The modern age has seen a significant increase in the use of steel for house framing. If you are wondering why, the reason for it is that steel is strong, versatile, durable, and quite affordable. Apart from house framing, it is also being used to frame giant structures like skyscrapers, bridges, and high rise buildings. Using steel square and steel flat in the framing assures a high level of strength to weight ratio which is one of the major reasons why construction companies choose it over others.
In the past, wood was used to frame structures, which is in fact, is still evident today. But most constructions now use steel studs, which are by definition, large sheets of steel. These sheets undergo rolling in order to bend the steel for shaping. Once that is done, they are then cut into varying lengths according to specifications given by those who are ordering it. The cutting and customization is usually done in the plant where steel is manufactured.
You will find numerous advantages when it comes to steel framing. Among them are:
1. Steel products are more often than not uniform in look and are pretty lightweight. This is especially evident in joists and steel studs. If you want less pressure on a building, you would always prefer lightweight materials.
2. Steel products are not attractive to termites so you will not have to worry about termite infestation. Unlike wood, you would not have to spend a lot of money on termite control if you use steel.
3. Steel products like the steel square and steel flat are sturdy that they can withstand all kinds of weather condition and the changing climate. They can even survive typhoons, hurricanes, and earthquakes so you are always better off using this material especially if you live in an area prone to severe weather conditions.
4. Steel framings are also quite stable which makes them an excellent choice for building frames.
5. Steel can be recycled, which makes it the ideal material to use if you want to help out the environment.
6. Steel is easy to use for remodeling and making adjustments on buildings.
7. The durability and reliability of steel makes a building “safer” thus you can expect lower insurance premiums, which is great considering that we pay a lot on insurance.
Like everything else, there are always disadvantages involved. But amazingly enough, with steel, only very minor ones are pointed out which is good considering that other types of framing pose a lot of disadvantages. Steel can bring about thermal bridging which can cause rapid changes in the building’s temperature. This might result to additional costs on energy bills as well as maintenance to prevent and get rid of moisture damage.
Now that you have learned the pros and cons of using steel frames, you should start scouting for the best providers of steel in your area. You can find plenty of useful information on the Internet, and you do have an option to order through websites.