Steel Myths Revealed

Steel frame products do not have more of a negative impact on the environment than trees grown specifically for building purposes.
It is the energy used during the production of building materials which contributes to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, with carbon dioxide being the most important greenhouse gas attributable to the construction industry.

Using an embodied energy and CO2 analysis of timber and steel, all factors of the construction of both materials can be taken into account. This includes measuring the energy of human labouring in the harvesting and delivery of timber for housing frames, and the proximity of the timber mill to the forest to measure its travelling impact. Whether timber for the frames is cured naturally, and how production waste is dealt with are also taken into consideration when making a comparison between the environmental impact of manufacturing steel and timber frames.

While the trees used for timber frames absorb carbon emissions from the atmosphere, when they are harvested, the underbrush is disturbed, bark and leaves are stripped and waste products are created. When these waste products are disposed of by either being burnt on site or back at the kilns, the carbon is then released back into the atmosphere.

So overall, the impact on the environment of cutting down forests – even if they have been specifically grown for the purpose – is more significant than the impact of manufacturing a steel frame product. Also, rather than planting and growing forests specifically for the purpose of cutting them down, isn’t it more sensible to let the tress grow, so they can continue to absorb our greenhouse gas emissions?

Steel frames are not more expensive than a timber equivalent and prices do not fluctuate.
The prices of steel framing systems rise with the market but do not fluctuate, and it is also a lot easier to secure a good price for steel framing, on a quality steel framing product, than it is on a timber frame.

Timber frames come in a number of grades, qualities and therefore pricing levels and it is often inaccurate to compare timber and steel by price alone. There are plenty of cheaper timber framing systems available, however when you compare the prices of top quality timber to top quality steel, the steel price remains competitive.

Steel framing systems in your home can also save you money in build time and ongoing insurance, pest control and maintenance costs.

Steel frames will not make noise, and you will not be able to hear the frame’s movement inside your home.

A steel frame system is actually no noisier than a timber framed home and when you build your new home using any of you will not be kept awake at night by the noises imagined of a steel frame construction.

Steel is not significantly affected by changes in temperature, or other extreme weather conditions such as earth movement or high winds and when it does expand and contract, it does so at the same rate as your other building materials – materials which don’t make any noise either. A CSIRO study has been conducted, which surveyed the occupants of steel framed homes to discover what they heard, and what they heard was nothing. That’s right, most people surveyed either didn’t hear any noise from their steel framed home, and those who did, said that the noise caused them and their families no issues.

Steel framed homes built in tropical environments have also been studied and in those homes the responses were even more favourable towards steel frames. Many people surveyed said that there was actually less noise coming from their steel framed homes, than they had experienced when living in timber homes. Where timber frames will expand and contract based on the surrounding moisture content, a steel frame is impervious to these movements.

The installation of electrical and plumbing services does not mean extra work in a steel frame
construction.

While a steel frame system may seem like a recipe for electrical safety issues, it’s not. All of
our steel framed products are manufactured with pre-punched service holes which means
that the installation of electrical and plumbing services is not only safe, it is actually quicker
and easier than on a timber frame too.

A steel frame will not conduct the heat of a localised house fire to other parts of the house, nor will it
warp the entire steel frame – rather than just that in the affected room/s.
Steel framing systems are non combustible and will not add fuel to a house fire and the fire
will not be able to travel through your home in this way. A steel frame is also less likely to
start a fire as any faulty wiring sparks will be sent back into the ground through the
frame.

Steel will eventually lose its strength in the high temperatures a house fire can sometimes generate, however steel typically loses its strength at around 400-5000C, while the temperature in an ordinary house fire will only reach between 100-3000C.

Of course, in a complete flashover fire the room temperature can reach around 6000C, and in a bush fire temperatures exceed 8000C.

Steel frame systems don’t need to be sent back to the factory to be adjusted if they are the wrong size, even though timber frames can be adjusted on site.
If a timber frame is delivered at the wrong size, a building contractor will simply set at it with a saw on site until it fits. And no, a steel frame erector cannot simply adjust a steel frame on site by hand, but they will also never have to.

Steel frames are pre-fabricated and , using CAD software. This means there is no cutting required on site and minimal wastage created during construction, as plans and designs are automatically actioned by the software, with pinpoint accuracy.

The average home owner can make additions and changes to the structure of their steel framed home.
The strength, flexibility and durability of our steel framed products allow for much wider and longer spans in home designs to allow for relaxed open plan living in your home. But if you are looking to knock through walls in your steel framed home you don’t have to envy your friends who could easily saw through their timber frames when they undertook the same project at their place.

In fact, since , and often does so without load bearing walls, you actually have more design freedom when you want to make changes, without undermining the structural integrity of your home. So while you may need different equipment, you actually have more renovation options in a steel frame home.

Steel framed building systems do not affect TV reception.
There is no need to worry about a fuzzy picture with all of that steel around your home because the waves of your TV signal can diffract just as easily around steel frames as they can around timber.