The Increasing Role of Steel in Residential Construction

Steel in residential construction has experienced rising popularity, as people pay more attention to its strengths. Framing in builds is an especially noticeable use that steel is becoming more popular for. A number of steel’s properties make it preferred over wood for this purpose. However, its popularity is not contained to just internal structures.

Steel in Residential Construction

Items like fascias, gutters and top hats are usually made of steel in house builds. Uncovered steel is also trending in popularity, with many people opting for more minimal, exposed aesthetics. A good example of this is bare steel beam supports. A number of reasons are giving rise to increasing residential use of steel, some of the top ones are:

Constructibility

This is how easy it is for structures can be built. As a material, steel is known to excel in multiple building qualities, including constructibility. Its reliability and rigidity make its use efficient and easy to plan in a build. Its high tensile strength makes it useful in a broad variety of building applications, including in adding structural integrity to concrete pours. Sheet steel is another construction purpose increasing in use. Not just in purlins and roofing products, but also for aesthetic cladding.

Durability

One of the most essential traits in residential building materials is durability. Durability or longevity is fundamentally the quality of withstanding damage or wear. In structural materials, this is crucial and is a significant contributing factor to the increased usage of steel. Durability is usually the deciding factor to utilise steel framing over timber. Warpage is one durability issue not faced by steel products, unlike timber alternatives. Warpage is the deviation in flatness or straightness that is attributed to stresses in the wood, often due to water. Water does threaten rust and erosion to steel, but these risks are mitigated by galvanisation.

Sustainability

With an ever-increasing need for environmental conscientiousness, sustainability in building is quickly becoming of greater consideration. Steel is known as a sustainable alternative to other materials, particularly in fabrication and recycling. Prefabrication wastage levels are generally less than 1% and 85% of recycled materials. The recycled products retain the exact same level of durability and strength as their previous form. The process of creating recycled steel products uses substantially less energy in production than new manufacture does.

Building in a changing world means more attention is given to the selected materials’ implications. For the reasons described above and more, steel in residential construction is becoming more useful and popular. If you’re beginning a new build, residential or otherwise, consider the value and benefits of choosing steel materials. Reach out to the team at Steel Supplies Charters Towers for more information about steel in building projects.