Steel frame construction
Steel frame construction is growing in popularity across Australian building sites due to the benefits it provides to both timely project delivery and the resulting building.
Advantages of this form of construction valued by builders and home owners alike include:
strength—steel has a strength-to-weight ratio higher than those of most building materials;
durability—frames do not warp, they resist corrosion and will not rot;
sustainability—frames are recyclable after use and in Australia over 90% of all steel is recycled into new steel products, further, wastage levels are very low due to the efficiency of the framing system;
fire resistance—steel frames do not ignite, propagate or add fuel in the event of a fire;
pest resistance—steel frames are not affected by termites or borers, reducing building costs over time.
Steel framing is used for construction of schools and government buildings, through to residential homes, townhouses, apartments, and commercial buildings and warehouses.
Steel framing construction of houses began in Australia in the 1940s and continued to evolve over the more than 80 years to the present day and is guided by the National Construction Code, Australian Standards, and the NASH [National Association of Steel-Framed Housing] Standards.
References
Australian Standard for Steel Framing—Light gauge steel design standard AS/NZS 4600
