FAQs

No, there is no difference in the finished look of a home with a steel-frame. Steel-frames are compatible with concrete slabs and other sub-floor construction, as well as your choice of wall, ceiling and roof materials. Steel's high strength-to-weight ratio gives it excellent spanning capability, providing more design freedom to cost effectively create wide, open living spaces.

If house plans are already drawn for timber-framing, it's relatively easy to make the switch to steel. You may be surprised just how competitive it can be, and the additional benefits of steel make it an even more attractive option.

Yes - additions are relatively easy to make. Furthermore, you can expect the original steel structure to be straight and true regardless of its age, making the job of lining up the addition easy.

Axxis® Steel is manufactured in New Zealand from locally mined iron-sand and a component of recycled steel. The rollforming technology behind steel-framing allows fabrication to exact specifications before they're erected, so there is minimal cutting and wastage, and less environmental impact on the building site. Axxis® Steel does not contain additional preservative chemicals and won't give off gases or emit VOCs.

Yes! Standard practice is to earth steel-frames, so if they are exposed to a live-wire the earthing creates a short and trips the residual current safety switch to reduce the chance of electrocution. In fact, steel-framing offers better protection in a lightning storm, as, if struck, the charge will be redirected to the ground, reducing the likelihood of fire or injury.

As with timber-framed walls, lightweight pictures can be hung from hooks that stick with adhesive to the wall or using a nail. For heavier pictures, picture hangers should be fixed through into a steel stud with standard fine point screws or specialist nails. Once you locate the studs, you can also mount heavier objects using screw fixing or toggle bolts.

Our free MemDes design software is a quick and easy way to design structural steel members widely accepted and used by engineers throughout New Zealand. Find out more about about MemDes by clicking here.

You can access these through the Steltech® website here

Roof runoff is a term that refers to water that runs off from installed roofing materials. Runoff water (which usually ends up in the stormwater system) also comes from roads and other drained areas. It may contain contaminants.

Auckland Council is concerned about the level of contaminants like zinc in Auckland's harbour sediment. Auckland Council has commissioned a number of reports that have identified main sources of zinc as unpainted roofs and car tyres (which contain zinc oxide).