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Pros and cons of steel frame construction vs wood studs

Posted on 5/4/21 at 9:45 pm
Posted by lgtiger
LA
Member since May 2005
1140 posts
Posted on 5/4/21 at 9:45 pm
What do you think?
Posted by TDsngumbo
Alpha Silverfox
Member since Oct 2011
41604 posts
Posted on 5/4/21 at 9:54 pm to
Termites won’t eat steel.
Posted by stickly
Asheville, NC
Member since Nov 2012
2338 posts
Posted on 5/4/21 at 10:03 pm to
Thermal bridging is probably the biggest downside
Posted by SlidellCajun
Slidell la
Member since May 2019
10412 posts
Posted on 5/5/21 at 7:16 am to
My experience is with the labor being hard to find with steel

Most home builders have crews that frame with wood so when presented with a steel frame job, they back off.

At least that’s my experience
Posted by junkfunky
Member since Jan 2011
33893 posts
Posted on 5/5/21 at 7:30 am to
What type of steel construction? Metal studs or pre engineered?
Posted by EveryoneGetsATrophy
Member since Nov 2017
2907 posts
Posted on 5/5/21 at 7:54 am to
Im thinking since he mentioned wood studs, he's talking about metal studs.
Posted by Celery
Nuevo York
Member since Nov 2010
11089 posts
Posted on 5/5/21 at 10:00 am to
I would think it could get confusing down the road when using a stud finder to hang a frame or something, knowing the difference between a metal stud or a metal pipe.
Posted by cgrand
HAMMOND
Member since Oct 2009
38784 posts
Posted on 5/5/21 at 10:31 am to
cold-rolled light gauge metal studs are non-structural (there are structural MS but thats not what you are talking about). in other words they cannot be load-bearing

wood studs are commonly used in house framing because the interior walls can be used to support the roof framing. if you do not have load-bearing interior walls, metal studs are a fine option. they are SOP in commercial framing
Posted by junkfunky
Member since Jan 2011
33893 posts
Posted on 5/5/21 at 11:20 am to
quote:

cold-rolled light gauge metal studs are non-structural (there are structural MS but thats not what you are talking about). in other words they cannot be load-bearing


Sure they can. They're used often in high end residential for exterior walls with very high ceilings because of the unbraced length.

I still think OP needs to clarify what he wants because when someone brings up steel residential construction I immediately think PEMB.
Posted by jbgleason
Bailed out of BTR to God's Country
Member since Mar 2012
18905 posts
Posted on 5/5/21 at 11:39 am to
quote:

OP needs to clarify what he wants because when someone brings up steel residential construction


I will speak for me and bet $5 he means the same thing.

With the insane price of lumber currently, can I build a steel framed house for the same cost that is stronger than wood and will last longer? Are there big detriments to steel framing? Are there big positives? Can I come close in cost either way considering current pricing?
Posted by junkfunky
Member since Jan 2011
33893 posts
Posted on 5/5/21 at 2:59 pm to
I was planning on going metal building on soon to be purchased land even before the ridiculous costs of lumber. Shop on one side, 2 story living on the other.

The only thing I don't like about metal studs walls in residential is sound travels easily through them but that can be taken care of a few different ways.

ETA:

Several factors to consider but right now it is at least worth looking into and you will get longer life out of the structure (C&C doesn't matter unless you go with a metal roof), but cgrand is right about typical residential contractors not being able to install.

Spitballing;

I wouldn't even consider metal studs if the house is smaller than about 2500sf unless you want 16' ceilings

I haven't priced wood I joists recently but they are the strongest wood members by volume and less labor intensive than metal so I'd lean that way if 2 story
This post was edited on 5/5/21 at 3:13 pm
Posted by Chero987
Member since Jan 2021
215 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 9:24 am to
I’ve never seen this discussed, but could steel framing have a detrimental impact on WiFi signals? Could it essentially create a simplistic Faraday cage?
Posted by WITNESS23
Member since Feb 2010
13722 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 9:28 am to
I'm not sure that it would negatively impact wifi signals as many commercial buildings use it and have wifi.

But that is an interesting question.

Posted by Chero987
Member since Jan 2021
215 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 10:14 am to
I do know that commercial buildings can wreak havoc on cell phone signals, wasn’t sure about WiFi.
Posted by jbgleason
Bailed out of BTR to God's Country
Member since Mar 2012
18905 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 10:50 am to
I have commercial cement board as the subfloor on my second story (as opposed to plywood) and I have to have a WiFi signal booster at the top of the stairs to pick up the signal and rebroadcast it for the second floor. Before the booster, you could walk upstairs and completely lose the signal.
Posted by junkfunky
Member since Jan 2011
33893 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 1:14 pm to
That's a good point. You'd need a decent wired network with APs.
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