BuildSteel is tracking stories that offer insights on the conversion from wood to cold-formed steel (CFS) framing in building projects. These narratives, which address the opportunities and successes of using steel framing, are valuable resources for contractors, architects, engineers and owners considering the switch to CFS.
Steel Framing Speeds Up Barndominium Building
My Barndo Plans, a division of Home Plans based in Frisco, Texas, specializes in barndominium kits that use cold-formed steel (CFS) framing. A barndominium is an open concept building that combines living quarters and a working area.
According to the company’s website, the key benefits of CFS include energy efficiency, recyclability and durability, each an environmental benefit on its own.
By converting traditional wood construction to steel, My Barndo Plans is able to speed the barndominium construction process. For example, their flagship model, the “Quinn,” can be erected in under two weeks, which includes the walls, sheathing, siding, roofing, windows and doors. This rapid assembly enables internal systems like wiring and plumbing to be installed much sooner than with traditional construction materials.
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My Barndo Plans ships approximately three kits per month from its Texas facility. The company is on pace to ship 100 home kits in 2025, reflecting growth in the barndominium niche. Looking ahead, the company plans to expand its eco-friendly steel solutions in the affordable housing market.
“The [steel framing] kits help us achieve our mission of making homes more affordable for American families,” says Bill Hogestt, founder of Home Plans.
Steel Framing Key to Award-Winning Girls Inc. Project
Girls Inc. of San Antonio, a nonprofit empowering young girls through education and mentorship, transformed a 24,000-square-foot former religious education center into an out-of-school facility using cold-formed steel (CFS) framing. The $7 million renovation showcases the advantages of incorporating steel into renovation projects.
The renovated facility includes new offices, labs, a kitchen, a mental health zone, an art studio and an open-concept event space. Custom artisan panels adorn the facade and staircase, enhancing the interior aesthetics. The project won the 2024 Texas & Louisiana Best Small Project award from Engineering News-Record.
Despite budget constraints and other unexpected challenges, the project was completed on time. Girls Inc. plans to inspire generations of young girls through use of this durable, steel-enhanced facility.
New Steel Specification Simplifies UK Housing Construction
In November 2024, the webinar, New Homes in New Ways: Light Steel Framing for New Homes, provided an overview of cold-formed steel (CFS) framing and introduced the National Light-Gauge Steelwork Specification. Andrew Way, associate director at the Steel Construction Institute and lead author of the NLSS, said the new specification promotes better communication among designers, manufacturers and installers.
Published by the British Constructional Steelwork Association and SCI, the NLSS standardizes project specifications for CFS framing. The specification is designed to integrate easily into contract documentation, ensuring that acceptable standards for both manufacturing and installing CFS framed buildings are met.
During the webinar, Way highlighted the NLSS’s comprehensive guidelines on design, materials, tolerances and quality control, which collectively support the reliability and growth of CFS framing in UK construction.
CFS is a well-established construction method, ideally suited for modern housing and multifamily residential buildings. Steel offers enhanced durability, superior structural performance, noncombustibility and accelerated construction speeds compared to traditional wood framing.
Additional Resources:
- Light Yet Mighty: Steel’s Strength-to-Weight Surpasses Wood and Concrete
- Examining the Surge in Mid-Rise Wood Construction Fires: The Case for Steel Framing
- Homebuilders Embrace Steel as an Alternative to Wood Framing