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Why Steel Construction is better than concrete block.

Durability and strength

​Steel

  • Does not warp, split, crack or corrode when appropriately produced and maintained.

  • Has eight times the tensile strength of concrete and has a uniform molecular structure.

  • The uniformity of the molecular structure makes steel a highly predictable building material.

  • Greener alternative. Steel is completely recyclable and lighter which leads to less greenhouse gases during transportation

Concrete​

  • Tends to crack due to repeated expansion and shrinkage during temperature variations.

  • Is prone to chipping and crumbling because of its brittleness. 

  • It is a composite material made of sand, gravel, cement and chemicals, therefore some of the components absorb moisture or become damaged under circumstances that would not impact steel.

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stock des

Concrete block walls failing

imagine what

175 MPH winds would do

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WIND RESISTANCE

 

  • A steel building is capable of withstanding winds up to 200 mph. In regions of high winds from storms and hurricanes, a steel building will survive where a concrete structure may not. It all goes back to the brittleness of concrete, making it prone to shattering instead of bending.

  • Steel buildings are designed to bend with the wind and deflect lateral forces to the walls and down to the ground. It is much more difficult to design a cost-effective building of concrete that can withstand such forces. It would be cost and design prohibitive to construct a concrete building of more than a few stories. The ductility of steel allows the building to sway slightly without losing cohesion or failing.

Termite RESISTANCE

 

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  • Termites love wood, it's their primary source of food. However, they can also make a meal out of virtually any organic or cellulose material. Steel and metal building components are inorganic and, therefore, they are completely immune to the chomping jaws of hungry termites.  Furthermore, you will eliminate the need for termite tenting which can be costly, taking your home or place of business out of commission while a termite infestation is dealt with. Steel construction is more termite resistant than concrete. Termites don’t eat concrete, so the block wall itself is immune to damage, but the wood furring strips running up the interior of the wall as nailers for drywall and the wood baseboard at the floor are fair game for termites to start working their way up the wall

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Moisture 

resistant

 

  • It is understood that mold and mycotoxins can help trigger illnesses ranging from allergies to lung cancer and that no Home Owner wants to deal with Mold Infiltration in their house. With Steel built homes, you eliminate almost any chance of mold, as the buildings offer a tighter building envelope making moisture penetration impossible. There is also no wood furring (used to hang drywall in concrete block homes) which is organic matter that mold can thrive on.

BENEFITS OF BUILDING WITH STEEL

  • Sustainability

  • Durability

  • Fire resistance

  • Moisture resistance

  • Termite resistance

 

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