Light Gauge Framing Systems

Light gauge steel construction is very similar to wood framed construction in principle - the wooden framing members are replaced with thin steel sections. The steel sections used here are called cold formed sections, meaning that the sections are formed, or given shape at room temperature. This is in contrast to thicker hot rolled sections, that are shaped while the steel is molten hot. Cold formed steel is shaped by guiding thin sheets of steel through a series of rollers, each roller changing the shape very slightly, with the net result of converting a flat sheet of steel into a C or S-shaped section.

Contractors will usually order pre-punched sections - sections with factory-made holes in them - so that wires and plumbing can be easily passed through the walls. The gaps between members are filled with insulation.