Tiny living has gained momentum over the last decade and sees no signs of slowing down. The tiny home market is currently valued at $16.5 billion and is expected to surpass $30 billion by 2030.
As the market grows, manufacturing has evolved to meet increased consumer demands for higher quality materials. Movable Roots, a custom tiny home manufacturer in Central Florida, builds with cold-formed steel (CFS) framing because it is lightweight, dimensionally stable and non-combustible.
Steel Framing ‘Better Option’ Than Wood
Founded in April 2017, Movable Roots is changing the way the industry thinks of tiny homes. The company’s construction philosophy is different and unusual, its website says. Movable Roots designs homes to be mobile, but built for full-time living. In addition, each home is custom designed, which is not typical within the tiny home industry.
Movable Roots production line moves are measured in weeks not hours. The production team is incentivized for quality output rather than speed. This philosophy carries over to the choice of framing material.
“When we started Movable Roots we decided to go with metal studs as our standard [framing material],” said Mike Cheatham, co-owner of Movable Roots, in a YouTube video (above). “Even though our background in construction was with wood, we felt steel was a better option for tiny homes.”
The Steel Framing Advantage
Cold-formed steel (CFS) leads the way as the preferred framing material for prefabricated structures for multiple reasons. CFS is:
- A pre-engineered material that can be cut to exact lengths
- Dimensionally stable and does not expand or contract with changes in moisture content
- Lightweight compared to wood and concrete
- Resilient and will not warp, split, crack or creep when exposed to the elements
- Sustainable and 100% recyclable
- Durable and has a high tensile strength
- Non-combustible and is a safeguard against fire accidents
‘Steel’s Quality if Predictable’
Today’s construction professionals are building smarter by using CFS studs and track to frame structures, CFS members being more durable, easier to construct and longer lasting than wood-framed structures. CFS framing has a proven track record of providing sustainable and economical benefits.
“Steel’s quality is predictable, [we know] it’s going to be nice and straight,” says Cheatham. “The walls are straight so you can hang cabinetry and do all of the things [needed] on the inside without having any crazy bows.”
Steel is dimensionally stable and does not expand or contract with changes in moisture content. Steel will not warp, split, crack or creep when exposed to the elements. Since steel is an inorganic material, it is not a desirable food source for termites.
“Bugs are not going to eat it,” says Cheatham. “So termites, a big issue here in Florida, are not going to attach themselves to [the steel].”
Steel is also noncombustible. Steel can’t burn, because it contains no elements that can serve as fuel. Steel provides no means for a fire to start, does not contribute to fire growth or fire spread and does not contribute to the generation of smoke and toxic combustion products in fires.
“If there’s a fire inside the house, [steel] isn’t going to let the fire spread,” says Cheatham.
Steel Weighs Less, Allows for Added Features
“But, it all boils down to weight, “ says Cheatham. A 28-foot custom built tiny home equates to about 1,700 pounds of steel framing. An equivalent wood-framed tiny home weighs about 2,200 pounds.
Cheatham says that 500 pounds may not sound like a lot, but it allows Movable Roots to add additional features to the home that would not be possible with wood framing.
Quartz countertops and ‘heavier’ custom built cabinets can be added due to the weight savings steel provides, Cheatham says.
10 Tiny House Facts
Sources: Bankrate and Comfy Living
- Tiny homes grew popular during the Great Recession in 2007, when families were looking for ways to save money
- The average size of a tiny home is between 100 and 400 square feet
- A structure must have a ceiling height of no less than 6’4″ to be considered a tiny home
- 63% of millennials would consider buying a tiny home
- The average tiny home costs less than 1/5 the cost of a traditional home
- The average cost of a built-to-suit tiny house is $59,884
- Tiny homes appreciate twice as fast as the overall home market
- 55% of tiny house owners have more savings than the average homeowner
- A tiny house uses only about 7% of the energy that a traditional house does
- The states with the most tiny homes are California, Florida and Colorado
Additional Resources
- California to Build Steel-Framed Tiny Homes for the Homeless
- COVID-19 Creates New Markets for Metal Studs
- Navy Looks to the Future with Steel Framing