How are they different from other types of homes? The only difference is that, instead of the typical wood framing, steel is used. While wood framing has its advantages over steel framing options, steel has its benefits which surprisingly surpass the latter. Steel, for example, is recyclable a rare property of wood.
House framing materials
Typical homes consist of concrete slab and walls made from brick and cement. Common materials used for framing purposes include wood, concrete and steel. Each material has distinct properties, yet they serve the same goal – framing a house. In some instances, composite lumber is used as a framing option. Let’s now examine each of the framing options one-by-one;
Wood
It is the most common material used for framing a house. It has been around for longer than the other two options going back to millennia. Wood is always abundant and readily available resource accessible to many home dreamers. Wood can easily be available and reproduced to give different building materials, in this subject as a framing material. Many home builders still use wooden frames; environmental conservation efforts will have a significant impact on the price of wood; however, shifting to the alternatives might occur over the next decade. The shift might elevate the use of the two framing options – concrete and steel.
Concrete
Although concrete has in the past been used for foundry, it will be no surprise when it is used all over the house. Unlike in the case of wood and steel, concrete itself will act as a frame. One thing about concrete is the ability to highlight striking designs. Concrete is one flexible framing option not only in terms of framing but also its protective properties. You can pour concrete into permanent forms with an insulating material to form interlocking teeth in blocks, planks or panels. Planks and panels are interconnected using plastic or metal ties, while interlocking blocks use grooves or teeth to remain firm.
Steel frame homes in detail
The same building methods are applied in steel-framed homes. It means steel frames are assembled in various components, just like many commercial buildings built with steel, steel frame homes use I-Beams in place of joist, rafters, studs and other parts. When you build a steel frame home, everything is entirely made of steel. If you compare steel-framed houses with wooden framed counterparts, you will find that the steel framing option is slightly expensive, but it comes with numerous benefits over the wood. Some of the properties of steel include; durability, waterproof, earthquake and fire-resistant. These properties do not include materials attached like drywalls. Steel weighs less than wood, and it takes less time to construct a home using steel than wood. Like concrete, steel is moldable for framing individual parts in your home. Steel is cut using a blowtorch, water jet or a metal saw. On the flip side, steel framing is not energy efficient like wood framing does. Steel conducts heat quickly compared to wood, hence more heating energy is required to condition the room. Insulate steel to counteract this disadvantage.
The next option of steel framing is a hybrid option where builders use both steel and wood for framing a house, to take advantage of durability, strength and other support. Steel framing will be the next choice for future home builders as many of them continue to build and trust in steel framing.