 min read ·
Choose block when you want masonry walls that take hard knocks and match a block or brick house. Choose metal when you want a quicker build that generally costs less and comes in more colors. Both carry the same kind of roof framing and doors.
Two garages from this year
Our portfolio has one of each. The block garage went up in July and August 2026: light-colored block walls, engineered trusses lifted on by crane, and gables and roof deck covered in Weyerhaeuser sheathing. The gray metal garage has gray metal walls, dark trim, two white overhead doors and a white man door.
Side by side, they make the trade-off easy to see. One looks like a permanent masonry outbuilding. The other is a clean metal box with crisp trim lines.
What block walls give you
Block is solid. A bumper or a dropped tool that would dent a metal panel barely marks it, and the building reads as permanent. If the house is block or brick, a block garage tends to look like it belongs there.
Block also shapes how the roof goes on. On the July job the trusses sat directly on the block, and we framed the eaves out past the walls so the roof carries over them. Inside, we framed stud walls along the block with window openings, which gives a place to run wiring and hang finishes.
What metal walls give you
Metal usually goes up faster and generally costs less than block. There is no masonry to lay, and wall panels cover a lot of area quickly once the frame is ready.
Metal also opens up color. The Design Studio lets you pick wall, roof and trim colors for a metal garage, and the gray garage shows how a dark trim line sharpens a plain gray wall. Dents are the weak point, so think about where vehicles and mowers will be moving.
Foundation and floor
Block walls need a solid footing under them, so a block garage is a heavier foundation job from the start. How a metal garage is supported depends on how it is framed, and in many cases that ground work is lighter and quicker.
Either way, most garages end with a concrete floor. Our slab note covers the stone, plastic and mesh that go underneath.
A quick side-by-side
None of these points is a winner on its own. Weigh them against how the garage will be used and what sits next to it.
Choosing for your lot
In the garage Design Studio the walls option is simply Metal or Block, with sizes from 24x24 to 30x40 and 10, 12 or 14 foot walls. Pick the one you lean toward and send it; if the other suits the site better, we will say so at the visit.
Still unsure whether the garage should be framed at all? Our pole barn comparison is a good next read.
Questions
Is a block garage better than a metal garage?
A block garage is not better or worse than a metal garage; the two suit different goals. Block walls resist dents and match block or brick houses, while metal walls go up faster, generally cost less and come in more colors. Schaub and Sons builds garages with either wall type and helps owners choose after a site visit.
Can a wood truss roof sit on a block garage?
Yes. A block garage can carry a wood truss roof set right on top of the block walls. In July 2026 Schaub and Sons set engineered trusses on a block garage by crane, sheathed the gable ends and roof deck, and framed the eaves out past the block so the roof overhangs the walls.
Does a metal garage dent easily?
A metal garage wall can dent if a vehicle, mower or heavy tool hits it, since metal panels are much thinner than masonry. Planning door placement and clear driving lanes keeps most traffic away from the walls, and a dented metal panel can usually be replaced on its own without rebuilding the wall around it.
What sizes can I choose for a block or metal garage?
The Schaub and Sons Design Studio starts garages at 24x24, 24x30 and 30x40, with 10, 12 or 14 foot walls, and lets you choose metal or block walls. A 24x24 garage is 576 square feet and a 30x40 garage is 1,200 square feet. Other sizes are possible, and the final garage price is set after the site visit.
