The construction of houses with a metal frame at the base is a relatively new trend in the domestic construction services market. Despite this, this technology has gained great popularity and is widely used in the construction of residential buildings, industrial and commercial facilities. It allows you to significantly reduce the cost and speed up the construction. At the same time, the final result is in no way inferior to traditional structures in its technical parameters and economic indicators.
Buildings with a metal frame: scope
Frame houses began to be built quite a long time ago. Initially, the supporting structure was made, as a rule, of wood. But today, consumers prefer a metal profile. In principle, materials are comparable in cost, but at the same time, steel supports are more reliable, have a much greater margin of safety, and are not subject to decay. Yes, they may oxidize and rust. But modern technologies make it possible to create a reliable anticorrosive coating on the surface (both diffusion type and galvanic deposition). Thus, the device of the metal frame is quite justified.
Application area
Over a long period of time, such houses were built for the needs of agriculture (greenhouses, barns, barracks), small industry (workshops, workshops) and storage facilities (terminals, warehouses). In parallel with the improvement of technology, the metal frame was increasingly used in the construction of elite buildings for expensive and exclusive architectural projects. Today, in Japan, as well as in Western Europe and the United States, most buildings are built using this technology.
Why should I give preference to a frame basis?
Frame construction has many advantages compared to other methods of building construction:
- relatively low costs of building materials;
- speed of construction (you can build a full-fledged good house in the shortest possible time - in just a month);
- the ability to carry out construction continuously, without taking into account the weather factor, even if it snows with rain;
- such buildings are lightweight, so there are no shrinkage processes leading to cracking of the walls and partitions of the metal frame;
- the opportunity to build a house on your own, which will require only short-term assistance from several people (possibly family members).
Main disadvantages
Before embarking on the construction, you need to weigh all the advantages and disadvantages of a particular technology. The frame building has many advantages, but there are also disadvantages. So, its design involves a number of complex calculations, which are very difficult to carry out independently, without being a civil engineer and without special knowledge. An error in the calculation of the load and the wrong choice of the profile or bearing capacity of the supports are fraught with catastrophic consequences.
The profile material is, as a rule, steel of ordinary quality that does not have alloying elements (chrome, nickel, etc.). Such material is the cheapest. But at negative temperatures, the bearing capacity of such a design drops significantly (a property of the so-called cold brittleness). Therefore, in climatic cold conditions, such a frame should not be used.
The imperfection of such a material also affects at high temperatures, which can be caused by a fire. When heated, steel of ordinary quality loses its elasticity and strength, and this can lead to the collapse of the building.
Steel, like any iron material, has very good thermal conductivity, so the metal frame of the building absorbs and removes heat outside. Therefore, the insulation of such a structure requires large expenditures on materials and work. This is another drawback that you should pay attention to, especially in the conditions of our harsh winters and high energy prices.
Requirements for the design and manufacture of structural elements
The project must comply with regulatory legal acts in the field of construction, take into account the purpose of the building, the nature of the soil, especially the transport delivery of components, frame assembly, operating conditions (including weather), and the properties of the materials used.
The production of each individual element of the metal structure must comply with GOST and industry standards, technical conditions of the manufacturer. Deviation from the technology adopted at the factory is not allowed. Each element must meet the requirements, provide a regulated bearing capacity. Welded joints are required to undergo rigorous monitoring (visually and by means of ultrasound). Corrosion and decorative coatings are applied at the factory using specialized equipment. It is allowed to apply a protective coating at the installation site of metal structures in case of damage to the layer during transportation and during assembly of the frame.
At the plant, all elements are cleaned from oxides, degreased (an ultrasonic bath can be used for this purpose ).
Exceeding the maximum deviations of the values specified in the design documentation is not allowed.
Elements of the frame house and materials used
The house is a complex engineering object and consists of the following elements: base (concrete foundation), directly the metal frame of the walls, partitions, roof, decoration (both internal and external), insulation.
The foundation is an indispensable element of the house, without which the dwelling will not last long. Its absence is allowed only during the construction of small buildings (for example, greenhouses or greenhouses).
The most common material for the frame is a square metal rolling profile with a side of 100 centimeters. In some cases, you can use an element with a square side of 60 centimeters.
For interior decoration, it is recommended to use softwood boards. Outside, the house is usually finished with siding or plaster. It is also possible to use natural wood for these purposes, but such a solution will cost more.
Buildings are insulated with foam plates from 6 to 10 centimeters thick. Strips of penoizol insulate the supporting elements of the frame.
The attic or roof can be designed as separate elements, or can be a logical continuation of the main frame. The profile for the rafters depends on the roofing materials that will be used, as well as on the value of the slope of the roof. In general, the greater the slope of the roof surface, the thinner the profile.
Building frame device
For a design to meet safety requirements and serve for many years, it must have a number of essential elements. This is a horizontal frame, columns for connection to the foundation and reliable fixation, structural elements for slings, beams, runs for fixing materials. Thus, the frame is a set of structural elements connected into a single system.
The frameworks of the link, frame, and also frame-link type are distinguished. Frame-linking are used in the construction of small architectural forms (horizontal frames are fastened with vertical columns). But the communication type is used for the construction of large-scale high-rise buildings.
Features of the assembly of the frame structure
Installation of a metal frame can be carried out only after the arrangement of the foundation. Lightweight materials are used for the construction of such houses, so a non-capital foundation is allowed. If necessary, it can be disassembled, moved to a new place and reassembled.
Assembling a prefabricated framework is relatively simple. After all, all elements have holes for bolts. It is necessary in strict accordance with the instructions from the manufacturer to assemble this constructor. By the way, when constructing a frame, the use of collapsible joints is preferable to non-collapsible types (in particular, welding). Such a design will be much better in absorbing vibrations and will not collapse. A welded joint can simply burst with a significant gust of wind or a small earthquake.
Assembling an atypical house will bring much more trouble. It is difficult to do without a welding machine in such a matter. As you know, weldability deteriorates greatly with increasing percentage of carbon in the steel. For this reason, for such purposes, it is necessary to use rolled products from low-carbon steel grades whenever possible.
Frame Assembly Steps
First of all, vertical columns and racks are installed. Subsequently, these elements are interconnected by means of thin vertical profiles. The rigidity of the entire frame is provided by braces. You should start from the top and gradually move down.
Lastly, the roof is going (attic). In parallel with the assembly of the roofing part, you can begin to carry out finishing work.
Features of the device stairs
The basis of any staircase on a metal frame are individual modules that are reliably interconnected by welding.
It is not difficult to make such a staircase on your own, only it will hardly have a decent and stylish appearance. However, if the transition to the second floor from a metal frame in a garage or warehouse is arranged, then this is not scary. But if you need a staircase to the living room of the cottage, then it should look neat and stylish. There are many companies ready to make a staircase specifically for your needs, develop a good design project and implement it. With the ladder attached to the metal frame, the construction of difficulties will not arise.