Although Ron Skeenes has lived in Hainesport, NJ his whole life, he, his wife, and children have found themselves continually drawn to the small-town charms of Lancaster, PA. They all load into the family’s 34-foot RV and travel along the winding roads of the area, taking in the picturesque landscape that includes expansive farms marked by barns of all shapes and sizes.
Many of the barns in the area are painted with octagonal or hexagonal star-like patterns, which is a form of Pennsylvanian Dutch folk art that is sometimes referred to as a ‘hex sign’. Throughout the 20th century, hex sign designs have been reproduced and mounted then sold to tourists who use them to decorate both the exterior and interior of their homes and buildings.
The beauty and history associated with hex signs made it the perfect choice of decoration for Skeenes, when in 2005, he constructed a SteelMaster steel building to use as a garage. “We added two center doors on the front of the building that slide left or right, and that makes it look something like a barn from Lancaster,” says Skeenes. “On each of the center doors we’ve mounted a Jacob Zook Hex Sign—the left side has the American eagle that represents strength and independence. On the right side is a friendship sign that represents love and friendship.”
Before buying his SteelMaster building, the family did not have a garage, which is something that always bothered Skeenes. “I am a fire apparatus technician for a busy fire department, so keeping equipment out of the weather elements is something that in my mind helps bolster the longevity of the equipment,” says Skeenes. “I did a lot of research at the time, and I just kept coming back to the SteelMaster website because their buildings have a clear inside span, and that makes it very easy to back a RV into, even though it is almost 13 feet tall. Also, SteelMaster’s buildings fall below the town’s required height limit—if I chose a garage that didn’t, I’d have to apply for a variance, and that costs money.”
For more than 28 years, SteelMaster Buildings, which is located in Virginia Beach, VA, has manufactured, designed, and supplied pre-fabricated arched steel structures to 40,000 customers located in every state of the United States, in 40 countries, and on seven continents around the world.
“Our steel garages are the perfect way to organize, store, and protect your cars, RVs, tools, and other valuable possessions,” says Michelle Wickum, the director of marketing for SteelMaster. “The quick and easy construction of our garage kits makes it ideal for the “do-it-yourselfer”. The unique design of these prefab residential garage buildings provides security and durability against fire, snow, and hurricane force winds, while remaining aesthetically pleasing.”
The fact that he could build the garage himself fit in perfectly with Skeenes’ plans. “I built this building myself with some help from my son and his friends from school and some junior cadets from the fire department,” says Skeenes, who uses the garage to house his 34 ft. fifth wheel RV, his Ford F-350 pick-up truck, and his daughter’s Ford Mercury Stable. “I always try to do the work myself around the house and yard—that is just the way my wife and kids are—we work hard, and then we can sit back and enjoy.”
