RVs represent a massive investment — often $50,000 to $500,000 or more. Storing them outdoors exposes roofs, seals, and systems to UV damage, ice loading, and weather deterioration year-round. A Red Iron pre-engineered steel RV storage building from Missouri Metal Buildings protects that investment with a structure engineered specifically for the height, weight, and clearance demands of recreational vehicles.
Whether you're building a single private garage for your motorhome or developing a commercial RV storage facility with dozens of individual units, our clear-span Red Iron frames give you the unobstructed interior space you need — no columns in the middle of the floor blocking your 40-foot coach.
Get a Free RV Storage Quote →The single biggest advantage of a pre-engineered Red Iron building for RV storage is the clear-span frame. Conventional wood or light-gauge steel construction requires interior bearing columns at regular intervals — a serious problem when you're trying to maneuver a 40-foot Class A motorhome or a 35-foot fifth-wheel. Our Red Iron I-beam frames span the full width of the building with zero interior obstructions, giving drivers a clear lane from door to back wall.
Our buildings can be designed with clear spans ranging from 30 feet for a small boat/RV garage up to 100+ feet wide for large commercial storage facilities — all without a single interior column.
Modern Class A motorhomes — particularly coach-style diesel pushers — can stand 13 to 13.5 feet tall at the rooftop AC unit. Taller satellite dishes and roof-mounted solar panels can push that to 14 feet or more. Standard RV overhead doors are 14 to 16 feet tall, and our buildings are engineered with eave heights designed to match your door configuration with proper structural clearance above the header.
For a 14-foot overhead door, we typically recommend a 16-foot eave. For 16-foot doors accommodating the tallest coaches, 18-foot eaves provide comfortable clearance. We engineer the structural member depths into this calculation — you won't discover a 12-inch purlin eating into your door opening after the fact.
The most cost-effective covered RV storage solution is a single large open bay — essentially a metal roof over a concrete slab with open or screened sides. An open-bay building can be as simple as a 60x200 structure with a 16-foot eave, open sidewalls or fabric drop walls for weather protection, and concrete pads arranged for two lanes of back-in parking. This approach maximizes storage density and keeps construction straightforward.
Higher-end RV storage facilities offer fully enclosed individual units — typically 14 to 16 feet wide and 40 to 50 feet deep — each with its own overhead door, electrical outlet for battery tender and de-icing, and personal entry door. This configuration commands premium rental rates and is preferred by owners of high-value coaches who want genuine security and privacy. A 60-wide-by-250-long building, for example, can accommodate four rows of individual units with a central drive aisle.
Many commercial RV storage operators offer a mix: premium enclosed units for long-term renters and open covered bays for budget-conscious customers. A Red Iron multi-span or combination building can accommodate both types in a single structure, with partitioned sections serving each storage category.
Private or small commercial. Fits 6–8 RVs in open bay. Ideal 14-ft overhead doors on each end.
Mid-size facility. 10,000 sqft. Open or partitioned. Accommodates class A and C coaches comfortably.
18,000 sqft commercial facility. Multiple bays or individual units. Two-lane drive-through configuration.
Large commercial operations. 50,000+ sqft possible. Multi-span Red Iron frames with shared valley gutters.
We engineer our RV buildings around your door selection. Commercial overhead sectional doors in 12, 14, and 16-foot heights are standard. For commercial facilities, motorized doors with keypad or card access are common. Wind-rated doors are required in many jurisdictions — we ensure all openings are engineered for local wind codes.
Reinforced concrete — typically 5 to 6 inches thick with rebar — is the standard floor for enclosed RV storage. Class A diesel coaches can weigh 30,000 to 50,000 lbs loaded, so concrete design must account for these point loads. Proper floor slope (1/8 to 1/4 inch per foot) toward perimeter or interior drains keeps rainwater and wash water moving off the slab. For open-bay facilities, compacted gravel with geotextile fabric is a lower-cost option that still provides adequate vehicle support when properly installed.
Non-climate-controlled covered storage protects against UV, precipitation, and some temperature extremes without the operating cost of HVAC. For owners storing high-value coaches with plumbing systems, climate-controlled units eliminate freeze risk. Our buildings accept faced fiberglass batt insulation between purlins and girts as a base option, with spray foam and rigid board as upgrades for full climate control.
Basic electrical service (20A outlets) for battery tenders and plug-in devices is standard in most commercial RV storage facilities. LED high-bay lighting keeps aisles and units well-lit for evening access. Motion sensors reduce operating costs. Individual metered service per unit is available for facilities that want to offer included or metered electricity as a rental amenity.
RV storage buildings are typically classified as Storage Occupancy (S-1 or S-2) under the International Building Code. Requirements vary by local jurisdiction and total square footage. Key permit requirements include engineered drawings stamped for local wind and snow loads (Missouri has significant wind exposure), a site drainage plan, and sometimes a fire protection plan for larger facilities. Every Missouri Metal Buildings structure ships with stamped engineered drawings — a requirement in virtually every Missouri county for any commercial building permit.
Missouri's strong outdoor recreation culture — camping, lake life, hunting, and travel — supports strong demand for RV storage. The state has a large population of RV owners who live in subdivisions that prohibit RV parking on-site, creating consistent year-round demand for off-site storage. Rural properties along I-44, I-70, and near the Lake of the Ozarks corridor have successfully supported commercial RV storage operations. A well-built, secure steel facility with appropriate access hours and lighting creates a revenue-generating asset with minimal ongoing labor.
Get Your Free RV Storage Quote →Also see: Self-Storage Facility Buildings if you're planning a mixed RV and self-storage operation, or Equipment Storage Buildings for heavy-duty vehicle and machinery storage needs.
Whether you're storing a single motorhome or building the next great RV storage business in Missouri, we'll design a building that works for your vehicles, your property, and your goals. Get a free, no-obligation quote today.
Get Your Free Quote →