ease of use

Modern steel house frames are easy to use. Suppliers are making them ever more appealing to builders as they work to improve their systems to meet builders’ needs.

Builders can do a high quality job with ease and efficiency.

Computer aided design and manufacture permit the building of houses of almost any style and floor plan. Steel’s ability to cover long internal open spans enhances design-flexibility. Long spanning trusses also reduce the amount of support framing required, thereby reducing the cost. In some cases light steel framing eliminates the need for heavy structural sections. Factory assembly also reduces the amount of on-site labour, wastage, and site theft. These are all cost-savers.

Steel frames are light (yet very strong) and easily handled.

They do not absorb water in wet weather. Suppliers deliver them pre-fabricated and clearly identified for assembly. With each house-lot the supplier provides a complete frame and truss layout. Most also provide comprehensive instructions or a manual to remove any guesswork. Fastener and tool manufacturers have gone out of their way to make it really easy to work in steel. Fastener suppliers publish charts showing the correct screws and other fasteners to use in any situation. Suitable hand tools are readily available and they form part of most builders’ and subcontractors’ kits.

The frame suppliers make it easy.

They provide all the ancillary products the builder needs for the job. They also indicate the type, positioning, and number of all fixings. Depending on the particular system, screws and/or nails are used to join steel frames. Some can even be twisted and locked into position. It is simple to tie a frame onto a slab using conventional methods.

Frames have pre-punched holes for quick and easy installation of plumbing and electrical services.

Electrical and plumbing grommets to isolate wiring and copper piping from the frame are readily available. It is a simple matter to isolate copper piping from the frame to guard against the possibility of bimetallic corrosion.

It is easy to fix internal linings and external claddings to steel frames and to fit internal fixtures.

Internal plasterboard is screw-fixed and because steel frames are so straight, trades people find there is no need for packing to compensate for non-linear dimensions. Internal lining tradesmen actually prefer steel framing because it is so straight and true. Specialist sub-contractors can install bathrooms and kitchens more easily and quickly and at lower cost for the same reasons. It is thus a simple matter to achieve a high standard of internal finish that will last because steel framing won’t warp, twist, or shrink after installation. Hardened steel nails and screws are available to fix architraves and skirtings.

Installing roof tiling is similar to working on timber.

It is easy to fix roof battens to roof trusses. Screws or even clouts can be used to fix flashings. Windows and doorframes are fixed in the same way as for timber. For brickwork, clip-on brick ties are available, which is a great time saver.

Termite management is simplified.

Termites cannot destroy the steel frame. The builder is thus far less likely to be involved later in any disputes resulting from extensive termite damage. The builder also does not have to handle a chemically treated product. Householders particularly appreciate the termite-proof nature of steel as these days they are much more aware of termites and the widespread damage they inflict. They also appreciate an immediate environment that is as free of chemicals as possible.

Home owners are becoming more discerning.

There are compelling reasons why interest in steel framing is on the increase. For example they are termite-proof and will not burn. Steel is 100% recyclable.

The steel framing industry is growing steadily. Build in Steel. It’s the way of the future.