wood vs steel

7echo

In your experience, is wood framing more or less expensive than steel?

To qualify it a bit, say a 14 x 20, slab on grade, one room, typical drywall interior and vinyl siding exterior.

concretemasonry

Since it all just about price. Get bids for each methos of construction.

If other factors such as resale, insulation and sound make the question more challenging.

Is this a free-standing room or is it a attached? Building out of the same materials is usually best.

Dick

7echo

Free standing.

It will be insulated. Built to be a detached room, maybe for a studio, or office, or MIL suite.

It isn't all about budget, more like inexpensive quality...

So, can you build cheaper, I mean less expensive, with steel studs or wood studs for this sort of application?

Gary in WA

Price them out locally.

As Dick mentioned insulation......... steel studs are a big thermal link to exterior temperatures with inherent convective loops and possible "ghosting" with f.g. batts: http://www.buildingscience.com/docum...rm=steel+studs

http://www2.dupont.com/Tyvek_Weather...20Bulletin.pdf

Gary

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7echo

Reading on Building Science shows that wood, using Advanced Framing, is a good option. I am going to look more into that.


Mostly I see they have a vapor barrier between the drywall and studs. Is that for a climate where heating is the main focus of HVAC? Where I am the environment is hot, humid summers and mild winters. Last winter the cat water only froze one time.

7echo

OK, I found the DOE site that says we are in zone 2. Zone 2 building says no vapor barrier on the interior of the wall assembly.

hand drive

I would think that wood framing would be best. all of the tradesmen will most likely know how to attach things and drill through wood and what not. you would need a commercial crew to come do your residential work, or is this going to be a commercial structure?

hand drive

you want to have tyvek type wrap as the vapor barrier installed on the outside of sheathing

7echo

I will probably do most of the work, especially if I go with wood. And, it looks like that is the best option all things considered.


Thanks for the comments.