We Hope to Frame Your Houses with Steel – FRAMEGO

• The use of CFS framing as a construction material also dates back to the 1800s, although the shapes and dimensions of CFS used are unlike the typical framing members seen today.
• The current form of CFS framing members appeared in the early 20th Century, which resembled the wood studs common in construction.
• The first documented use of CFS as a building material was in 1925 — the Virginia Baptist Hospital in Lynchburg, Virginia, says the Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA).

• Cold-Formed Steel Framing 101
• Steel is a uniform material
• Steel maintains its true shape
• Rapid Construction
• Resilience
• Fire Resistance
• Seismic
• Steel: The most recycled material in the world
• Termite Facts
• Termite Prevention
• Breathe Easier
• Please Save the Trees!
• What About Rust?

CFS certainly isn’t a new building material. It actually has been used in North America for over 100 years. Because of its light weight and durability, it can be used in a range of applications — from interior, non-loadbearing partition walls to structural members in mid-rise and multi-family buildings.

Source: https://buildsteel.org/category/why-steel/cold-formed-steel-101/

• Steel is roll-formed into shapes with precise tolerances.
• There is a very little contraction or expansion with steel
• The sections maintain their exact shape and size.

• Steel does not shrink or expand when subjected to moisture changes caused by preservative treatments, rain, or changes in humidity.
• The sections are straight and do not require sorting or special handling to ensure a crown.
• No knots, warping, twisting, splitting, or cracking.

• A fast, accurate and reliable method of construction
• Proven construction method
• Specified as a preferred building method by the US military  & NZ military
• Meets military timelines and avoids penalty clauses through extensive after-sales support
• The versatility of its CFS system allows FrameGo to use existing designs while making the entire project more space, time and cost-efficient.

• Resiliency is associated with a building’s robustness, resourcefulness, and recovery. It encompasses safety, security, durability, energy conservation, and environmental friendliness.
• The concept of resiliency can also be applied to individual building materials, including cold-formed steel (CFS) framing.
• Resiliency is changing our thinking on sustainability and building design. The inherent properties of CFS framing make it a material ideal for use in resilient structures.
• Source: https://learn.buildsteel.org/resilience

• Cold-formed steel’s fire-resistant properties offer superior safety for wall and floor construction. Source: https://buildsteel.org/category/technical/fire/
• Steel framed houses are fire resistant. As a non-combustible material, steel doesn’t burn or “char” and conforms to any and all non-combustibility requirements.  Being non-combustible means the frame will not contribute to the fire or its spreading, and will not release smoke and carbon dioxide such as will happen with a timber frame.
• Studs, joists, and rafters do not add fuel to a fire. Smoke and heated air and/or asphyxiating gases are responsible for about 75% of fatalities in house fires. Steel frames will not burn.  It will therefore not contribute.
• Steel releases no gasses or VOCs during its life.
• 1/3 of all fires start in the wall cavity. Electrical faults cause many fires in wall cavities. An electrical fault cannot ignite a steel frame.
• Steel framed houses do not “melt” in a fire. Framing members can resist up to 1,800 degrees F.
• Actual case studies show steel houses perform very well in house fires, with little or no damage to the framing structure.

The facts about cold-formed steel framing’s safety, reliability, and ductility are to be understood when the ground starts to shake. Historically CFS is a top performer in earthquakes. Try exploring the details on CFS’ seismic performance with details on energy absorption, strength and consistency, ease of inspection, and corrosion resistance.

Source: https://buildsteel.org/category/technical/seismic/

• Steel is 100% recyclable.
• Steel framing materials contain at least 75% recycled steel.
• A steel framed house may contain the equivalent of 6 scrapped automobiles.
• 60 million tons of steel scrap are recycled each year: more than paper, aluminum, glass, and plastic combined.
• After a steel framed house is retired, it can also be recycled!  Sections of steel framing may have once been part of an old car, refrigerator or soup can.
• Recognized in all green building standards, cold-formed steel framing is recyclable, durable, requires less overall construction material, and is dimensionally stable
• Source: https://buildsteel.org/category/why-steel/sustainability/

• There are over 1900 species of termites in the world.
• The most commonly found termites in Hawaii are the Drywood and Formosan Subterranean.
• A well-fed Formosan queen can live for 20 years, and lay 2,000 eggs a day.
• Each nest has 3 kinds of termites: Reproducers, Workers & Soldiers
• The winged termites are the reproductive stage of the termite. Termites swarm to find a mate and form new nests usually in March-June.

• Pressure treated lumber is not immune to termite attack.
• Termites will enter treated lumber through cut ends and will build tunnels over the surface.
• The best time to protect against termites is during the planning and construction phase.
• $100 million is spent in Hawaii each year for prevention, control and repair.
• Steel framing provides a termite-proof solution for the structural integrity of your home.

• The Healthy House Institute recommends steel framing for good indoor air quality.
• Chemically sensitive homeowners and those susceptible to asthma are exposed to fewer toxins in a steel framed home.
• Steel framing materials replace treated lumber which may contain hazardous materials.
• The American Lung Association encourages the use of steel framing with its Health House program.

• 90% of North America’s old growth forests have already been harvested.
• It can take up to an acre of trees to build one house.
• Steel offers builders an environmentally friendly alternative to wood and concrete.
• There is little waste when using steel framing materials.
• Builders can reduce their disposal costs and divert material from local landfills.

“No Water=No Rust”

• In order for galvanized steel to rust, there must be water present. If there is no water, no rust.
• Steel framing components are galvanized to protect the home against rust. Steel that is coated to the minimum galvanized coating weights will be protected for the life of the home.
• Steel framing members in wall cavities, attic spaces, or crawl spaces that are not exposed to water will last over 100 years.
• Forensic studies done in Hawaii recently conducted residences built over 30 years ago showed steel wall studs with no visible signs of corrosion except in areas with plumbing leaks.
• Zinc coating protects steel by providing a physical barrier as well as cathodic protection to the underlying steel. When the base steel is exposed, such as at a cut or scratch, the steel is cathodically protected by the sacrificial corrosion of the zinc coating adjacent to the steel.