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Steel Liberates Structural Design

When designing a home, commercial building, or other space, you have many options regarding the finished look of the structure. From quaint and traditional to modern and soaring, the possibilities are endless. The materials utilised in construction have tremendous influence on the overall design. Brick and timber allow for some modifications, but the general structure of your building will be fairly conventional. For a design that wows, more and more architects are going for steel. Steel allows for incredible innovation in form and function while looking sleek and attractive. In essence, steel liberates structural design.

Steel Celebrates Shapes and Space

Timber, a popular building material, simply does not offer the flexibility to open space in the same way that steel does. When using extended steel spans and the elegance of steel framing, an architect has the freedom to open up a space. The malleability of this product can create curves and shapes, without the need for the addition of columns or load-bearing walls. This advantage allows for variability and creativity in design, celebrating shape and space in a way that other materials cannot. Expand a ceiling space or give curvature to your internal walls. Try a soaring open floor plan. Incorporate windows into the steel façade in unique ways. For builders and designers seeking a modern look that doesn’t always conform to the expected, steel is an outstanding choice.

Steel Provides Strength and Durability

Steel does not compromise when it comes to strength and durability. In fact, in comparison with timber trusses, steel is far stronger, more flexible, and endlessly durable. In earthquake-prone regions, steel is the building material of choice. Unlike other materials, it doesn’t crumble or crack under the stress of great loads, but uses its properties of flexibility to stretch and resist. This means that steel homes and commercial buildings are structures of great strength that will go the distance, and perhaps be the safer option.

Steel’s recyclability is also one of its most incredible benefits in building. Nearly 30% of the steel used today is comprised of recycled steel. This material has a virtually endless life cycle; steel can be recycled without losing any of its properties and repurposed for new construction. This makes steel an earth-friendly option, too.

Adaptable for the Future

Another way steel liberates structural design is that it more readily allows for adaptations and changes in the future. Steel framing and flooring, for instance, provide easier access to wiring and other internal elements—a strong benefit if modifications are intended for the structure. When building with steel, the final product does not necessarily have to remain the final product.

Steel construction requires lighter materials (and generally less of them) which can prove advantageous should a residential or commercial structure need alterations. Even fully repurposing a space can be easily achieved with steel. Steel spans can be moved or reconfigured, floor slabs reinforced to bear more weight, and cover plates and beams reinforced with plating or framing. With this flexibility, existing spaces can’t be adapted to new purposes—making steel an even more ideal initial investment.

Considering steel in your upcoming design and construction? With more than 30 years of industry experience, HARD BAKKA is your top choice steel fabricator. Working with industrial, commercial, and residential metal, we’d love to assist you in your future projects and show you the tremendous value of steel in structural design.