6 Reasons Why Steel Is an Attractive Material for Construction

To be honest, it's very hard to imagine the world today without steel in the construction industry. Here are reasons why steel is gaining popularity as a preferred material for construction:

1. Increases Aesthetic Appeal

While strength and functionality are priority factors that builders consider for structures, aesthetic appeal cannot be ignored. Of course, nobody wants to build and end up with a building that lacks visual appeal. You want your building to stand out and look great.

For this reason, architects can greatly enjoy the following areas of expression:

• Visual effects such as metal structure coating, achieved through applying protective coatings to steel
• Functional expression via external exposed steel structures
• Ease in bending or forming steel according to desired design

Steel's ability to increase aesthetic appeal is another promising advantage. Architects love how easy it is to work with steel to create the desired look. In fact, this is also considered a material that allows architects and contractors to enjoy greater creativity and self-expression compared to other building materials.

2. Cost-Effectiveness

Compared to other frame materials, using structural steel is often a more cost-effective choice. The first part of savings lies in initial material costs. If you can get your steel from a good supplier, you can have a reasonable and competitive price.

Besides material costs, you may also gain additional savings by using steel. Since steel is often pre-fabricated, it can effectively shorten your construction period. This advantage aligns with other labor savings. When you have a shorter construction period, it means you pay less for workers or specialists.

3. Accelerates Construction Period

Before steel used in construction reaches your site, it has already been manufactured off-site. This feature creates another advantage: accelerating the construction period. When steel arrives at your construction site, there's very little work left other than assembly using bolted connections. This is the main factor contributing to faster construction.

Thanks to its ease of handling, steel can be safely considered an innovation constantly improving speed and efficiency in construction projects.

4. High Tensile Strength

The third reason why steel is now an attractive material in construction is its high tensile strength. Perhaps earlier you thought of steel as a material that easily corrodes, mold, or mildew. However, this is no longer the case today. Modern steels are coated with fire-resistant agents and materials that protect against these effects.

5. Increases Useful Floor Area

One of the drawbacks of traditional concrete buildings is that they often limit useful floor area. The higher the building, the larger the concrete columns must be. When there are several columns, they can occupy square meters in your structure.

This is no longer relevant for steel buildings. Since steel is already lightweight and strong, you can have a large open space without columns.

6. Can Withstand External Loads

External loads refer to external forces that can damage or affect the strength and durability of your structure. The good news for you is that steel structures have a strong ability to withstand external loads such as hurricanes, thunderstorms, and tornadoes.

Your contractor should provide you with recommendations on the best care for your building. If you can follow these standards, your building will serve you for at least 30 years.

Conclusion

As you can see, the use of steel as a primary material in the construction industry is backed by data. You cannot go wrong using steel, whether it's a residential or commercial project. It goes without saying that using steel in construction is more than just modern building aesthetics. It's important that you get the above-mentioned benefits without cutting corners on your supplier. Ensure you use only high-quality steel through a good and reputable contractor.