Timber was the ultimate choice in construction for much of history. Steel frame houses are now considered better than traditional timber frame houses. The prefab houses industry has been using steel for decades. In some places, it has taken the precast construction market by storm since its inception. This article describes the differences between a prefab holiday chalet: steel frame and wooden frame just like which choice is the best.
Is a prefab holiday chalet: steel frame better than a wood one?
So is a steel frame prefab house better than wood frame one? Yes, steel is better than wood for framing houses. Steel is more flexible in design, stronger than wood, more environmentally friendly, easier to work with, less prone to water damage, fire resistant, earthquake resistant, and recyclable. It's just better where it counts.
With all the advantages that steel has over wood for prefab house framing, it is hard to understand why in many places wood is still used as the top material for house framing.
However, there are some drawbacks, as with any other material. But most of them can be overcome by modern technology and the use of other materials in combination with the steel frame.
So as we have explored in previous posts, prefab homes are very sustainable. Especially if they are built with steel frames. This ensures much less maintenance over the lifetime and cost efficiency in the long run.
With all that said, let's understand why you should consider a steel frame over a wooden one for your new prefabricated house.
Why is a prefab holiday chalet: Steel frame better than a wooden frame for prefab houses?
1. Steel is not a new material
Steel is known to have been used for at least 4,000 years. Most of this time to be honest in a primitive form and not necessarily useful for construction purposes. However, since the beginning of the industrial revolution around 1850, it became a material of choice for many construction-related applications.
But the big improvements in steel came around the 1950s. By that time, it was already being used in several high-rise buildings around the world and other man-made structures.
Nowadays, steel is considered a very reliable material. Besides, it is a fairly cheap production process and excellent recyclability.
Thanks to that fact, steel is now widely used in construction all over the world. Whether it is used to reinforce concrete or as support beams for walls and ceilings. It is part of the way we experience our world.
2. Steel is more durable than wood
It is true that wooden prefab houses from the early 20th century are still standing and habitable. But don't think those houses are there without a fair amount of maintenance. Besides, it takes a lot of time, money and smart decisions to keep those houses standing for so long. They are sustainable. But only up to the amount of effort put into maintaining them.
Steel, however, is much more sustainable. Also will endure much worse experiences before intervention than wood would.
For a start, steel is much less likely to be damaged by water. Although it can rust. The steel used today in the construction of prefab houses is treated against rust and protected for years.
Moreover, steel is fireproof. Unlike wood. If the house is burned, there is less material to be burned. So there is more time for your family to be safely evacuated from the house.
Earthquakes are not such a threat to a steel-framed house. Because steel is more "flexible" during such an event. So it is worthwhile if you live in an area known for earthquakes.
Moreover, steel cannot be eaten by termites. It also cannot be attacked by other pests that could affect its integrity over time.
Finally, steel does not degrade over time. It retains its properties so your house is likely to last longer than you will ever need.
In any case, the durability of steel is better than wood, and as history has shown us, wooden houses stand for many years. So if that is the case then steel houses will undoubtedly last forever.
3. Replacing prefabricated wood production with steel helps fight global warming
Global warming is a threat to us all. Many small to large measures are needed if we are to limit the damage of this negative process to our environment.
It is well known that plants and especially trees are a great way to keep CO2 out of the atmosphere. But if the rate at which we use wood as a building material continues to grow. Then we might find that all our forests have disappeared. So building a prefab house out of wood is not a sustainable way to live. While switching to steel might be a better option for all of us.
Steel is a very sturdy material. So once it is installed, there is not much work involved. But if a prefabricated steel house has to be demolished, the steel can easily be sorted from the rubble and recycled for the next project.
Around 40% of steel waste is recycled worldwide. Which makes steel one of the most recycled materials in the world. In the US alone, steel is recycled for 83%. Compared to wood, this is insane. Building prefab houses with steel is by far better for the environment and sustainable for the earth.
Eco-friendly homes are what we should all strive for if we want to save some of this beautiful world. So that future generations can enjoy it too.
4. Building a steel frame is cost-effective
It is no secret that the world runs on money and if a new product or system is cheaper to use and has at least the same quality. If not better, it will most likely be adopted over the old one.
This is what is going on with steel-frame prefab houses that offer more convenience with less waste, faster and easier construction, and less maintenance over time. All these factors are translated into long-term construction and maintenance costs. The result in lower to even construction costs. And they result in lower long-term maintenance costs.
The steel is prefabricated to order during the construction phase. Dt helps avoid waste and landfill costs for the manufacturers of the prefabricated houses. Moreover, the pre-ordered prefabricated steel beams and other components are all ready to be used for construction. They do not need to be assembled or cut, which speeds up the process. And as we all know the expression - Time equals Money.
In the long run, steel is less susceptible to degradation, pests, water, fire, earthquakes, etc. It requires less maintenance during its lifetime. This cost directly affects the owner of the prefab house. Besides, it saves a lot of money over its lifetime.
However, there are some treatments that steel must undergo to be very durable. But if done correctly, steel has a very low life cycle cost.
5. Steel makes production of prefab houses even faster
As mentioned above, steel beams and other frame components arrive at the factory prefabricated, sometimes coated and ready for installation. Unlike timber that still needs to be assembled, coated and other work done.
Wood arrives at the factory in standard sizes. For some occasions, this may be ok. But for a prefab house to be built it is less idle as there will be a lot of cutting and assembling so that the frame could be completed. This takes more time which, if done with steel, can be saved.
The great advantage of prefabricated houses is that they are built and ready for use in a very short time. It is true that with timber construction, times are fast. However, steel makes it even faster with less construction cost in most cases.
In general, the importance of speed in the prefab construction houses market sometimes what makes the difference between two manufacturers. And steel frame can certainly help reduce that precious time.
6. Steel saves a lot of weight
Since steel is much stronger than wood, the ability to design it with less material and still get the right strength from each component can save a lot of house weight. Steel can be designed as I-beams. Where there is much less material with sufficient physical properties to be safe for construction purposes.
Wood, on the other hand, would have to have a much larger cross-sectional area to get the same strength. If the lighter steel cross-section, which means more material, which inevitably makes each beam much heavier. The total weight of the prefab house will be higher if a timber frame is chosen.
One advantage of using steel technology in precast housing construction are that fewer materials need to be shipped. Other benefits include; lighter cranes and trucks can be used, the concrete substructure is lighter, and factory work is much easier, all thanks to steel helping to lose some weight.
Losing weight by building a prefab house with a steel frame is not only beneficial by making the process lighter. But also saves money by doing so. All the above benefits ultimately translate into cost savings for the precast construction process. The on-site assembly phase and the overall cost for both manufacturers and homeowners.
7. Steel gives architects greater freedom
Since steel was introduced to the construction market. Homes and other commercial buildings have become bigger, stronger and more unique in their design.
The fact that steel is stronger than wood yet lighter. Makes designing features that were impossible when working with wood a reality thanks to steel and its alloys.
Larger openings such as windows, doors, garages, skylights, and others are possible on modern prefab houses thanks to working with steel. And thanks to the great many advances steel making technology have made.
Moreover, working with steel opens the doors to unique line choices in architecture. As steel can be cast in any form desirable designers and architects can try almost anything. As long as it offers the right physical properties needed for the integrity of the building.
Modern prefabricated home manufacturers are pushing the boundaries of design and quality these days by using more steel frames and allowing greater freedom and choice in design and customisation.
Is a prefab holiday chalet: steel frame better than wood frame house?
Obviously, using steel is better than wood for a prefab house.
Steel frames are stronger, lighter, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, highly sustainable, easy to work with. Besides, bet retains its quality better than wood. So we choose a steel frame instead of a wooden frame prefab house will be much more beneficial.
One thing worth noting is that although the frame of the prefab house is made of steel does not mean that the rest of the house has to be steel too. For the sheathing both interior and exterior, it is still possible to use wood, fibre-cement, aluminium, or any other available material.
The main advantage of steel is that it is used as the skeleton of the prefab house. Apart from that, I can honestly say that the rest of the prefab house could be built from many other great materials.
Finally, since steel frames are usually empty holes unlike wooden prefab houses, insulation should be a top priority. I will soon write about insulation in another post and would like to share it with you for your benefit and better understanding of this topic.
To sum it all up consider using steel for your new prefab house and save time, money, and future worries, as steel-frame prefab homes are great and will serve the home for years to come with great joy.
