The idea of saving money on time and having a new home completed in half the time is appealing to any soon to be home owner. The fact you can achieve far better R Values than any other conventional building system is a) Energy Efficient, b) cheaper & c) high finish standard. Light-weight steel framing is one of the preferred forms of building in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and is bec
oming ever popular in Europe as well. Light-weight steel framing is based on a typical timber framed structure, but has all the added benefits of being non-flammable, structurally sound, doesn’t shrink or warp, not subjected to termites etc. Light-weight steel framed building has been in existence for over 50 years, and so therefore is not a new form of building, but one that is well documented with hundreds of thousands of buildings having been erected globally. The lightweight steel frame comprises of a galvanised steel stud, channel and truss system which makes up the structural component of the building. The steel frame is then clad externally with a brick façade or an alternative specified finish. The type of cladding has no impact on the structural integrity of the house. The brick façade ensures that the house has the look and feel of a conventional house, and withstands any weather conditions. The internal walls are clad with 15mm BPB Gypsum Rhinowall board or equivalent material. The BPB Gypsum Rhinowall is SABS approved and is used extensively in South Africa for internal cladding and partitioning in houses, hotels, offices etc. The board is non-combustible and has SABS Fire Rating approval. In-between the outer façade and the internal cladding is a polyester or polystyrene insulation. This insulation is also used in the internal walls. The insulation is designed to provide a safe and efficient insulation for the homeowner. It effectively reduces energy costs to the homeowner by keeping the house warm in winter and cool in summer. The insulation also serves as an acoustic insulation by absorbing the sound and preventing it from being transmitted from one room to another. The insulation is SABS approved and is non-combustible, and conforms to SABS Fire Rating. The steel studs are easy to erect, not requiring skilled labour. On-site training is undertaken for unskilled labour. The frame is erected in 2 days (depending on the size of the house), and then the artisans can start with the brick laying and roof cladding simultaneously. This accelerates the building process, and ensures that the internal finishes can begin early in a dry encapsulated environment.
