The building method for wood-framed homes in the United States has changed little since the mid-1800s. Due to current construction methods, maintenance is often required after only a few decades for wood-framed homes.
Today, new building methods and durable framing materials, including cold-formed steel (CFS) framing, are available to extend the life of a structure.
Wood-framed homes require maintenance, deteriorate faster and are less stable than what they used to be when old-growth wood was used. Today, alternatives like cold-formed steel (CFS) framing offer longer-lasting, sustainable solutions for homeowners.
The “Flimsy” History of Wood Framing
In 1832, George Washington Snow needed to quickly build a Chicago warehouse. To meet his need, balloon framing using vertical 2-by-4 planks as exterior walls was born, replacing timber-framed construction.
By the 1930s, the fire risks associated with balloon framing had become apparent, so platform framing took over as the preferred wood-framing method, according to The Craftsman Blog.
Wood-framed homes lose their value and are often torn down for new construction.
Balloon and platform framing improved construction speed. But they had drawback: The need for significant maintenance and repairs.
“Flimsy home construction isn’t just limited to the United States,” says Lawrence Banton in the Cheddar News. “Japan faces similar problems [because] the lifespan of homes over there are even shorter than in America, with many losing their value after about 20 years and often getting completely torn down after 30 years.”
The Rise of Steel Framing
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).
The CFS framed Stran-Steel House made its debut at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair.
CFS use as a residential construction material made its debut at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, A Century of Progress. Here, the “home of the future” exhibit featured three homes that made extensive use of CFS framing. These included the General Houses home, the Armco-Ferro House and the Stran-Steel House sponsored by Good Housekeeping.
Old-Growth v. New-Growth Wood
Hull Works, a company specializing in residential construction and historic restoration, conducted a comparison between old-growth and new-growth wood.
“The difference is like the difference between granite and paper. Old-growth wood has better stability, durability and longevity,” says the Hull Works website. “New-growth wood and the windows they’re made of begin to rot and warp after only twenty years.”
Old growth wood offers more stability. In the photo above, the 1918 stud has 20-25 growth rings per inch; the 2018 stud has 7. Photo Credit: Hull Works
“Virgin wood” is freshly cut wood harvested from untouched forests, typically cut during America’s westward expansion from the 1870s to 1940s. This wood grows slowly, resulting in tight growth rings for increased stability.
Today, a significant portion of wood used in residential construction comes from fast-growing plantations. About 60 years ago, timber companies began cultivating Radiata Pine for quick production, resulting in less heartwood and fewer growth rings per inch compared to old-growth timber. Old growth wood tends to be knot-free, whereas plantation-grown wood is often full of knots.
Steel Framing in Modern Construction
Today, building professionals are building smarter by using CFS to build structures that are more durable, easier to construct and last longer than wood-framed structures. CFS framing has a proven track record of providing sustainable and economical benefits.
A growing number of building professionals are using prefabrication techniques to work smarter, faster and safer with cold-formed steel framing.
CFS framing is:
Dimensionally stable and does not expand or contract with changes in moisture content
Lightweight compared to wood and concrete
Will not warp, split, crack or creep when exposed to the elements
Sustainable and 100% recyclable
Durabile and has a high tensile strength
Non-combustible and is a safeguard against fire accidents
Steel Framed-Home Built to Last Over 100 Years
The Doulton Drive home was designed to have a life expectancy of more than 100 years
A modern home being built outside of Toronto, featuring CFS framing, provides an example of how today’s innovative contractors are using improved practices to construct homes that will last a century and beyond.
Located in Mississauga, Ontario, the residence on Doulton Drive will have “a completely noncombustible rigid steel frame and solid concrete floors,” says the website for homebuilder, Chatsworth Fine Homes, Oakville, Ontario.
“The architect designed this home to have a life expectancy of more than 100 years,” says Fil Capuano, president of Chatsworth Fine Homes. “Resilient products like the steel framing system were carefully chosen to meet that life span.”
The home features a hybrid system that combines structural steel and CFS wall framing. The interior partitions will make use of CFS framing and wallboard.
“It’s in-fill framing using all wind-bearing metal studs,” says Chris Sliskovic, president of Life Drywall Systems, Ltd., an Oakville, Ontario residential and commercial contractor that has the framing, drywall and finishing contract for the project.
“Those walls and reveals, no matter the finish, will always be straight,” Sliskovic says. “Steel doesn’t warp. It doesn’t twist. The homeowner won’t ever get nail pops. And for sound, it’s just a no-brainer — the walls will be finished next to perfection.”
