STEEL FOR ARCHITECTURAL USE: WHY IS IT POPULAR?

If you are keen enough, you will notice that steel is one of the materials that is seldom missing on a constructor’s to-buy list.

Steel is indeed one of the most popular construction materials. It is instrumental in the construction of residential and, especially, commercial buildings.

In this article, we look at the reasons why steel is growing in prevalence among architects.

  • Availability

As earlier stated, the number of architects and constructors making use of steel has skyrocketed over the past couple of years. Due to the high demand, manufacturers are taking it upon themselves to increase the production of steel.

Anyone interested in purchasing steel will rarely visit two hardware shops without finding what they were looking for.  For instance, metal supply Houston has an array of steel products for your construction needs.

  • Strength

Steel is undeniably one of the strongest metals ever produced. Due to its strength, it offers huge support to structures. As a result, architects require less steel in a particular project, as compared to using other types of supporting materials.

Additionally, this means that steel can sustain massive amounts of pressure and strong physical impacts from adverse weather-related events such as tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes.

  • Requires less labor

As much as a professional overseer is needed, the installation of steel is not complex. A whole building’s frame can be erected in a short duration, mostly in a few days.

What this means is that, by using steel products, the property owner celebrates a reduction in labor. Also, due to the less time it takes to assemble or erect steel structures, the time it takes for the completion of the project is significantly reduced.

  • Adaptability

Just like any other sector, the construction industry changes. Every once in a while, new building trends emerge, and it is in the best interest of a property owner to keep up. As such, they need to construct their properties with materials that easily adapt to changing trends.

In this case, steel is one such material. Steel allows for seamless transformations of a building. Be it wall repositioning or the likes, structures made from steel can easily cater to those changes without much hassle. Furthermore, alterations in computer networking and electrical systems are easily doable.

  • Cost-effectiveness

A majority of people will argue that steel is more expensive than installing concrete supports. Yes, the initial cost of purchasing steel might be higher, but what about lifetime costs?

Concrete supports require reinforcements. They are also susceptible to damages, which require unprecedented and costly repairs. However, the scenario takes a different turn when it comes to steel. Steel rarely gets damaged and does not require repair costs.