While timber and bricks have traditionally been the building material of choice for many residential buildings, alternative building materials have gained popularity in recent years. Some of these materials include concrete and steel, with many homeowners incorporating these into their home designs. In this post, we take a closer look at steel-framed homes and the benefits of using steel frames.
What is a Steel-Framed Home?
A steel-framed home is a residential building that uses steel as the material for its main support structure. Traditionally, buildings used to be framed with timber, and many older homes have timber beams and columns. In a steel-framed home, the walls, floors and roof are typically constructed using steel, which can provide numerous benefits.
What Are the Benefits of Steel-Framed Homes?
Some of the many benefits that steel-framed homes can have over traditional timber-framed homes include:
Durability
Compared to timber, steel is a much more durable building material with a much longer lifespan. Unlike timber, steel does not rot and is not susceptible to pests such as termites. Thus, you won’t need to worry about the structural integrity of your home being compromised by a termite infestation.
Furthermore, steel is also a very strong material with high load-bearing qualities. This makes it even more suitable if you want to build a larger house that has two or more stories. Steel also will not rot, unlike concrete. If you choose to use galvanised steel instead of regular steel, you can also enjoy further benefits such as weather resistance.
Energy-Efficiency
Steel-framed homes also tend to be more energy-efficient than their timber counterparts. This is because homes built with steel frames can accommodate more high-quality insulation materials. This means that you will not need to spend as much on heating and cooling as the amount of temperature transfer between your home and the outside will be reduced.
Design Flexibility
Because of the higher load-bearing capabilities of steel, steel-framed homes can offer you greater flexibility in terms of design. The higher structural strength of steel enables you to build larger interior spaces with more open floorplans. With steel, there is no need to build more interior load-bearing walls or columns. Steel also has a slimmer profile compared to timber, enabling you to enjoy greater living space.
Cost Considerations
If you’re like most homeowners, chances are that you’re probably considering the cost of building with steel compared to timber. Generally, steel is more expensive than timber, given that it requires manufacturing and fabricating processes. Nonetheless, the cost savings of building with steel can be greater in the long term. With steel, your maintenance and repair costs tend to be lower. The energy efficiency of steel also means that you don’t spend as much on cooling and heating.
Get Your Steel from RW Steel
RW Steel is Melbourne’s leading supplier and manufacturer of steel and steel products. We have a large catalogue of steel products for you to choose from, including galvanised steel posts and retaining wall steel H beams. Contact us today for all your steel building and construction needs!