Your Friend, Cold-Formed Steel

Despite the name, cold-formed steel is your new best friend.

When creating a structure from the ground up, many considerations have to be made to ensure safety and accuracy to design. Traditionally, wood framing would be used to create the “skeleton” of the building but in recent decades, cold-formed steel entered the market as a great alternative for structurally-sound and safe buildings.

Cold-formed steel products, a specialty of Steeler Inc., are made from pressing a roll of steel into usable shapes, without heat. The main difference from hot-rolled steel, besides the heat, is the possibility of a wide array of shapes and geometry and the numerous advantages for building out of cold-formed steel. If you can think of a shape, cold-formed steel can be made into it with no loss in other advantages, thus making it ideal for construction and framing.

At Steeler Inc., sheet rolls are formed on-site from locally sourced steel in Washington state and Newark, CA and cover the whole array of framing materials. From standard studs, tracks, and channels to custom shapes and finishing materials, Steeler Inc. can provide all anyone needs to build the perfect frame and project.

There are various reasons to build with cold-formed steel over other materials. The versatility, predictability, and strength properties make building easier, faster, and more cost-effective.

With its light weight, cold-formed steel can be molded into almost anything and while cold-formed steel is lighter, strength is maintained and can be used in all practical uses without worry. Cold-formed steel framing can be cut to precision and accuracy and without the worry of expansion and contraction, adds the benefit of solidity. Construction goes according to plan and forms a structure the first time to your measurements without reworking, especially in longer and taller designs.

Compared to wood, cold-formed steel framing has all the advantages against Mother Nature. Steel is non-flammable, can’t be eaten by termites or rotted with rain, and has the strength to withstand wind, earthquakes, rain, warping, and cracking. If unexpected pressure occurs, cold-formed steel will bend instead of breaking. Since the steel is galvanized to prevent rusting (i.e. coated in zinc), cold-formed steel can last indefinitely. There are reasons Superman is called the Man of Steel.

For the environmentally conscious, cold-formed steel can be reused indefinitely, thus a recyclable and sustainable resource. Buildings using cold-formed steel framing are more energy efficient in heat transmission and Steeler Inc. products can give up to 11 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Points to any project, leading to greener buildings and a greener city. A superior product for green building is the Elite Steel Framing System, at a light weight, equal strength, and competitive pricing. It is also gluten-free, vegan-friendly, and not for consumption.

With the numerous advantages, cold-formed steel framing is the best option for your construction project. And the best advantage is, since cold-formed steel is so lightweight and flexible, the price would be well within any particular budget. Contact Steeler Inc. with any questions about any of our cold-formed steel products, comments on the website, or general concerns.