Many people believe that light gauge steel framing is "just like wood." In reality LGSF is totally different than wood-except for the fact that, in the end, a structure gets built. Major differences are found in the screwed connections; cutting methods; material strengths; engineering criteria; ordering procedures, and many other details of construction. It is these differences that challenge designers who are new to the LGSF process, including architects, structural engineers and component manufacturers. A lack of familiarity with LGSF design will cause costs to increase unnecessarily. LGSF is most competitive with wood framing when a design team with experience is combined with a competitive supply chain.This brings to fruition the many benefits steel framing can provide.

There is an old saying that "experience is gained by making mistakes." LGSF provides ample opportunity in which to make mistakes! As we have gained experience we've made our share-and they have been expensive at times. Fortunately for our customers, we can translate those costly learning experiences into significant cost savings!

Metallbau staff members have participated in virtually every facet of our industry. We've developed proprietary CAD software for LGSF (by CyberSteel LLC, a separate company), prepared shop drawings, and have pre-fabricated trusses, wall panels, and floor systems in our plant facility. We've also directed our own erection crews to build some of the largest LGSF structures on the West Coast-up to 250,000 square feet, and six stories in height.

Our project experience with load bearing LGSF includes both single-family housing, and many very large, multi-story residential complexes. We have experienced virtually every combination of LGSF walls, floors, and roof framing that is currently being built in our industry today. We're familiar with the challenges faced when building over concrete sub-structures (e.g. parking garages with post-tensioned slabs). That experience is described in the section called "Metallbau Products and Components."

Metallbau's business strategy allows us to bring our experience to a much wider audience. A good example of this is the consulting and shop drawing services we've been asked to perform for The Colony at the Peninsula, a 250,000 square foot, five-story condominium planned as part of a three-phase, 750,000 square foot project near Honolulu, Hawaii. Stanford Carr (www.stanfordcarr.com) is the developer, and Hawaiian Dredging (www.hdcc.com) is the general contractor.

Once you see the benefits that our system brings, we know you'll ask the Metallbau staff to help guide you through to a successful LGSF project.