Man of steel

Michael Presutti By Michael Presutti Staten Island Advance
on May 07, 2008 at 4:54 PM, updated May 08, 2008 at 9:36 AM

Sometimes, you have to wonder why something with so many attributes doesn't catch on and become popular. For literally decades, I have pitched the use of steel framing members (steel studs), based upon the advantages they have over wood. But, beyond commercial construction, which is exclusively steel because of code, steel stud construction remains in a residential purgatory of sorts and I can't help but wonder why.

Steel is not combustible, which accounts for its profuse use in commercial construction. One would think that fact alone would cause an increase in its use in residential home building, yet that is rarely the case.

Beyond its inability to burn, when compared to wood construction, steel studs construction takes a whole lot less time and requires less strenuous work. There are different gauges of steel framing members, but lighter gauges can be cut using a tin snips; there is no need for an electric power saw. Only thicker gauge steel -- 22 and beyond -- requires an electric chop saw. (Note: As the number of the corresponding gauge -- i.e., 25, 22, 18 -- gets smaller, the thickness of the material gets thicker, so 18-gauge steel is thicker than 25.)


Since steel stud material is hollow, it is pound-for-pound lighter than wood. A slightly built worker can easily carry a bundle of 10 steel studs on his shoulders, while the most wood studs one could carry at a time would be three or four. So, again, material handling is a breeze compared to wood, which must also make steel construction more cost-effective from a labor perspective.

Some may knock steel because it seems flimsy, but it has to be understood that steel stud strength comes with its assembly as part of a system, not as a stand-alone stud. The diaphragm action created when drywall or other material is fastened to steel studs with tracks (plates) makes it strong.


Wood is organic, therefore it eventually will break down, eventually succumbing to the effects of age, humidity and even termites. While good construction techniques and practices ensure the long life of wood, it will not last longer than steel; that's a fact. I have always suggested the use of steel in areas where humidity or termites might be a problem, like in a finished basement project.

Another thing in steel's favor is that the trades like it. Plumbers and electricians do not have to laboriously drill through steel studs as they do with wood studs. Steel studs contain pre-cut holes that allow for easy installation of pipes and other conduit, such as armored-metallic cable.

A big part of plumbing and electric work is the preparation for passing pipes and wiring and, here again, stud assemblies streamline the time in the field, which should make the project more cost-effective.


If all the above bottom-line advantages weren't enough, how about considering the purely altruistic argument that steel studs don't necessitate cutting down trees and the steel from the steel studs eventually can be reused through recycling?

It is possible that the steel in the studs you installed in your basement were part of the car you parked in your garage a decade ago and could be used again one day in the future for who knows what. The point here is that steel is a material that can be melted down and used again. How's that for "green" building?

I, for one, have nothing against wood; after all, being a carpenter, wood has been very good to me. But I cannot understand why steel stud is not more popular in residential construction.