Light Gauge Steel Residential Construction
We are Building Better Homes with LGS
Steel is straighter, stronger, and more stable vs lumber
Numerous things can lead to a wood home changing shape over time and a drive through neighborhoods where older wood homes are abundant shows just how obvious this problem can be. In as little as 20 years or less, major ripples, sagging, cracking, creaking and shifting of wood structures is mostly caused by the reaction to changes in moisture. Regardless of where your home is located, as the seasons and humidity changes the micro porous surfaces of a wood home soaks up and retains water like a sponge where rot and decay can begin. The breaking down of this organic material invites wood eating organisms into the equation where they can feast on the structure weakening it and causing short structural lifespans.
Cold formed light gauge steel doesn’t react to moisture and stays dimensionally stable as humidity changes. Because the steel has a galvanized steel coating, it can last decades without rusting or losing any strength at all. This results in near perfectly straight walls, trusses, joists, and beams performing just as they were intended for generations.
Light gauge steel joists offer a greater value than wood or structural steel when you consider the total cost of the build.
Why Light Gauge Steel is the Best Choice for Residential Construction
Non-combustible
One of the biggest weaknesses of wood is how combustible it can be. Even pressure treated wood is filled with highly flammable sap which can continue to burn even when wet. This is why much of the damage to possessions from home fires is actually the water damage from putting out the fire.
The advantages of Steel framing in this case are obvious. Cold formed steel can sustain temperatures well into the hundreds of degrees before losing any strength. Surprisingly because of the conductivity of steel, lightning strikes become less dangerous because the frame of a home built with LGS allows the energy from the strike to pass directly into the earth safely and somewhat harmlessly.
Pests & mold
Termites can be feasting for years on a wood home, weakening it substitutionally before being detected. One in four homeowners stress about termites and 13% of homes actually experience termites annually. 22% of homes have had structural damage due to pests including termites.
Steel framing helps to dramatically reduce this issue this issue because the most important wooden portions of a structure are the framing members like trusses, joists, and load bearing walls. Because sometimes cladding or sheathing of a steel home may still use some wood damage from wood eating pests can be constrained to these replaceable parts. Innovative building materials like Litecon AAC can eliminate the need for wood almost completely in a home bringing the risk from pest or termite damage to near zero.
Green Building Material
Did you know over twenty pine trees are required to cut down and milled to make enough framing material for an average home? Each of those trees has the potential to capture hundreds of pounds of atmospheric carbon every year.
Choosing steel framing for your home not only leaves those trees and helps reduce landfills because light gauge steel is made from an average of 40% recycled steel. Furthermore, the new steel used in a modern steel structure itself is 100% recyclable. Velent Steel Structures’ manufacturing processes result in over 99.7% efficiency meaning for every 1000 lbs. of steel framing produced only 3 lbs. are produced as recyclable waste. Imagine the impact we could all make if we choose sustainable steel for building better residential homes.
Less Expensive Than Wood
At first glance steel may seem more expensive than the price of wood however when viewed wholistically there are many savings that wood doesn’t offer which ultimately make it cheaper. Steel framing is 32% lighter than wood which means it requires less manpower to erect it resulting in labor savings. Steel framing from Velent Steel Structures can come panelized and pre-fabricated in our factory so there are additional savings on skilled labor. This fabrication can continue rain or shine resulting in no delays from weather that can happen when stick framing on a jobsite. After the project, insuring a steel frame home can be cheaper because it isn’t flammable, affected by bugs, is more resistant to catastrophes like earthquakes and high wind events. Lastly, because a steel home is more durable than a wood home, there are less maintenance costs to live in a steel home.
Benefits for Residential Use
- Internal framing
- Garages
- Exterior Insulation
- Roofing/Cladding
- Internal framing
- Joists, trusses and studs
- Hybrid material projects
- Drainage systems
- Carports
- Sheds/Lean-tos
- Storage buildings
Ready to get started?
Interested in getting started with Velent Steel Structures contact us now
Steel is an excellent residential framing material, whether you are looking for a cost-effective way to bring your development to life or need a strong, versatile core for your low and mid-rise buildings and structures.
Additionally, cold-formed steel, much like its other steel counterparts, is 100% recyclable, and as such is an incredible eco-friendly option for residential construction. Velent Steel Structures delivers a consistent cold-formed steel product that results in minimal onsite waste to keep your time and resources dedicated to your project.
Cold-formed steel is also a great choice for long-term decision-making. When it comes to residential use – steel will never change in size, cannot undesirably split or warp, and will never need the use of chemical treatments in the way a wood construction may need in order for the structure to remain healthy. Velent Steel Structures has excellent options for cold-formed steel for all residential needs, including individual building materials that fit your essential plans or kits that align with the structure that you need.