How is steel energy efficient? Is Cold Formed Steel a robust construction material? Does it limit home design capabilities? Will a steel framed home look different to other homes? What are the advantages of CFS for residential construction projects?
These are common questions we get about Cold Formed Steel as companies decide to shift towards Cold Formed Steel construction using the FRAMECAD technology.
Today, we're answering all your questions about Cold Formed Steel (CFS), and how this material is helping developers around the world construct buildings profitably and quickly.
To learn even more, please check out our free eBook: The Future of Construction. The case for building with Cold Formed Steel.
Cold Formed Steel FAQs
Q: Can you build multi-storey buildings with cold formed steel?
A: Yes - buildings up to 10 storey’s can be built faster and more efficiently than using traditional structural steel or concrete.
Q: How much steel is used in a typical house built with cold formed steel, built in New Zealand?
A: A single storey house using cold-formed steel for the wall and roof framing has approximately 16-21kg of steel per square metre of floor space. A two storey house has approximately 19-25 kg of steel per square metre of floor space.
Q: Is steel durable?
A: Galvanized steel will not crack, shrink, splinter, creep, split, warp, swell or rot. Steel is impervious to termites and wood destroying insects.
Q: Is steel safe?
A: Steel’s strength and non-combustible properties offer greater protection for your home and family. Choosing steel-framing can eliminate high wind, fire, and lightning damage to your home.
Q: Is steel recyclable material?
A: Steel framing is the environmentally friendly residential framing choice. When you compare that it takes 40-50 mature trees and only six scrapped cars to frame a 2000 square foot home, you can quickly appreciate the value of steel today and the impact on generations to come.
Q: What is the environmental impact of using steel framing?
A: The overall recycling rate of the steel industry is 86%, the highest of any industry in the world, this offers an environmentally sound alternative for home framing. Steel framing scrap is a valuable commodity that should not end up in a landfill.
Q: Is a steel frame home energy efficient?
A: Yes, steel framing can easily be designed to meet and exceed energy efficiency standards across the world.
Q: How is steel energy efficient?
A: Steel framed walls are unaffected by temperature or humidity changes, more of the heating and air-conditioning cost remain inside the house, saving money spent on utility bills.
Q: Does steel limit home design capabilities?
A: No, because of steel’s strength you can design your home with larger open spaces. With a steel frame, the walls will remain straight and true and can be finished with any materials that are traditionally used.
Q: How well does steel framing protect against earthquakes?
A: Positive connections and the strength of steel provide great protection against earthquake and hurricanes. A lighter structure with stronger connections results in less damage from seismic force. Steel’s high ductility makes it the best construction material for earthquake resistant design.
Q: What about steel framing’s cost?
A: Typically steel framing is a similar cost to other construction materials. However, the speed to build, accuracy and limited rework mean the total development costs can be significantly reduced.
Q: Can mold grow on steel studs?
A: Mold requires three things to grow:
- The mold spores, which exist everywhere there is air,
- Moisture,
- Organic material, which provides the food for the mold.
Steel does not contain any organic material, and therefore cannot support mold growth.
Q: Does galvanized steel provide better rust protection for a steel frame home rather enamel coated steel?
A: Yes, galvanized steel provides better rust protection. The reason is that zinc, through its sacrificial galvanic action, can “heal” cuts, scratches and abrasions in the steel. With the rough handling that construction products receive, as well as the cutting, drilling, shearing and fastening of members, the coating gets cut and scraped away. The galvanized coating works better than the enamel at covering areas that are cut or scratched.
Q: Will steel framing affect the indoor air quality of my home?
A: No. Steel framing is recommended by the Healthy House Institute for chemically sensitive and environmentally conscious homeowners who seek good indoor air quality. Steel frames do not need to be treated for termites and are free of resin adhesives and chemicals normally present in other construction materials.
Q: Will a steel framed home look different to other homes?
A: No. A steel frame home will look exactly like any other home. The same exterior finishes can be applied to a steel frame as those applied in standard construction.
Q: Can a steel framed house be remodeled?
A: Yes. Since steel framing enables larger spans in the design of the home, fewer interior load bearing walls are needed, making renovation very easy while allowing more flexibility in design.
Q: Will a steel frame home rust?
A: No. The use of zinc coating on the steel framing protects the steel from corrosion for the life of the structure.
Q: Is a steel frame safe from lightning in storms?
A: Yes. A steel frame actually allows more protection for the occupants since it provides a direct path to the ground in the event of a lightning strike. This reduces the likelihood of explosions or secondary fire.
Q: What can I use to clad the steel frame with?
A: There are a range of cement based panel products for cladding the exterior of the building. These range from compressed cement sheets through to sophisticated composite panels with excellent thermal properties. On the interior it's possible to use gypsum boards.
There you have it. The strength, safety and efficiency benefits that cold formed steel brings to construction make it a highly valuable asset for any project. To learn more, check out our eBook or contact our team today.
