Archive for October, 2009

There are many reasons why steel buildings and steel frame buildings are better than their wooden counterparts. These include price, durability and environmental impact. Despite steel being a much newer building material, it has surpassed wood as the preferred construction material and has led to the widespread popularity of steel buildings.

Steel building construction is a more economical choice than constructing with wood, as it is less labor intensive, takes less time to prepare and can ultimately save up to one third of the cost of comparatively sized buildings. A steel building also takes just half the time that a wooden building requires to construct, saving labor costs, and other expenses associated with construction.

Steel Buildings Vs Wooden Buildings

Steel as a building material is also stronger than wood. Steel buildings can support more weight than the same amount of wood, and spanning 100 meters is possible for steel structures, while it is impossible for wood to do the same.

Steel buildings prove to be more durable than wood framed buildings, as steel does not decay, warp or split as easily. Steel also does not succumb to mould, insect damage or vermin, as opposed to wood.

The strength of steel also makes steel buildings invulnerable to fires, contraction, etc.
Steel can be recycled, is naturally good for insulation and does not come from a protected resource, so is environmentally friendly compared to wood. Prefab steel buildings can be easily de-constructed and re-assembled or relocated, a feature which is impossible in wooden buildings.

Wooden buildings are a great threat to forests, also construction with wood, a non-renewable spells serious trouble for the environment. Hence, steel buildings become the ideal choice when it comes to green building architecture.