Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Find answers to common questions about light steel framing systems, including strength, fire resistance, coating durability, and lightning protection. These insights help you better understand the advantages and safety of light steel construction systems.

Its weakness against fire is similar to hot-rolled steel. However, in practice, light steel systems are protected by gypsum ceilings and gypsum walls, allowing fire resistance to last for more than 2 hours. Fires caused by short circuits in ceilings do not spread easily because light steel ceiling frames do not propagate flames (unlike wood).

Visually, it looks similar to aluminum because part of the coating composition contains aluminum. However, the core structural material is high-strength steel, not aluminum.

Self-drilling screws are stronger than the connected joint itself. Therefore, joint failure or design considerations are based on bearing strength and tilting resistance.

If scratched, the internal steel becomes exposed. Cathodic protection will protect the internal steel as the zinc coating, being more electronegative, will oxidize/corrode first. The coating layer will be consumed before the steel itself is affected.

It has the same density as regular steel. The lightweight characteristic comes from the very thin material used, ranging from 0.4 mm to 1.5 mm.

According to research conducted in the UK on zinc coatings under various environmental conditions, it takes approximately 300 years to consume 10μm (microns) of zinc coating.

Metal roof truss and wall frame systems protect houses by creating a Faraday Cage system, allowing lightning currents to be directly channeled into the ground (grounding).

It has the same density as regular steel. The lightweight characteristic comes from the very thin material used, ranging from 0.4 mm to 1.5 mm.