Steel kit home experiences

[roverrescue]

Obviously searching AULRO on steel kit and home brings up a zillion responses none of which seem to help!

Just after direct experience with any of the many steel kits available these days.
Current concerns before going this route include internal fitout (timber door and window jams into steel frame) and the issue of timber floor boards to steel joists. (timber boards are a non negotiable)
Obviously everything is possible, just after any experiences. Local builder mate is steering me towards a more traditional treated stick built on steel posts and bearers with glue lam joist.

Major issues for the site is termites and borers (rainforest block) and containing cost!

Project will be under owner build permit.

Thanks,
Steve

[blackbuttdisco]

My parent built a stell kit home in Hervey Bay in 1985 to retire into, and it is still standing and ok and it is on the beach front. We built our house in Gladstone in 1988 and we sold it in 2008 and the steelwork was still ok, even the woodwork was still ok. Eldest daughter had her house built in1998 of steel by the same bloke who did ours. The steel kit homes finished by a builder were ony $400 extra, definitely money well spent. Traditional builders will always try to steer you to what they want to do for you, not what you want them to do for you. I helped my parents build 3 houses out of wood and after dong 3 with steel, for me it is the way to go but bieng a fitter and turner, I may be a bit biased. I still cannot weld wood.

[JDNSW]

I have been living in an owner built steel frame kit house for sixteen years. There were no problems with fittinjg door frames, window frames etc once you get your mindset from the "nail it" to the "screw it" attitude. Normal construction glues seem to stick to the steel especially if it is wiped with a turps soaked rag a bit before.

I can't really comment on putting a wooden floor onto joists, as I built on a slab. However, I can't imagine there would be any problems once you accept the use of screws rather than nails. (it would be possible to screw wooden battens to the rops of the joists if you feel the need to nail the boards) In this respect, I found that for attaching wood to the frame, the screws to use are ones designed for the purpose, with a drill point, then a smooth section greater than the thickness of the wood before the thread starts.

Apart from the kit supplier, we used a concreter, a plumber and an electrician, and did everything else ourselves (myself and my wife, with help from son, d-i-l, nephew etc).

Took about eighteen months from start to move-in.

I can see no drawbacks to the use of a steel frame, and several advantages compared to timber apart from the resistance to termites - dimensions are accurate, and do not change with weather. If building again I would not even consider anything else.

John

[d@rk51d3]

once you get your mindset from the "nail it" to the "screw it" attitude.

That's my attitude for most things..:D

[big guy]

Steel frame has pros and cons.
Biggest would be the noise a steel frame can make when big weather changes take place etc.
They have a good fit and where termites are present it be the way to go.
With the timber floor boards, there are secret fixing methods now and all sorts.
Finding studs/noggings to hand pictures or plasma brackets will have to be thought out better and perhaps reinforsed prior to lining stage.
As far as getting true walls are concerned, a lazer is used and its usually spot on, even bottom plates are just tek screwed if using pole platform type of construction.
Thumbs up.
Make sure you line and insulate underside of floor as the cold rising is tremendous.

[JDNSW]

.........
Make sure you line and insulate underside of floor as the cold rising is tremendous.

Er,.... I doubt that is a serious problem in Cooktown!

John

[Chucaro]

We built in 1996 a stud framed house using the Tuff Span frames and is excellent.
On the roof an wall we have Air cell insulation between the cladding and the frames.
Here in Moore Park Beach we do not need air condition at all.
Because the internal wall are not bearing you can place them to your taste or needs.
Before this house we built a house based on an American barn. Nice house but was based on portal frames so was noise and expensive to build.

[mike 90 RR]

Just after direct experience with any of the many steel kits available these days.

They are Exy for the money (Kit homes in general) ... Just buy the steel studding and make it yourself ....


Current concerns before going this route include internal fitout (timber door and window jams into steel frame)

Exactly the same methods as Timber framed ....


and the issue of timber floor boards to steel joists. (timber boards are a non negotiable)

2 ways here .....

A: .... Place 70 x 35 on edge on top of the steel joists and then fix the boards to it

B: ... Lay down the Structafloor sheeting ... then glue the floor boards to it


Obviously everything is possible, just after any experiences.

Steel frame is a brilliant product ....


Local builder mate is steering me towards a more traditional treated stick built on steel posts and bearers with glue lam joist.

Typical builder response ....

Major issues for the site is termites and borers (rainforest block) and containing cost!

Project will be under owner build permit.

No need for the builders input then ....

Thanks,
Steve


I drew up plans for my cousin in Steel frame on Concrete slab .... 360sqm ... He built the whole house himself .... His profession is "Brickpaver"

The only cheat he did, was have a steel frame manufacturer build the walls and truss roof ... The rest was his labour ....

Steel frame? ... Basically replace the nails with Tek screws ... and the wood saw with a metal drop saw ...... ($100) Chainsaw with the ol 9" angle grinder

Plus .... Doesn't steel frame resists Cyclones better?

Cheers
Mike

[Trout]

We have a steel frame kit home. We had a builder mate put it together who mostly does timber including old queenlander homes and he was skeptical about the whole idea but was impressed by the end. We have wooden flooors but they are laid on ply fixed to the steel joists.

As for being a kit home you would not know. All new homes are kit homes nowdays anyway even if done by a builder. ;)

[LandyAndy]

Goodluck with the project,its something I have always wanted to do.
A word of warning with your floors.A mate went steel as he was in a termite area,the rotters ate his floors out un-noticed.
They built mud tunnels up the steel stumps and got stuck into the plywood.They also dont mind a chew on the Gyprock either!!!
It was BIG $$$$ to repair.
Make sure your design incorporates termite monitoring and the ability to check the under-floor cavity.
ENJOY
Andrew

[POD]

Our home is a steel kit built by a previous owner (we are the third owners); essentially it is a clear span building with internal walls being non-load-bearing. It has pros and cons. Any modifications/renovations are more difficult; angle-grinding and welding inside your living room is a whole different thing to sawing and nailing. I have altered a few things since owning the place, i.e. put in a cavity slider where there was an archway previously, renovated the bathroom, a few other small things. They all take much longer than working with a timber frame. Specialised tek screws are a whole lot more expensive than nails.

[roverrescue]

Thanks all for the responses.
Ill make sure we well insulate the sub floor to stop that cold from rising!

S

[Beckford]

Major issues for the site is termites and borers (rainforest block) and containing cost!

Project will be under owner build permit.

I owner / built our house 2 years ago on a slopping rainforest block. We purchased the kit from Valley Kit Homes in QLD. Good value.

Timber frame, bearers & joists, with 100 x 100 RHS steel posts in mass concrete bored piers. Did everything myself except drill the piers, rough in the plumbing, all the electrical and the setting of the plasterboard.

Make sure your plans show the actual ground levels on the elevations. From the underside of the bearer at the lowest point it is 600mm above the ground. This is good for providing access for termite inspections, meeting bushfire standards and when it is really wet. However due to the slopping block this meant that the other end of the house was 2000mm above the ground. :o (PM me if you want to know more.)

[MichaelJR]

Steel frame has pros and cons.
Biggest would be the noise a steel frame can make when big weather changes take place etc.
They have a good fit and where termites are present it be the way to go.
With the timber floor boards, there are secret fixing methods now and all sorts.
Finding studs/noggings to hand pictures or plasma brackets will have to be thought out better and perhaps reinforsed prior to lining stage.
As far as getting true walls are concerned, a lazer is used and its usually spot on, even bottom plates are just tek screwed if using pole platform type of construction.
Thumbs up.
Make sure you line and insulate underside of floor as the cold rising is tremendous.


We owner built our steel kit home 10 yrs ago. Still going great with trees on the property heavily termite infested. Noise issue can be addressed by applying a thin film of silicone between frames and where any braces cross - we have minimal noise. As stated think carefully about studs/nogs although there are plenty of quality fixings now available. Pay particular attention to where you are building wardrobes and hanging shelves re what you are going to fix them onto. No problems with western red cedar windows. We put the frame up but had a carpenter come and square it before fixing. Also had professionals do the plumbing and electrics and the gyprocking (a good finish can hide most mistakes). We sourced our own lights, taps, vanities etc.

[JDNSW]

Hi, I think this is right place for asking this question about the kit home's steel because Many experienced people are here, so we are also going to develop a kit home and we don't know so much about that, so please suggest us what type of the steel we should use for developing a new kit home. thanks in advance.

In this country there are several suppliers that make special steel sections for house building. These are typically U-section and designed to fit together, have round edged holes for running services in the wall cavity, and are made from galvanised or galvalumed steel about 1mm thick. Battens for roofing, cielings etc are typically what is referred to as tophat section, and come in a variety of sizes and gauges.

Your best bet is probably to talk to your local steel suppliers - I expect there are similar suppliers there. It is very unlikely that importing steel from here is the best idea.

Hope this helps
John

[130man]

Hi Roverrescue, if timber flooring is essential, try to find Cyprus Pine floor boards, as they are not popular with termites. They used to be commonly available but I have not needed to source them in the last few years. One down side is that Cyprus Pine makes great kindling, so there is a fire risk, but I imagine all timber is a risk in that regard. I carried out some repairs on a steel frame building some years ago and found a modest amount of corrosion on several of the bearers but a coat of rust converter stopped the problem spreading. I couldn't see why the rust had developed in the first place. Maybe it was poor galvanising. Cheers, 130man.

[incisor]

Cypress Supplies - We supply Cypress Timber - Termite and Chemical Free That's the Cypress Guarantee - We supply Timber Caboolture, Timber Brisbane (http://www.cypresssupplies.com.au/)

[digger]

The local CFS was being rebuilt in ANDAMOOKA.
They sent up the pre made steel frame then stopped the build before it could
be put up as they had troubles with them in the Adelaide Hills.

Apparently the roof (galv) was heating up in summer and the heat was transferring to the frame and then radiating inside the building..

They built the same frame of wood to get about this.

Im not sure what that can do to help but fore warned is fore armed!

somthing to be aware of.

[slug_burner]

Resistant timber
Use resistant timber where possible, especially in exposed positions or in contact with the ground.

Resistant timbers are wandoo, blackbutt, jam, jarrah, western red cedar and kapur. Also resistant are the Australian native cypress pines and Australian cedar.

Susceptible timbers include pine, karri, marri, mountain ash, meranti and particle board. All sapwood, even of resistant species, is susceptible.

No timber is totally resistant to attack.

[350RRC]

Diatomaceous earth scattered around under a house will kill termites. Used to be used as a pool filter medium, dunno price.

I'll be using it as a 'moat' when I build my POS later this year in termiteville.

DL

[Davo]

The local CFS was being rebuilt in ANDAMOOKA.
They sent up the pre made steel frame then stopped the build before it could
be put up as they had troubles with them in the Adelaide Hills.

Apparently the roof (galv) was heating up in summer and the heat was transferring to the frame and then radiating inside the building..

They built the same frame of wood to get about this.

Im not sure what that can do to help but fore warned is fore armed!

somthing to be aware of.

Everything new up here is steel frame with Colorbond walls and roof. So, they are sort of basically a tin shed with a ceiling and walls to make it into a house on the inside. I mean they look like houses on the outside as well but the construction principle is about the same. They're not too bad but definitely need the aircon running a lot. The government-owned dump we live in is brick facade with wood frame and tin roof and it's bloody hot, too. So I'd guess it's all to do with the insulation.

We're looking at building as well since it's vaguely affordable. I see Ross Squire Homes over here uses wooden roof trusses because they're quieter and don't transfer temperatures as much as steel. Otherwise, they're steel frames and it looks like a great way to build.

Keep the tips coming, guys, as it seems like a few of us are looking into this!

[George130]

Our place has steel bearers and joists with wood frame on top. As others have said you just glue and screw instead of nail to the steel.

[Chucaro]

...........................They're not too bad but definitely need the aircon running a lot.....................................

Not in the two houses that I built in the Wide bay area in Qld.
We did not have a fan or air-condition on them, we designed them with good insulation and most important orientation to have good ventilation.

[Davo]

Not in the two houses that I built in the Wide bay area in Qld.
We did not have a fan or air-condition on them, we designed them with good insulation and most important orientation to have good ventilation.

Probably a different climate there, but all the same, that's what it's all about, insulation and ventilation, neither of which you get here. (I don't know where they find the architects for these government projects.) I was thinking of going with a kit home but specifying lots of extra insulation. But that's a long way into the future.

[Gary S11]

Not long reno'd a customers bath room steel frame, the shower had leaked and the most of the frame had rusted 500 ml up + , replaced with CCA stud frame .
Previously white ants had eaten a lot of their timber floor on a cement slab, all had to go , and is now tiled. Also here a number of homes that either face the inlet or ocean are needing the facing steel frame replaced due to rusting. Also being in the fire and rescue, found the steel just collapses where jarrah will hang in to to last little bit ..just my obs.

[JDNSW]

Probably a different climate there, but all the same, that's what it's all about, insulation and ventilation, neither of which you get here. (I don't know where they find the architects for these government projects.) I was thinking of going with a kit home but specifying lots of extra insulation. But that's a long way into the future.

I have insulated walls*, ceilings and roof, double glazing, and all round verandahs with insulated ceilings. And no airconditioning. I doubt that the frame material is relevant to inside temperature.

John

*rigid foam insulation outside the frame, between it and the cladding.

[HennoHimself]

This thread is great. It certainly has me rethinking my options for when I rebuilt on my block.

[bemm52]

We have gone down this path and are happy with the results....double glazing aircell insulation plus mineral wool.

try shed manufacturers thats the way we went cheaper than pure house kit.

they can provide a kit for basicaly anything you want it is designed by a computer program for components

we got the shed company to build to lock up useing our windows and doors then we got plumbing electrical and gyprock tradies in.

I framed all the internal walls out of steel stud and track and did all the painting

PM me with email adress if you want some construction pics have trouble posting picks here

Cheers

[Bigbjorn]

I live in inner south-east Brisbane. Houses in my street date from 1939 (1) to current. Most built from 1950 to 1965. Every house in my end of the street has had some termite damage ranging from a little if spotted early to severe and beyond repair. Soft woods, Masonite, plywoods are first to go. It is a myth that they won't eat hardwoods like ironbark, red gum, blackbutt etc. They eat the softwoods first then the tough stuff. One sees termite nests on trees in the bushland reserves nearby. New houses are built on slabs with softwood frames. How long are these going to last? Termite smorgasbord. If I was to build a new house then it would be either steel frame or double brick and definitely not on a slab. We have our house inspected and treated annually and the termite barrier renewed every 8 years.

[Cammo]

This post very interesting and informative. Watching with keen interest!

[Chucaro]

............... We have our house inspected and treated annually and the termite barrier renewed every 8 years.

Our first house in Childers, Qld was about 100 years old and eaten by the termites.
They went trough the barrier. Barriers are not good any more, termites buid a sub-nest with several thousands suicide termites that their job is to eat a hole in the barrier and died until a hole is done. Once the job is done the termites from the main nest move in.
Also do not believe in the test that pest controllers do with a humidity meter.
Our house was dry and the experts declared that there were no termites then I showed them termites going up and down the stumps.
Stumps a were treated and termites just wait for the sap to dry on the passion fruit branches and used them as a tunnel to get into the house.
Mother nature have the way to win.
IMHO the only way to balance the situation is to not deprive the termites of their natural food, that means live some trees and wood in the bush.

[Witchdoctor]

Have a look at container homes, build your self, cheep & termite proof

David

[Chucaro]

Have a look at container homes, build your self, cheep & termite proof

David

Something like THIS (http://www.koma-modular-construction.cz/koma/public/en/product-lines/low-energy-modular-buildings-comfortline/individual-housing/chen-art-architects-usa-arizona)

[Trout]

We have a steel kit home. Colourbond walls. Ours is a pavilion style with separate modules with decks and breezeways in between. Suits our location and climate. Not everyone would like it as you go outdoors between major rooms. Did this before we had our kids. In hindsight was perhaps not the most practical idea with babies but we still love it. Does cool quickly on cold nights despite good insulation in walls and roof. We are on a hill and the wind can get under the house. Next time I would definitely insulate under floor and consider double glazing. It gets surprisingly cool here at night in winter.

We chose plywood floors over Particleboard and have T&G spotted gum flooring over top. This flexes a bit much for my liking so I would consider going heavier ply to stop the creaking when you walk around if this would annoy you.

[Mudnut]

Hi Steve,

I live in an elevated house with a steel framed sub floor. To attach the floorboards, there is a 40mm strip of hardwood glued, and bolted to the top surface of the floor joices. The floor boards are then glued, and nailed to this timber. Works really well, and there is little movement.

Steel framed walls are difficult to hang heavy pictures on.

Cheers,

Ken

[Gary S11]

Hi Steve,

I live in an elevated house with a steel framed sub floor. To attach the floorboards, there is a 40mm strip of hardwood glued, and bolted to the top surface of the floor joices. The floor boards are then glued, and nailed to this timber. Works really well, and there is little movement.

Steel framed walls are difficult to hang heavy pictures on.

Cheers,

Ken
And cloths driers, and shelves, and range hoods and so on ...

[JDNSW]

Hi Steve,

.......

Steel framed walls are difficult to hang heavy pictures on.

Cheers,

Ken

Looking round my home, I see at least four heavy pictures, and a flat screen TV, all on steel framed walls. The only difference from wooden frames is you have to use a drill instead of a hammer - not sure that makes it "difficult".

John

[jonesfam]

We are currently in the process of enlarging our living space.
We looked at a steel framed extension but that was expensive & very disruptive.
So we are going with shipping containers, 1 will be 2 bedrooms, 1 a bathroom, toilet & laundry & 4 containers joined together will be 3 bedrooms & a large play/lounge room.
This will be all set up in a square behind our existing 2 bedroom cottage & will (soon after completion I hope) have a paved central court yard area.
The containers are all siting 400mm off the ground on concrete stumps to improve airflow.
The decision we have been unable to make as yet is how to cover the court yard? We want it rain protected but to still get plenty of light & air.
SWMBO can hardly wait, I think 5 kids in a 2 bedroom house is getting to her.:(
Jonesfam

[Chucaro]

Hi Steve,

I live in an elevated house with a steel framed sub floor. To attach the floorboards, there is a 40mm strip of hardwood glued, and bolted to the top surface of the floor joices. The floor boards are then glued, and nailed to this timber. Works really well, and there is little movement.

Steel framed walls are difficult to hang heavy pictures on.

Cheers,

Ken

:confused: Why is that? I built and lived in both styles of construction, portal frame and stud frames and never have any problem.

[Chucaro]

Jonesfarm, make sure that you know the origin of the containers if they have wooden floor, some of them are saturated with poison chemicals.
Also, if you can sand blast them and give a undercoat with POR15 problems of rust by condensation will be nil.

[jonesfam]

Chucaro
The containers are being re-floored & walled, pretty much only the frames of the containers remain.
The have insulated walls & roof, drainage, electrics, thick vinal floor coverings, doors & windows.
We will have to do (have done) the plumbing, stairs and run the drainage away from the buildings. The paving & that will be down to me.
Jonesfam

[Chucaro]

But if you go in that way, IMO it will be cheaper to build the frames with RHS which will be stringer that the containers without walls.
HERE (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/100x100x3-0mm-Galvanised-Steel-RHS-SHS-Tube-2m-lengths-Oxley-QLD-/191095846829) is an example of for how much you can get RHS

[Mudnut]

:confused: Why is that? I built and lived in both styles of construction, portal frame and stud frames and never have any problem.

I guess the reason is, I don't trust the thin gauge metal that they use for the wall studs. They are crimped in place using a set of modified pliers. There is only a fraction of a mm thickness in the metal. I have hung shelving on my steel framed shed wall which is double plastered, I had to be very careful on how tight I screwed in the brackets. I stripped out several screws with my screw gun, and it was dialled down to medium. Maybe it was my choice of screws?? By the way I am a carpenter, so I am a bit biased :D

Cheers,

Ken

[Bigbjorn]

But if you go in that way, IMO it will be cheaper to build the frames with RHS which will be stringer that the containers without walls.
HERE (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/100x100x3-0mm-Galvanised-Steel-RHS-SHS-Tube-2m-lengths-Oxley-QLD-/191095846829) is an example of for how much you can get RHS

There is a house in Bulimba owner-built by a boilermaker-shipwright. The frame and stumps are all square steel tubing welded. Used what he could get at scrap yards and auctions so there is a good bit of overkill in the material strength. The stumps are 150 square x 6.0 mm. I suspect a good bit of steel walked out of various boat and dockyards around the district.

[Chucaro]

I guess the reason is, I don't trust the thin gauge metal that they use for the wall studs. They are crimped in place using a set of modified pliers. There is only a fraction of a mm thickness in the metal. I have hung shelving on my steel framed shed wall which is double plastered, I had to be very careful on how tight I screwed in the brackets. I stripped out several screws with my screw gun, and it was dialled down to medium. Maybe it was my choice of screws?? By the way I am a carpenter, so I am a bit biased :D

Cheers,

Ken

On that type of frames that you don't trust I hanged the top cabinets in the kitchen on both houses. Heaps of more weight that a picture frame. :)

[JDNSW]

I guess the reason is, I don't trust the thin gauge metal that they use for the wall studs. They are crimped in place using a set of modified pliers. There is only a fraction of a mm thickness in the metal. I have hung shelving on my steel framed shed wall which is double plastered, I had to be very careful on how tight I screwed in the brackets. I stripped out several screws with my screw gun, and it was dialled down to medium. Maybe it was my choice of screws?? By the way I am a carpenter, so I am a bit biased :D

Cheers,

Ken

No crimping on my frame - welded mostly, some tek screws. Never stripped a screw tapped into the frame, never even thought of it as a possibility. Ceiling battens are pretty light, but I don't have many pictures hanging from the ceiling. They are thick enough that the screws holding the plaster pull through the plaster rather than stripping if you overdo it.

John

[Chucaro]

In my second home I used LYSAGHT system products and they are very strong.
In the ceiling to support the plaster I use the same roofing battens that are used to screw the corrugate iron. That way give me a more than 200mm gap between the roof sheeting and plaster boards.
As insulation in the roof I used Air-cell between the sheeting and the battens and batts on the top of the plaster boards. That double isulation together with light color roof worked extremely well.
On the walls I use Air-cell R 2.2
This system together with house orientation, windows placement and garden design allowed to have a very comfortable all weather home.

[Gary S11]

I guess the reason is, I don't trust the thin gauge metal that they use for the wall studs. They are crimped in place using a set of modified pliers. There is only a fraction of a mm thickness in the metal. I have hung shelving on my steel framed shed wall which is double plastered, I had to be very careful on how tight I screwed in the brackets. I stripped out several screws with my screw gun, and it was dialled down to medium. Maybe it was my choice of screws?? By the way I am a carpenter, so I am a bit biased :D

Cheers,

Ken
What he said!!,

[bemm52]

Steel studded structures require some fore thought before gyprocking

The trick is to fix timber noggins or thick structural ply between studs to give firm fix for cabinetry etc

cheers

[Chucaro]

Steel studded structures require some fore thought before gyprocking

The trick is to fix timber noggins or thick structural ply between studs to give firm fix for cabinetry etc

cheers

In our home I used 2 aluminum flat bars 50mm x 3mm. I screwed them to the studs (over the plaster) and then fixed the cabinets to the flat bar. This works very well and you know that there is support in all the studs.

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,



I realise that in Rover Rescue's (Steve) first message on this thread he mentioned a problem with termites. One way around this could be using CCA treated pine logs. Okay I have always liked the idea of log houses on timber poles and also using hand tools. I came across this clip on YouTube Traditional Finnish Log House Building Process Accessed 17th of May 2014 from Traditional Finnish Log House Building Process - YouTube.


The clip starts off in a forest and the timber is taken away on a horse drawn sleigh :cool:. The clip ends up with a completed timber house!

At the start of the clip they only show the trees falling down - I suspect that a chain saw might have been used to drop the trees :). Everything else shown on the clip are all hand tools. The sound track I suppose is in Finnish

The insulation between the gaps of the logs and in the joints are interesting too. Is it horse hair and moss?

The joint work in the timber and the ease they make them - after decades of practice, is amazing.

Well I found it very enjoyable to watch and where else could I put this clip on a Land Rover site. A thread about steel kits homes where one can "do-it-yourself sort of seemed fitting at the time :angel:

Going back to what Chucaro wrote before - get yourself your own steel and build your own frames. Spend some time visiting building sites where people are building steel framed houses to see how it is done. There are books that the apprentice builders use that have the Australian Standard frameworks in them. If you are daunted by the need to get drawings done up so it passes council approval there are dedicated draftsmen - (people :twisted:) who for a fee will draw things up for you. Or there are home based Computer Aided Design programs that you can use yourself.

Here is a link to a General Guide booklet published by The National Association of Steel-framed Housing Inc of Australia. Accessed 17th of May 2014 from
http://www.jvglobal.com.au/upload/NASH_-_General_Guide_to_Steel_Framed_Building.pdf

For a general introduction to Australian Home Building there is this book available The Australian House Building Manual - 7th Edition
by Allan Staines ISBN 978-187521730-4 (Australian Publication) The Australian House Building Manual (http://www.skillspublish.com.au/BK13-04.htm)

There is also a new book Acceptable Standards of Construction Class 1 & Class 10 Buildings Published by Acceptable Standards of Construction Committee (NSW) (Australian Publication) New Edition 2013-2014. ISBN 978-0-646-57447-9 Bookshop (http://www.skillspublish.com.au/Skills%20Bookshop.htm)

With the range of books and DVDs available in the Skills Publishing Online site has building your own home should be nailed - pardon the pun :p


Kind Regards
Lionel

[uninformed]

Steel studded structures require some fore thought before gyprocking

The trick is to fix timber noggins or thick structural ply between studs to give firm fix for cabinetry etc

cheers

whats wrong with fixing cabinets to the steel studs?

[Chucaro]

whats wrong with fixing cabinets to the steel studs?
There is nothing wrong, I used the aluminum flat bar because the distance between the studs (600mm in my kit) did not allowed me to put screws in each cabinet.
By putting the flats bars between the cabinets and the wall I was able to spread the load in all the studs. The row of wall cabinets was 3 meters long.

[bemm52]

whats wrong with fixing cabinets to the steel studs?


Nothing, but the steel studs are light gauge and the screws don't have much bite.........I backed between studs with ply for even a simple item..... the dunny roll holder.......some stresses relieved and imposed here.

Cheers

[uninformed]

Nothing, but the steel studs are light gauge and the screws don't have much bite.........I backed between studs with ply for even a simple item..... the dunny roll holder.......some stresses relieved and imposed here.

Cheers

They use similar gauge steel for the top hat roof battens that steel roofing is fixed to and it has to withstand high wind load pulling it off. If a roof is battened out with pine roof batters they require closer spacings, not because of span or load strength, but screw pull out.

Nothing wrong with what you have done, and I block out every home I build for fittings such as towel rails, TRH etc, but there no difference between it and timber framing as far as fittings go. most kitchen areas will not be blocked out ever, even for overhead cupboards.

BTW, im anti-steel frames so no bias there.