October 18, 2024
Light frame construction is one of the most common building technologies. The two most commonly used frame materials, steel and timber, can improve the comfort, attractiveness and environmental friendliness of your home.
Frame structures can be used for floors, walls and roofs. Frame structures are made of wood and metal. Metal frame structures appeared in the 1940s and continue to gain popularity. Their advantages include durability, reliability and resistance to pests. Light frame structures can be an effective solution in any climate.
Light frame structures can withstand internal and external wall and roof loads in low-load systems. They are well suited for above-ground construction. Such structures allow you to create homes with windows for passive solar heating, natural lighting and ventilation.
Frame Home Appearance
Light frame homes can have a look from traditional to ultra-modern. A wide range of cladding and finishing materials (such as fibre cement sheets, siding, plywood, brick cladding or metal) can be used to build a house. And with lightweight timber framing, virtually any desired architectural form can be created. Lightweight
frame houses (especially timber frame houses) are used in many very cold climates such as Finland and Canada, as well as in tropical Southeast Asian countries. Their appearance varies depending on the climate and architectural style.
Construction options
Steel frames are also typically 70mm or 90mm deep, with additional strength achieved by using thicker steel or additional bends in the cross-section.
Engineered timber solutions use advanced gluing, lamination and joining technologies to increase the compressive and tensile strength of the bottom plank. This overcomes the natural weaknesses of the material such as knots, warping and splitting. Care must be taken when using these materials inside a building as they contain substances that can degrade indoor air quality.
Steel framing uses a wide range of forming options to get the maximum structural benefit from a minimum thickness of steel. Thin steel sections are reinforced with bends. Hot rolled sections use thicker steel in high-strength sections that support thinner walls where the loads are lower.
The framing itself cannot retain heat or cold. This can be an advantage in some climates (such as hot and humid climates) or in areas without sunlight or cold winds. Insulated homes can heat up quickly and retain heat effectively without an additional heating source. In climates where heat retention is desired, insulation can be accomplished with concrete slabs, clad walls, etc.
Insulation for Frame Homes
Usually, heaters are placed without compression between the structural members of the frame. The effectiveness of the insulation depends on the depth of the frame. The effectiveness of loose insulation is reduced if it is compressed because the insulation is provided by the air, not the material itself. Insulation should not be compressed.
The effectiveness and thickness of insulation varies with different types of insulation and framing thickness. Higher insulation ratings can achieve high values for the same thickness without compression.
Builders can advise on the thermal performance of steel framing. Steel is an excellent conductor and is by far the largest source of thermal bridges. Although wood is a natural insulator and a weaker thermal bridge, it still has a higher R-value than insulating materials.
External layers of insulation usually act as a vapour barrier and can cause condensation inside. In climates prone to condensation, a breathable membrane should be installed on the outside of the framing to accommodate the bulk insulation and a 10 mm air gap should be installed between the framing and the foam layer to allow condensation to escape.
Multi-storey frame buildings
Multi-storey frame construction uses fire-resistant and sound-resistant framed wall and floor systems that provide vertical and horizontal separation of living spaces. The use of innovative frame technologies allows for low-cost buildings that are suitable for most climates and are likely to respond better to climate change. Frame
construction has been used in Europe and America for many years with excellent results. In Australia, projects range from large multi-storey buildings to townhouses or villas, including extensions, alterations and additions to existing structures. Methods and technologies are continually being refined and improved.