How light steel framing can deliver fast, adaptable and cost-effective buildings.
One of the main advantages of light steel framing is its versatility and the range of building types for which it can be used.
Applications of light steel framing range from low-rise housing to multi-storey, multi-occupancy developments, including panelised structural frames, external infill walling systems and fully finished offsite modular construction.
The wide range of applications is in addition to the benefits one would expect with a modern construction method: rapid speed of construction, high quality and performance, excellent safety and cost-effectiveness. A major sector for light steel framing is four to eight-storey residential buildings and mixed-use buildings often comprising commercial space and car parking at the lower levels. In these cases, the lightweight characteristic of the construction system is crucial to minimising the loads on the supporting structure.
Forms of construction
Light steel framing comprises galvanised cold-formed C sections of 70mm to 100mm depth in the wall panels, and 150mm to 300mm deep C sections or lattice joists in the floors. Spans of up to 6m can be achieved, which can eliminate internal load-bearing walls and therefore leads to flexibility in internal space planning.