Steel Frame construction

Hi. Jeff;

Did you get a structural engineer?

Metal stud framing for exterior walls create a thermal bridge and can create heat loss problems as well as condensation.

A typical 6" stud wall with r-19 insulation can be reduced to approx. r-7.1.

Typically, the exterior will get a 2" layer of polystyrene to cover the studs and an OSB applied over the top.

This will provide an envelope to prevent themal failure due the transmission of the metal studs.

Hope this helps.

Marcel :slight_smile: :smiley:

Thanks Marcel… I did get those names to the client and to the realtor… I can only guess what an engineer might say to that leaning tower of Bangor!! The steel structure today was really interesting… but unfortunately there were cold spots… no polystyrene at all. Alos the attic had no access and there was considerable ice damming… here are a couple of questions tho…

  1. do the steel (joists) channels have a natural bow to them?
  2. is it not uncommon for the web of the channel/joists to flex as you step above… leaving a light thumping noise as the web flexs back and forth (this happened 3-4 notable locations in the home)

thanks

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Answers to
#1. Absolutely not.

#2 The spaceing, span, or sizing of these joist are wrong, and should be corrected.
Metal floor joist do not go thump, they dead bounce back. Deflection here in these joist would be critical to the structural capacities of the flooring system.

I thought this is the one the stuctural engineer was looking at.

Marcel :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :smiley:

more than one of these had a slight bow end to end… not like lumber, but side to side when looking down the length of the joist… the thump we are feeling/hearing is the actual web of the joist flexing in/out (side to side) like popping when stepped on from above.:roll:

the engineer was for this one:

Jeff; there should be no bowing, deflection or movement of any kind on loading metal floor joist.

The gauge is definitely wrong.

I would recommend further evaluation based on what you saw. I would also note what you saw. CMA

This could be a safety issue as well.

Marcel :slight_smile: