Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between structural and non-structural light gauge steel?
Structural (load-bearing) cold-formed steel carries the weight of the building — exterior walls and lateral loads — and is engineered to local code. Non-structural framing handles interior partitions, soffits, facades, and curtain walls that don’t carry building loads. We design and fabricate both from the same precision-rolled system, so interior and exterior framing integrate cleanly on one project.
How does light gauge steel compare to wood framing?
Steel framing is dimensionally stable — it won’t shrink, warp, twist, or check as it ages, so you avoid the nail pops and cracked drywall common with lumber. It’s immune to termites and mold, non-combustible, and consistent in strength from one stud to the next. It also installs faster because framing is prefabricated into panels in our factory and shipped ready to install, and pricing isn’t subject to the volatility of the lumber market.
Is cold-formed steel suitable for both residential and commercial projects?
Yes. CFS is used across single-family and multifamily housing, mid-rise residential, hotels, offices, retail, and institutional buildings. It’s especially efficient for repetitive layouts and mid-rise structures, where its strength-to-weight ratio reduces foundation requirements and speeds up the framing schedule on every floor.
Does it resist fire, moisture, and flooding?
Cold-formed steel is non-combustible, so it doesn’t add fuel to a fire or spread flame the way wood does. It doesn’t absorb water, so it won’t swell or rot after flooding — frames typically dry out and remain sound where lumber would need replacement. The galvanized coating protects against corrosion, and detailing for the specific environment (coastal, high-humidity, flood-prone) is handled at the engineering stage.
