Steel frame homes are a non-conventional residence that uses steel for its structural support compared to its traditional counterpart, wooden frames. However, with this type of steel being highly customizable, it is easy to conceal traces of it with other materials such as brick, concrete or even wood.
What Is a Steel Frame Home?
A steel frame home is a residence that uses steel frames as its structural support. Traditionally, home construction uses wooden frames for structural support. However, with the increasing need for stability, durability and versatility, steel frames can provide economical and long-lasting solutions.
Light gauge steel is the standard material in homes and buildings that utilize steel frames. Compared to other types of structural steel, it is not bulky or heavy, increasing possibilities for architects, contractors, developers and homeowners.
Pros of Steel Framing
Historically, steel has seen industrial transformations making it into one of the highest-quality materials for contemporary construction. Scientists and engineers developed new steel alloys in the early 20th century, and these alloys were more durable and corrosion-resistant, making them useful for construction. Most recently, processing techniques like cold-rolling (applied in producing sheet metals and wires) and heat-treating (strengthens steel to become more durable) make steel one of the most reliable and flexible of construction materials today. Choosing steel frames for a home yields many benefits, as listed below.
Cost-Effective
One major benefit is that steel is cheaper and more efficient than wood. Wood, as a renewable resource, can be grown, but it takes more time to produce them, unlike steel which can be readily manufactured and sustainably recycled. Additionally, wood processing involves cutting for transportability, a process that inevitably sees waste byproducts that require additional time to process separately. Steel can be prefabricated (prefab steel) with efficient machinery and automation and later transported on-site for convenient assembly, allowing for better concurrent and economical workflows.
Durable
Steel’s inherent ductile property gives it the ability to endure great force without breaking. Because of this, steel frame homes wield durability to withstand earthquakes and strong winds. It can also withstand falling trees, car accidents and incidents of comparable physical impact. As a manufactured material, it also endures general wear and tear. Other construction materials, such as wood, typically can’t withstand any of the above.
Sustainable
Another benefit of steel is that it is sustainable. Steel components go to processing at facilities where they get shredded into smaller pieces to be melted and removed of impurities before getting formed into new steel. Steel production furnaces have also improved energy efficiency over the years, consuming less energy than early industrial furnaces and reducing gas emissions.
Fire and Weather Resistant
Construction steel is a non-combustible material that does not burn or spread flames. Its inherent resistance properties can help contain flames and prevent them from starting in the first place. Steel also contains inherent moisture and humidity resistance properties, so it does not warp, rot or decay, making for an ideal material for building a mold-resistant home.
Customizable
Contractors can cut and form steel frames to meet any specifications, and advanced computer-aided design and manufacturing technologies guide this process for utmost precision. They are also modifiable, making for easier expansions. Also, steel frames work with other construction materials like brick, cement and wood, allowing for better design flexibility in architectural aesthetics.
Cons of Steel Framing
Steel framing, like all construction materials, is not without its cons. Some of these cons are poor efficiency, corrosion and reduced on-site flexibility.
Poor Efficiency
Steel has the inherent property of high thermal conductivity and transfers heat and cold considerably faster than other materials like wood. The rapid heat gain and loss can lead to energy inefficiencies in the home, but additional insulation can aid this issue. For example, fiberglass insulation is an inexpensive solution to install between framings to better regulate indoor temperature.
Corrosion
While modern steel is corrosion-resistant by way of protective coatings, these coatings may wear off over time. Corrosion risks may also stem from improper installation in an inadequate environment (such as within a water leak). However, specific steels, such as galvanized steel and stainless steel, have inherent corrosive resistant properties that significantly reduce the risk of corrosion. Regular maintenance of protective coatings also ensures that corrosion risks are minimal.
Reduced On-Site Flexibility
While prefab steel is efficient, it may be challenging to adjust its dimensions and shape on-site. Addressing these issues is costly and time inefficient. Proper planning and effective communication between design, construction and manufacturing teams may reduce errors in the fabrication process.