In the steel vs. wood debate, steel wins, hands down.
01 Mar 2021
By Colleen Doucette, President, Steel Plus Network
The benefits of using steel in construction far outweighs those of wood. In a world where there is growing concern about the effects of climate change and deforestation, making the choice to use steel, the world’s #1 recyclable material, a wise one.
Let’s look at some of the benefits of using steel vs. wood in building construction:
Environmentally friendly
As mentioned, steel is over 98% recyclable and uses relatively little energy to produce. It can be used again and again without losing its strength or physical properties. Although Canada’s deforestation rate is among the lowest in the world (0.3% of global deforestation), and Canada is a world leader in sustainable forest management, why cut down trees (50 trees for a small garage!) for construction when you can use and reuse steel?
Durability
Cheaper is not always better and when it comes to steel vs. wood, this is a fact. Think long-term benefits of using steel in your building. If your wood building needs repairs due to damage or age, think of the extra money you will spend over time in repairs and renovations – much more than you would have planned on!
Just like Superman, our famous “Man of Steel”, structural steel withstands the test of time. Steel can last for decades without showing too much damage, such as cracks. Let’s not forget that steel is mold, mildew, bug, termite, and wood ant resistant!
Pre-fabrication
One of the new technologies that look for potential erection problems prior to construction is BIM 3D software (Building Information Modeling). This software allows for incredible time-saving opportunities on the construction site, but even more incredible is pre-fabricating portions of buildings with steel so the time on the construction site is not as long as it would be using wood.
Architectural imagination
Steel allows architects and designers unlimited ideas in design. From bending and rolling, to size and quantities, steel is a designer’s dream material.
If you’re looking to build with steel, look no further than our very our Steel Plus Network structural steel fabricator network. Located across North America, our fabricators are the best of the best. To find one nearest you, simply visit our home page to “Find a Fabricator”. And for more information about the benefits of steel, here are a few websites for you to check out:
√ The Benefit of Steel Buildings Vs Wood • Dream Lands Design