There is no difference between plans and designs of a wood framed house and a metal framed house. In plus there are many reasons to believe that metal studs are a better alternative to wood. Many homeowners and general contractors agree that cold formed steel studs offer significant advantages in home construction industry. We can find metal studs available in several thickness or gauges fit to accommodate structural framing as well as non load bearing walls.
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Using steel instead of wood in steel home plans provides the following advantages:
1. Strength:
It’s obvious that structural integrity of houses increase when it is used metal framing. A steel framed house will withstand natural disasters such tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes.
Architects and structural engineers can design homes that meet the seismic and wind load specifications in any part of the world.
Many insurance companies offer lower premium for a metal framed house.
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2. Fire Resistance:
Because metal framed houses don’t add fuel to a fire they not collapse as easily as wood. They are safer in fire and it is no need metal studs to be treated. So, they are free of adhesives or other chemicals used to treat wooden studs.
3. Resistant to Water and Insect Damage:
For wood framed buildings the most structural damage is due to water. Water is rotting the wood components of a house. It isn’t the case for metal framed house.
Insects, in special termites attack wooden parts of a house and even destroy the house in a year. For that reason in Hawaii more than one-third of all new houses are built with steel to protect them against Formosan termites.
4. What are the Contractor Benefits:
First of all the construction site will be cleaner, it will be no more sawdust created during the framing process.
But the main difference is the quality of a metal framing. Metal studs are perfectly straight, and don’t split or shrink. They are also light and can be easy stored.
With steel you can build larger spaces because with steel joists and trusses you can achieve greater span.
5. Metal Stud Price:
There aren’t significant differences between wood framing and steel framing. However, steel price do not vary in time as the cost of wood. The price of wood has constantly increased in the last years.
Because steel is abundant and recyclable its price has become competitive with lumber.
6. Environmentally Friendly:
Steel products are one hundred percent recyclable. In fact, in North America is the most recyclable material, more than 65% than another material.
Take in consideration you need fifty trees to build an average house and you will see what difference steel frame can make. When metal studs are used to build a house, no waste will go to landfill which is a huge contribution to our environment.