Beginning in mid-2020, lumber prices have seen record increases and, despite recent declines, remain at historic highs. As the construction industry bounces back from the pandemic, home builders report having good results with cold-formed steel (CFS) framing, which is strong, sturdy and non-combustible.
A recent study by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) highlights that builders are more willing to switch to CFS from traditional framing methods.
Builders are willing to switch from wood
According to results from special questions on the June 2021 survey for the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), framing crews are open to using framing systems other than wood.
When asked the question, “What to you see as significant barriers to switching from wood framing,” builders responded as follows:
- Only 1% indicated possible difficulties of learning a new system as a barrier
- Only 14% indicated a fear of alienating subcontractors as a potential distractor
Therefore, the survey results are very favorable to home builders having an open mind to using alternative framing materials.
Find a steel framing product and provider
If you are new to steel framing, or are looking for information on new products or providers, BuildSteel has created a directory to simplify the process.
The BuildSteel Product and Provider Directory is your one-stop shop to find all things CFS related. The directory allows users to search by category, service type, location or certification type.
Search for a product or provider.
Article cited from BuildSteel.org