Wood Vs. Steel Support Beams - A

Wood has traditionally been the building material for most support beams in home construction. However, with steel proving itself as an excellent building material in large buildings, it is slowly replacing wood construction in conventional homes as well. This is due to many factors, from price and availability, strength and durability, and the elimination of misconceptions. Although wood remains important in home construction, steel support provides many advantages. Steel buildings can even be pre-engineered to speed construction and efficiency.

Price
Fortunately, wood and lumber is a renewable resource. Unfortunately, the rate of its needs versus how fast it is replanted is much higher. This means lumber prices can fluctuate. Steel mining support , on the other hand, is readily available in large quantities. It is also recyclable. Steel prices, although historically higher than wood, is now on par with wood. The pricing of steel is usually consistent.

Strength
Steel support beams have very high load strength and can handle stress much better than wood. Aside from being one of the strongest building materials available for home construction, it is a manufactured metal, meaning its strength isn’t dependant on things like knots, twists, or defects that may be found in wood.