What do you mean by "Steel Framed Home"? Will my home look like a warehouse or something?
Only if you want it to. Most steel homes are completely indistinguishable from traditional wooden ones once they are finished.

Is a steel frame home stronger?
Yes, steel framing will provide a stronger and more durable home for you and your family. Steel allows a contractor or builder to meet the highest seismic and wind load requirements in the country.

Do steel framed homes use the same amount of material as wooden ones?
No, they require much less material. Steel has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any construction material, meaning far less framing material needs to be used to achieve equal or superior strength in the structure.

What other benefits does the strength of steel provide?
The inherent strength of steel allows for greater design flexibility. For example; you could have a large, unsupported span with steel that would simply be impossible with conventional wood framing methods.

How about fire? Will my home be fireproof?
Not quite, but the frame itself is noncombustible, and you may qualify for lower insurance premiums.

Having a steel framed home will lower my insurance?
Yes, in many cases it will. You would need to discuss this in more detail with your insurance agent for specifics, however.

So my home will be tornado and earthquake-proof?
Of course we can't guarantee that your home will survive a natural disaster, but the research has proven that steel is far superior to wood when it comes to protecting you against extreme weather conditions.

Are there environmental reasons for choosing steel?
Absolutely. Steel is recycled and 100% recyclable, and all new steel made in North America contains recycled material. The recycling process reduces the energy used by 75%, making steel a very cost effective, sustainable product.

Will it warp like wood?
Steel won't warp, shrink, or rot like wood. All of your walls will be straighter, your floors won't squeak, and your dry wall will be much less susceptible to cracking and nail pops over the years.

Termites and other bugs won't be a problem, right?
That's right. Your home's structure will be insect-free.

Will steel framing give off chemicals?
Steel homes are free of resin adhesives and other chemicals that are typically used in wood houses. These substances may affect the indoor air quality of a building, particularly if the occupants are susceptible to chemical sensitivity.

How is a steel frame home held together?
Typical construction is done two ways: Lighter gauge "white steel" is assembled with screws, while heavier gauge "red iron" is usually held together with bolts, but it also may be welded in some situations. Both methods provide structural connections that are much stronger than nails in wood.

Isn’t steel more expensive than wood?
Steel is a very cost-effective framing system for your home. In many cases the cost is equal to or even lower than a similar house framed with wood, and it is expected to drop even further in the near future.

Can you insulate a steel home?
Your home can easily be designed to equal or exceed the insulation values that a wood framed house would provide.

Would I have to worry about lightning with all that steel around?
Absolutely not. Steel provides multiple paths for electricity to travel to the ground, which is where the lightning wants to go anyway. This significantly reduces the possibility of fire or an explosion in the event of a lightning strike.

How will I hang my pictures?
The same way you wood in a wood framed house; lighter objects may be supported with toggle bolts or similar anchors in the dry wall, while heavier ones can be attached to the studs with screws. Another benefit is that steel studs may be easily located with a magnet.