Increasing used across the construction industry, steel framing has been seen to have a great degree of utilisation across new-build projects, both within the UK and abroad. Traditionally used from the perspective of strength, design and sustainability, steel framing poses a number of key benefits over more traditional framing materials, though there do still remain some drawbacks which may be seen in the modern construction project.

For the steel market, it is of no real surprise that construction projects account for approximately half of the entire global steel market, with the material being in receipt of great praise for its support of architectural freedom as well as cost-relative benefits, both in the short and long term. Additionally, steel is regarded as one of the few materials for usage as a best-practice perspective when concerning sustainability and environmental concerns.

Some of the key benefits which can be seen in the utilisation of steel, of course, incorporate a great deal of stability in design, with the material adding considerably to the longevity of a building’s structure, as well as key benefits revolving around fire resistances, and a reduction in material corrosion. Additionally, steel is relatively lightweight in comparison to its stability, making it a very strongly performing material, as well as praised for its reliability.

Yet, on the other side of the fence, criticism can also be made of the usage of steel as a framing material, with the sheer cost of the structures being one of those most prominent. Due to the material maintaining a notably higher average cost than other framing materials, some organisations may see themselves put off from utilising steel frames due to the up front costs. Additionally, whilst, as noted to be fire resistant, steel frames are also noted to be reduced in strength during periods of considerable heat exposure and, as such, are not, in effect entirely immune to the effects of fires.

Regardless, the industry appears to be performing very well, with many organisations opting to the use the material for their framing needs as a matter of best practice. And, of course, whilst there are drawbacks, popular opinion does appear to be in favour of the usage of steel framing as a matter of best practice overall.