Why Build with Light Gauge Steel Studs?

1. Strength & Durability of light gauge Steel Framing

A steel framed home is a high-quality home. By virtue of its material characteristics and properties, steel studs offer significant advantages to both home builders and consumers. Steel studs and joists are strong, lightweight, and made from uniform-quality material. Steel walls are straight, with square corners, and all but eliminate pops in drywall. This virtually does away with the need for costly callbacks and adjustments.

Consumers enjoy steel framing for fire safety and termite protection.

• Steel framing doesn't contribute combustible material to feed a fire.
• In Hawaii in 1998, over one-third of all new homes were built with steel to protect against the voracious Formosan termite. These termites, as well as some other harmful parasites, can destroy a house in one year.

Steel framed houses can be designed to withstand wind and seismic loads caused by hurricanes and earthquakes. The strength and ductility of steel allows it to meet the strongest wind and seismic rating in the national building codes. And steel joists and steel trusses can achieve greater spans, opening up large spaces inside a home.

2. Cost of Supply

Environmentalists have become concerned about wildlife habitats and are requiring selective cutting of timber. This makes the price of wood unstable and guarantee a price increase in the future.

The chart below illustrates the relationship between the rise in the cost of lumber per 1,000 board feet and framing as an increasing cost of the overall lumber expense for the average 2,000 square foot home.

Source: National Association of Home Builders

Steel prices do not increase as the cost for board feet increases. Also, steel is an abundant and recyclable resource and within the last decade has become price competitive with lumber.

Summary of Benefits

Builder Benefits

• High Quality Home - precisely manufactured, sustainable engineered material, straight with square corners
• Greater Design Flexibility - highest strength to weight ratio, stronger frame, light weight, greater spans, opening up large spaces inside a home
• Long Term Price Stability - steel vs. lumber
• Less Waste - steel studs are cut to exact lengths from steel stud machine
• Dimensionally Stable - no shrinkage, no rotting, no warping
• Quality Assured - engineered, controlled workmanship
• Eliminate Insect Damage - mold, termite & carpenter ant proof
• Withstands Wind and Seismic Loads caused by hurricanes and earthquakes
• No costly call-back and adjustments - no nail pops and drywall cracks
• Easy to Panelize off-site under controlled conditions
• Easy install and Reduced Risks on job site - pre assembled
• Cleaner Jobsite

Homeowner Benefits

• Healthier Living - non-toxic, allergy free, no waste, and recyclable
• Highly Durable Material - no jammed doors and windows, no wavy walls or sagging roof lines
• Fire Safety - does not burn
• Lower Insurance Premiums - fire retardant, withstands high winds, more durable in hurricanes and earthquakes.