Prefabricated steel framing is taking the construction industry by storm. Are you out of the ‘woods’ and riding the wave of steel superiority?
In many parts of the construction world, any number of terms could be used to describe the prefabricated steel construction material that is fabricated every day at TotalJoist. Some examples include:
- Cold-formed steel framing;
- Metal stud framing;
- Light-gauge steel framing;
- Lightweight steel framing; and
- Galvanized steel framing.
Whatever terms you use, our steel solutions allow builders of mid-rise condominiums, custom homes, hotels, schools and commercial retail structures to create modern spaces with benefits far surpassing the alternatives.
It’s not just a fad: steel is being used in more buildings than ever before. Not only is steel an essential component of massive skyscrapers and large infrastructure projects, but smaller construction projects are realizing the true potential of the material, using it in everything from floors to joists to walls.
Light-Gauge Steel for Floor Joists
Choosing steel for your project’s floor joists can simplify your construction site’s operations and give you a faster installation allowing for unlimited design possibilities. Utilities can run through predesigned access holes, joists can span longer distances, buildings can have improved fire protection and bulkheads can be reduced to practically nothing.
This galvanized and zinc-coated metal joist is called TotalJoist, and improves the long-term durability of your entire structure. TotalJoist is available in 9 1/2″, 11 7/8″, 14″ and 16″ heights and lengths up to 30′ to allow architects to design with more open floor plans than ever before possible.
Lightweight Steel Flooring
Take the benefits of TotalJoist, combine them with Lewis-Decking and a thin layer of concrete to create a flooring system with unsurpassable quality. The concrete creates an impenetrable bond with the decking and is often used for modern mid-rise structures that use in-floor heating.
This flooring is called Composite TotalJoist, and gives owners 60% higher acoustic ratings than precast and over 34% higher ratings than wood and gypcrete with reduced sound flanking.
Once the joists are engineered with concrete blocks, ICF, cold-formed steel, wood or structural steel, the Lewis-Decking is installed. The final step is the pouring of concrete, which often only needs to be three inches in thickness. Minimal shoring is required, since the weight of the concrete is permanently held in place by the steel composite decking and joists.
Speak with the Steel Specialists About Strengthening Your Structures
To learn more about our proprietary cold-formed-steel systems (or whatever other steel term you use to describe them) and our products’ many benefits for developers, architects, general contractors and tenants, contact us today!
