What is cold-formed steel framing?

Light gauge steel framing, also called cold-formed steel (CFS) or metal stud framing, is commonly used as a supporting frame structure for building walls, roofs, and floors. Light gauge steel framing (LGSF) or cold-formed steel structural members are a particular material shape for framing structures.

Cold-formed steel is the primary material used to make light steel structures. They are made from steel sheets or strips. Its wall thickness is very thin and dramatically simplifies the production process and improves production efficiency. It is possible to produce various profiles and cold-formed steel of different materials with uniform wall thickness but complex cross-sectional shapes, which are difficult to produce by general hot-rolling methods.

As one of the leading manufacturers of light gauge steel framing in China, TMP offers cold-formed steel that can be used throughout a building or as individual framing elements, such as studs, joists, and trusses. Our light gauge steel framing ( LGSF) is highly durable and can be coated/plated in different ways as required by the project, preventing corrosion for hundreds of years.

Cold-formed steel (CFS) is formed by rolling steel plates/coils through a series of advanced computer-controlled cold-forming machines produced without heating, hence the name cold-formed steel.

Cold-formed steel framing offers many advantages for project construction. These benefits can help reduce construction time and material costs. The properties of steel materials are stronger, safer, and recyclable than wood construction, allowing designers to design creative solutions to your requirements.

Cold-formed steel’s fire resistance also reduces project costs by reducing the investment in fire insurance. Its physical properties are stable and can be used in various environments; for example, steel is stronger and more ductile than wood and brick construction, making it a better choice for some high wind or earthquake zones.

The Steel Framing Advantage

Cold-formed steel has many advantages as a material for prefabricated frame construction. CFS is available as a prefabricated material, and TMP can be factory cut to exact lengths as needed for your project.

Due to the material properties of STEEL, CFS quality is more stable, will not bend, will not shrink and swell, will not absorb moisture in the grain will not shrink or split, will not absorb moisture, and can withstand ants and can resist bending, termites and fire.

Cold-formed steel is a global product with a mature production process, consistent quality, and does not produce much waste because the steel is recyclable.

Steel framing produced by the cold-formed process is lighter in weight, cheaper to transport by sea, sea, and land, and simpler to assemble than hot rolled steel.

All framing components are designed and produced centrally by TMP so that even a novice can fully master them in just a few days, and for experienced workers, it only takes a little time to learn to use a little new tool.

Hot and Cold-formed Steel Differences

The manufacturing process is divided into cold-formed steel, and hot-rolled steel. Cold-formed steel is made at room temperature by CNC machining equipment, and the finished products are accurate and expandable. They can be made into various framing products.

Since the steel is not heated during the manufacturing process, it does not have a cooling process like hot rolled steel, which also makes it more stable and durable, making it ideal for building and construction.

Hot-rolled steel is made from ingots or mold steel; ingots must be heated to 1100-1250 ℃and then rolled. This rolling process is called hot-rolled, molding after the general cooling in the air; most of the steel is rolled by the hot-rolled method. Hot-rolled state delivery of steel, due to the high temperature, the surface of the generation of a layer of iron oxide, thus having a certain degree of corrosion resistance, can be stored in the open. However, this iron oxide layer also makes the surface of hot-rolled steel rough, size fluctuations, so the requirement for a smooth surface, accurate size, and good mechanical properties of steel, to use the finished hot-rolled products as raw materials and then cold-rolled production.

Compared with hot-rolled steel, cold-formed steel has more cross-sectional shapes, reasonable cross-sectional shapes, and lightweight. During processing, the strength of cold-formed steel is increased, and it is more cost-effective than hot-rolled steel.

The cold-formed steel products provided by TMP are of good quality, smooth surface, high dimensional accuracy, low energy consumption in production, and high yield. In construction projects, the use of cold-formed steel can improve economic benefits, reduce the weight of buildings, improve the degree of industrialization of components, facilitate construction, and shorten the construction period.

How cold formed steel works

Cold-formed steel can be fabricated into more oversized framing metal studs or smaller link units, depending on the design of your project. Large, multi-story buildings will use the entire cold-formed steel framing, while smaller projects may only use a portion of it.

Light gauge cold-formed steel components can meet any project requirements, such as Cold rolled channels, framing clips & connectors, slotted slip tracks. cold-formed connectors, loading-bearing members, curtain wall components, etc., connectors, loading-bearing members, curtain wall components, etc. CFS has a wide range of design and production possibilities to provide effective support and assistance for the overall safety of light gauge steel framing.

Factors to Consider to Build a House

Houses and any building will be around for many years and are a valuable investment for the owner. Hence, the materials used for the structure are vital and must be protected, which is very difficult in areas prone to natural disasters. TMP believes that building a house requires special consideration of the following.

Other building structures are valuable investments that must be protected, but this protection can become increasingly difficult to manage in areas prone to natural disasters. However, there are several different ways cold-formed steel can help these structures withstand damage from the elements.

Earthquake: Cold-formed steel framing can resist the impact of seismic activity on buildings, steel has good resistance to bending, bending performance, in any area, especially in areas prone to earthquakes, light gauge cold-formed steel framing lightweight and earthquake resistant, can protect the safety of people and property.

Fire resistance: human activities in the building can not be separated from the source of goods, so fire resistance is a factor that must be considered; for wood structures, fire is rapidly spreading, while cold formed steel is different; it is completely non-combustible.

Waterproof: In rainy or coastal areas where it is very wet, wood structures become weak when exposed to water, which can have catastrophic consequences, while cold formed steel does not absorb water, thus protecting the house from floods or heavy rains.

Pest resistant: Unlike wood frames and other traditional material choices, cold formed steel is not threatened by pests such as termites.