Steel-Frame House Construction

by The NAHB Research Center

Back Cover

As lumber prices rollercoaster, and quality declines, light-gauge steel framing has become a cost-effective alternative for building homes in North America. But making the switch from wood to steel can be a mystery for a wood-frame builder or framer. Lack of a skilled work force is one of the biggest barriers keeping steel framing from Taking a more significant market share. Until recently, only a few framers knew how to properly frame out of steel.

This book takes a major step toward changing that. it provides the basic methods in an easy-to-follow, hands-on format to quickly bring the home builder or framer up to speed on steel framing. If you're a prospective steel framer, you'll find the clear instructions here will shorten your learning curve significantly, and save you time and money. The book covers not just how to frame the house, but everything you need to know before you even pick up a screwgun:

Design and Standardization
Standing Walls
Nonbearing Walls
Tools and Fasteners
Rafters and Roof Trusses
Attaching Exterior Finishes
Preparing Take-offs & Estimates
Specialty Framing
Working with Subcontractors
Foundations and Anchoring
Stick Framing & Panelization
Job Site Inspections
Installing Floor Joists
Thermal Considerations
Selling to the Homebuyer

Included in the book is the text of the NAHB Research Center's Prescriptive Method for Resiclential Cold-Formed Steel Framing - the basis for most Code requirements for steel construction. It shows exactly how residential steel must be framed, and gives the span tables, load requirements and fastening schedules you need to erect Code-approved framing.

A free CD-ROM inside the back cover has all the construction details from Prescriptive Method in an accessible format. Insert these illustrations into your bid to show how you will assemble the steel, or print them for your crews as instructions. Also on the disk: National Estimator, an easy-to-use estimating program with 40 pages of manhour estimates, and material and labor costs for residential steel construction.

Tim Waite, a licensed professional engineer, has worked as a field engineer for the past 20 years. He was introduced to the light-gauge steel framing industry in 1992, and tooled up side-by-side with steel framers nationwide to find the most cost-effective details for residential steel framing. With the NAHB Research Center, he conducted classroom and hands-on training seminars for builders across the country and overseas. Subsequently, Tim wrote the Free shipping with AContractorsLicense.com

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National Training Curriculum for Residential Cold-Formed Steel Framing for the American Iron and Steel Institute. He serves on several committees for standardizing steel framing details and methods. In 1997 he started the Hawaii Steel Alliance, Inc., an association developed to further educate the industry and promote the use of steel framing. He currently works for the North American Steel Framing Alliance.