Should You Use Steel or Timber Wall Frames?
When you plan to build a home, it can be tempting to concentrate on the inside of the building. You will want to plan the size of each room and how you will use each room. You should also take an interest in the exterior of the property, to ensure that it fits in well with the surrounding homes. However, before you can make any of those decisions, you must consider which wall frames you should use for the home. Your choice of steel or timber wall frames matters, the frames are one of the earliest things to be installed, and everything else is built around the frame. There are positives and negatives to both steel and timber wall frames. Ultimately, the choice of frame material will be a personal decision. Here are three factors that could help you make your choice.
On-site construction time
When working on a building, the amount of time required to complete the construction is crucial. The faster the project can be completed, the lower the overall cost is likely to be. Many factors can influence how quickly wall frames can be built, but in general, timber wall frames are put together more quickly than steel ones. Timber frames are lighter and require fewer tools and labour to connect the pieces of the frame. Timber wall frames can also be assembled without the specialist welding equipment needed for steel frames.
Overall sustainability
No project manager can afford to overlook the environmental impact of their design or construction processes. When deciding whether steel or timber wall frames would be better, the difficulty is that the materials impact the environment differently. Creating steel wall frames is energy-intensive and has a large carbon footprint. However, steel is entirely recyclable and can be reused. Timber wall frames use much less energy to produce but can cause deforestation if the timber isn't ethically sourced. Before you make your selection, you should talk to the supplier about the origins of their wall frames.
Durability
How durable your wall frames will be is likely to depend on where you are building. Steel wall frames are strong and would often outlast wood wall frames. The exception to this rule are buildings in coastal environments. Close to the sea, steel can quickly start to rust and require replacement. Wooden wall frames are durable but can sometimes be attacked by termites. You must ensure that if you choose timber wall frames, you have them appropriately treated before installation.
For more information, contact a wall frame supplier.
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