Structural Steel vs. Cold-Formed Steel: Which Is Better for Your Project?
When it comes to designing and constructing for any space, from the hospitality industry to retail centers, you’re looking for construction materials that provide your building with high-performing functionality, long-lasting durability, safety, beautiful aesthetics, and economic stability.
The materials you choose shouldn’t jeopardize any part of your project, and instead should enhance the overall quality of your building.
Two popular construction materials that both boast to meet all of your high standards are cold-formed steel and structural steel. While both have their advantages and drawbacks, choosing the one best suited for your project requires a closer look.
STR Constructors, your experienced Central Texas-based commercial construction company, zooms in on how both of these materials are used and which one makes the most sense for your building goals.
What Is Cold-Formed Steel?
Cold-formed steel (CFS) is derived from sheet steel and rolled into C-sections or other shapes without the use of heat, hence cold-formed.
CFS sections come in a variety of thicknesses and don’t split, shrink, or warp once formed. They are also resistant to moisture, insects, and fire.
Building With Cold-Formed Steel
When building with CFS, the product is manufactured uniformly, meaning it is prefabricated to certain sizes and standards. While lightweight, it is also decently strong and durable, and it is known for being easy to assemble and install, even without skilled framers on the jobsite.
CFS is versatile enough to be used in most parts of the framing process, but it is most commonly used in paneled construction, curtain walls, floor joists, roof trusses, and some load bearing areas.
Limitations of Cold-Formed Steel
While versatile and relatively strong, CFS is not a heavy duty or stable enough building material for all types of buildings. It has height limitations where it cannot support the weight and design of tall structures.
Also due to its lighter gauge properties and weight limitations, CFS relies on load-bearing designs, so it cannot be used in open space layouts, long span designs, or column free blueprints.
What Is Structural Steel?
Structural steel is a carbon and iron-based alloy specifically designed for construction. It is processed using heat, and is crafted to be a thicker and heavier building material.
For an in-depth look at structural steel and its composition, check out our post on what is structural steel.
Building With Structural Steel
No matter what type of building you have in mind, structural steel offers the greatest flexibility in making your vision happen. It has no height limitations, and in fact, the majority of the tallest buildings in the world constructed recently have utilized structural steel framing.
Structural steel’s strength allows for open space building designs with no dependency on load-bearing walls, columns, and other structural features. The heavy gauge material supports greater loads no matter the type of building, so your design options are endless.
Additionally, structural steel provides the freedom of adaptability both during construction and years later. Modify designs as needed in your construction process.
When you need to expand either vertically or horizontally in the future or meet new building requirements, structural steel accommodates that growth.
Other Considerations With Structural Steel
Not just any construction company can or should work with structural steel. The best utilization of this building material requires experts both in manufacturing and in constructing.
It is vital that you work with a company specializing in structural steel construction, like STR Constructors, and who has a partnership with an innovative and industry leading steel company, like Nucor Steel.
In order for your vision to come to fruition completely, work with experienced and certified structural steel professionals.
Choose the Structural Steel Specialists at STR Constructors
For the most trusted construction company specializing in structural steel, go with STR Constructors. With decades of experience building in the public and private spheres of Central Texas, our contractors know their way around high-end structural steel construction.
Check out our portfolio for ideas on utilizing structural steel in your construction project. And contact us today to learn more about how we can value engineer your project to help you maximize your building’s life cycle while minimizing your costs.