News

Lightweight Steel Framing: The Green
Alternative to Lumber

Author: David Doyle

Increasing emphasis over the past few years on green, sustainable
construction materials have reawakened interest in lightweight steel framing
for light commercial and residential construction. The architect and engineer
design team has begun to look to high tensile strength light-gauge steel
building components as a more eco-friendly alternative to traditional lumber
materials.

Without a doubt, the most compelling reason to use lightweight steel framing
for light commercial and residential construction is the green, sustainable
quality of steel: The steel coil material used by manufacturers is 100 percent
recyclable and is made from largely recycled steel. In addition, modern steel
refining techniques are more ecology friendly than traditional lumber
harvesting and reforesting.

Other factors that have long been important in the growth of lightweight steel
framing include the fact that steel is fire and termite proof; does not mold,
warp, crack or rot; and is moisture proof. In addition, the dimensional
stability of steel framing members saves assembly time at a job site.

Traditional barriers to using lightweight steel framing, such as cost,
availability and lack of familiarity with assembly, have been overcome in
recent years by advances in framing design, new offerings in steel framing,
and better tools and pre-assembly techniques. Today’s high tensile steel
enables component manufacturers to use lightweight, high-strength materials
to fabricate studs, track, blocking and other items. Studs and blocking can be
cut to precise lengths and notched and grooved to facilitate pre-assembly of
wall panel sections in a controlled shop environment. Because light-gauge
steel framing is typically up to 75 percent lighter than lumber, large
assemblies can easily be handled and erected by only two workers.

Architects and engineers can now obtain load properties for lightweight steel
framing components to design the structure, much as they have traditionally
done with timber framing. Up until just a few years ago, the use of lightweight
steel framing members was mostly confined to non load-bearing interior
partitions. The use of higher tensile strength steel material and advanced
profiles have enabled designers to use material as light as 24 gauges for
load-bearing walls and floor trusses. This represents a substantial cost saving
over heavier, hot-rolled shapes. Additional savings are afforded because of
the lowering of the overall dead load of the structure, which reduces
foundation costs. Lightweight steel studs, blocking members and track
components are available at prices that are competitive with wood when
labor and assembly savings are taken into consideration.

One recent design trend that greatly simplifies design and assembly is the
extensive use of a single member,single-gauge stud component for both
loadbearing and non-load-bearing partitions, curtainwalls, floor joists and
headers, roof trusses, rafters, purlins, canopies and mansard façade framing.
The Berridge Spaceframe Building Systems Component System utilizes
24-gauge studs, track and prenotched blocking. Longer spans are
accommodated by the use of 16- or 14-gauge Cee-Channel beams. The local
architect and engineer are provided with complete physical and gross
properties for both single and double studs to be used in designing the entire
structure. In addition, detailed installation details are provided to show all
framing conditions.

Berridge Spaceframe Building Systems Components were used to construct
the manufacturing facility pictured on this page. This facility is typical of many
small, light commercial or residential projects, which can be economically
constructed with lightweight steel framing materials. The uniquely formed
blocking members used in this system are grooved and notched to provide
precise stud spacing and quick, positive assembly. Where required for
greater load-bearing capacity, back-to-back 24-gauge studs or heavier
gauge, 16- or 14-gauge, Cee Channels are used. To resist wind-load
pressures, corrugated “S-Deck” sheathing is attached to the exterior
load-bearing walls to provide diaphragm action wind-load resistance.

As energy costs continue to rise and more stringent energy-conservation
codes are developed and put into effect, the use of light-gauge steel framing
components will increase. Low-rise projects, such as strip shopping centers,
single-family housing, assisted-living centers, industrial parks and other
facilities, will be designed using green, sustainable lightweight steel framing
components.