Steel Framed Residential Construction: Demonstration Homes, 1996

This report describes the experience of two steel frame demonstration projects coordinated by the National Association of Home Builders. The demonstration built a large custom home in Raleigh, North Carolina, and a simpler, affordable home in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, both with light-gauge steel frames. Planning, materials, tools, and construction of different home components are described for both houses. The projects offered several valuable lessons for working with steel framing in residential construction: (1) Having available standardized materials and code approval for a prescriptive steel framing method would have shortened construction times. (2) Steel framing adapts readily to complicated architectural features, common in custom homes. (3) Adapting the plumbing and electrical components to steel framing incurred only minimal costs. (4) Several currently available tools, fastening techniques, and fasteners can increase productivity with steel framing. (5) Steel requires different fastening methods, cutting techniques, and maintenance of an "in-line" framing layout than wood framing. Includes 53 figures.