House from a metal profile: technology and features of lstk. what is steel frame and how to build

Low-rise metal frame houses are popular all over the world. According to statistics, housing construction on a metal profile frame occupies 80% of all buildings. The main consumer regions of this technology are Scandinavia, USA, Canada.

Such houses have many advantages compared to capital buildings and houses built on a wooden frame.

Distinctive features of metal frame houses:

• strength;
• durability;
• short terms of construction of buildings;
• inertness to weather and climatic conditions;
• low cost;
• resistance to heat loss;
• high fire safety;
• seismic resistance;
• environmental friendliness;
• freedom in the choice of architectural solutions;
• non-shrink technology.

The iron frame, its elements are light steel thin-walled structures, consists of galvanized profiles and thermal profiles, fastening tapes and plates for assembling the frame, various types of corners. They are not subject to decay, withstand temperature extremes, precipitation, and are resistant to the elements. A steel profile can serve as the basis of a structure without damage for more than 100 years.

It is possible to build a building on a LSTK frame within a month. The details of the base of the building are lightweight, which eliminates the use of hoists and cranes. The fastening of the frame parts is carried out using threaded connections. These include: self-drilling or tapping screws, bolted connections.

Features of houses on a metal frame

Frame housing construction is not tied to the climate in the region. The metal frame for the house can be assembled in any climatic zone, the main condition for weather conditions is comfort for the workers performing the installation.

The emergence and development of the technology for the construction of residential buildings on metal frames is caused by the need to quickly erect low-rise buildings from materials cheaper than wood and the ability to establish industrial production of frame parts.

The final cost of a frame house made of a metal profile and sandwich panels is much lower than the construction of bricks, gas blocks, wood and ceramic blocks.

High thermal insulation characteristics of structures are provided by high-quality insulation. Heating such buildings is much easier and more economical. The heat transfer resistance of a frame wall 25 cm thick is equal to that of masonry 1.5 m thick.

Sandwich panels used in frame construction use mineral wool insulation. Its temperature range is -60…+400ᵒС. The characteristics of wall panels make the house resistant to acids and other aggressive environments, temperature extremes, and fire. The material from which they are made does not accumulate moisture, is resistant to damage by rodents and microorganisms.

Mineral wool insulation is natural and environmentally friendly. Frame elements from LSTC can be reused. This property is highly valued by mining companies that build shift camps. So the ecology of the regions is less damaged.

Due to the light weight of the base and sandwich panels, the buildings do not shrink. In buildings built using this technology, it is possible to use different architectural possibilities, since spans without installing intermediate supports can reach 14-24 m.

Disadvantages of a metal profile frame

The base of metal parts has several disadvantages.

1. In case of fire, the base of galvanized iron loses its rigidity, the building turns into a spiral, it falls off, warps. This feature reduces occupant evacuation time. A wooden beam, as opposed to iron, is charred under the influence of fire, but keeps its shape.
2. The complexity of the installation of built-in furniture and household appliances. To solve the problem at the design stage, houses are determined with their installation sites, which are reinforced with additional profiles and wood panels.
3. The limited number of storeys of the house and the impossibility of using heavy building materials.
4. High conductivity of electric current metal frame. Protection against this problem is the potential balancing system.

Fabrication and installation of a frame from LSTC

The skeleton of the house is made of C- and U-profile. They are connected with self-tapping screws. Step between racks 600-1000 mm. It takes into account the dimensions of the insulation panels and allows you to conveniently mount other finishing materials.

If the house is being built according to an individual project, then after its development and coordination of all the nuances for the placement of furniture and household appliances in the premises of the future building, a 3D model of the house is made. This allows customers to see the final result in miniature. At the end of the design documentation process, the drawings are transferred to the plant that produces the metal frame parts.

On the production line, each part is made separately, numbered, packed. Finished parts are equipped with holes for fastenings and for engineering communications. For mounting the skeleton of the house, connecting elements are included in the kit for the base parts.

Buildings on individual projects are much more expensive than houses made according to standard projects. To reduce the cost of housing construction, you can use a standard project with a frame made of a thermal profile or light steel thin-walled structures using Canadian technology. Its difference from other technologies for the rapid construction of buildings is the LSTK frame and special SIP panels with special thermal insulation characteristics.

In the case of housing construction according to a standard project, the customer receives a finished frame of a certain size and shape. Base parts are labeled and packaged according to house drawings.

As a heater, in addition to mineral wool, you can use:

• basalt slabs;
• expanded polystyrene;
• ecowool.

For finishing the exterior walls of the house, brick, porcelain stoneware are used. Often, hinged ventilated facades of various types are used as finishing for the facades of frame buildings. Finishing materials such as siding and block house are becoming increasingly popular. Plastering and painting of facade walls have not lost their relevance.

Complete with frame parts and connecting elements, the customer receives a description of the project, recommendations and instructions for assembling the frame, and a specification of all elements.

The construction of a frame house has several advantages. You can build such a house quickly, economically and efficiently. Metal frames are lighter and stronger, have increased fire resistance. Insulated houses based on metal frames have high energy-saving properties. The installation of a metal frame has its own nuances that must be taken into account during construction.

Advantages of a metal frame house

Metal frames have some undeniable advantages over wooden ones. One of its main advantages is the relatively low price. Typically, the price of turnkey frames depends on the choice of material from which they are going to be made, on the fastening method used, and on the cost of installation work.

Metal carcass

Metal frames are made of steel, which is reflected in their second name. These products are also called LSTK, which stands for light steel thin-walled structures.

Another indisputable advantage of such a frame is its strength and lightness. These frames weigh less than others, but are much stronger. They are able to withstand tall and heavy buildings.

Metal frames are made in the factory with a preliminary drafting of a project in which the dimensions of all elements are fixed. Hidden wiring can be placed in these elements. Since they are made of steel, they have an increased resistance to fire and are not subject to corrosion.

Main properties of light steel thin-walled structures

Features of assembling houses from a metal profile

The LSTK technology was developed in the last century. Metal frames are built from a profile with slots. This allows you to avoid the occurrence of cold bridges inside. The problems of thermal insulation and sound insulation can be solved with the help of modern heaters.

In structures with a metal frame, special attention is paid to the installation of a layer for steam, hydro and thermal insulation. This is due to the fact that in them the dew point is located inside the house. For this reason, it is also necessary to correctly make wind protection. Moreover, it is necessary to make sure that there is a ventilation system between the outer waterproofing layer and the insulation. It can be made by hand. This will facilitate the rapid removal of moisture. In houses of this type, it is necessary to organize competent electrical protection.

Previously, the use of metal as a frame was questionable. This was due to its increased thermal conductivity. This problem was solved by using galvanized metal profiles with perforation. The holes are filled with insulation, which reduces the level of thermal conductivity. This indicator is also influenced by the wall thickness. Therefore, the reviews of such houses relate to insulation issues.

One of the problems encountered in the construction of such houses is their increased electrical conductivity. However, it is solved by competent grounding.

How to choose a foundation for a metal frame house. Will it be different from a wooden frame?

For a metal frame house, a foundation on screw piles is suitable

Unlike the foundation for a house with a wooden frame, when building LSTK, there is no need to build a massive base. Such a house is quite light and does not need a massive foundation. The developer will not have to deal with bulky earthworks, it will also not be necessary to build formwork, two meters high, to mount solid waterproofing. They can be built on any type of soil. The construction of a strip foundation is not required.

After analyzing the properties of the soil, you can choose the type of foundation for your light house. An excellent option can be columnar foundations, screw piles.

Metal frame mounting technology

When mounting the frame, it is necessary to create spatial blocks, flat frames and strengthen them as much as possible

In the process of mounting a metal frame, it is necessary to take into account the properties of the material. Care must be taken not to damage it during transport. During installation, you need to strive to create spatial blocks, flat frames and strengthen them as much as possible.

During the preparation of the foundation, transverse risks are applied to it, which must correspond to the axes of the future frame, the supporting surfaces and the location of the anchor bolts. With the help of anchors, it will be possible to correct installation inaccuracies.

Connections of metal beams can be not only bolted, but also welded. The frame itself consists of a lower and upper harness. There is also a connection between them. In advance, it is necessary to design door and window openings, a metal crate.

1. The profile is cut to the desired size;
2. If necessary, bends at a pre-calculated angle;
3. The resulting parts are welded or bolted according to the scheme.

There are three options for enclosing structures:

1. Sheet assembly;
2. Cassette profile;
3. The use of sandwich panels manufactured at the factory.

The choice of materials for the installation of these enclosing structures is at the choice of customers. See photo views.

Exterior decoration of the house

It is one of the most important stages. The type of finish is determined by the customer and can be made using various materials:

1. If you want to make a budget option for finishing, then it makes sense to use vinyl siding, block house, mount a ventilated facade and other hinged structures;
2. If you make the finish with plaster, then the house will give the impression of a Mediterranean cottage;
3. Affordable prices and ease of installation attract those who use various panels that look like natural materials;
4. Finishing using tiles, natural and artificial stones looks very impressive. The house becomes like a solid and expensive one, but at the same time retains all the advantages of a metal frame structure.

Video

Watch the video tutorial on the construction of metal frame houses.

The low cost of light steel thin-walled structures with the mass availability of building materials contributes to the growing popularity of prefabricated civil buildings. The price of building a turnkey LSTK house is 5 times lower than the cost of capital brick construction. Building a house today is not as difficult as it was years ago, modern building technologies simplify the construction of a structure to the simplest level.

Prefabricated houses LSTK- these are houses made of a metal frame, which consists of elements of thin-walled, galvanized high-strength steel 3-4 mm thick. Building a turnkey house is not as difficult as it seems at first glance, and if you are still deciding whether you need to build a house using modern building technology from LSTC or not, check out this publication and you will make the right choice in favor of world progress.

Construction of a turnkey LTSC house is a service provided by specialized companies, which implies the implementation of all stages of work on the construction of a future building, from design to commissioning of the building with a guarantee of quality. The standard practice is to build a turnkey house from LSTK according to a standard project, which was previously built by this enterprise.

When ordering the construction of a turnkey house from LSTK, the cost of work will be about 45% of the total estimate.

What makes up the price:

• 55-65% - the price of building material
• 35-45% - the cost of work

Many businesses offer multiple options for low, medium, and high cost consumables. Also, the option of using your building material (which will comply with the terms of reference) may be offered.

Individual or standard project of the house?

Before you start building a house, answer the following questions for yourself: what do you want to get in the end? Is your idea non-standard or is one of the ready-made projects of LSTK structures suitable?

The thing is that LSTK houses have been actively built on a turnkey basis in our country for more than 15 years, during which time beautiful, original projects of comfortable and functional residential buildings have appeared that meet all modern building codes and requirements. Therefore, individual design of a house is not a mandatory option when ordering a turnkey construction of a LSTK house, so you can choose any ready-made version of a standard project that meets your requirements and terms of reference and start building it. The choice in favor of a standard project will save at least 25,000 Russian rubles, which can be invested in home insulation.

If you order a special project of the LSTK house, architects and engineers will prepare the best solution for you, in which everything will be thought out to the smallest detail: the type of foundation, roofing, wall insulation material and building facade cladding, sewerage and electrical network plan, water supply, ventilation system and much more other.

How is the turnkey construction of a turnkey LSTK house

First you need to find a contractor, high-level specialists with many years of experience in the construction and design of modern prefabricated buildings from light steel thin-walled structures.

The construction of a house from LSTC consists of several stages:

• Designing the future building, taking into account all the wishes and requirements.
• Manufacture of steel metal structure at the factory.
• Delivery of the finished kit at home to the installation site.
• The process of assembling and installing the frame.
• Internal and external finishing.
• Roofing.
• Structural insulation.

Decide on the project of the house, agree on all questions on the manufacture of the frame of the building, terms and prices.

The agreed and approved project of the future LSTK house is sent to the steel structure plant, which produces all the elements of the frame structure, forms a ready-made kit with all fasteners and packs it for further transportation to the assembly site. The plant guarantees the geometric accuracy of all parts.

What is included in the cost of manufacturing a metal structure at a factory:

• A set of assembly elements (profiled sheets and thin-walled profiles made of high-strength galvanized steel)
• A set of fasteners (bolts, hardware)
• Detailed instructions for assembling a house from LSTK.

LSTK house assembly

After the finished kit has been brought to the assembly site, a team of workers can begin the process of installing the building frame. Practice shows that 3-4 workers assemble a one-story metal frame of a LSTK house with an area of ​​110 meters on the floor in 2-4 days.

The frame is installed on the foundation, in case of its absence, the surface of the site is cleaned and the foundation is poured.

Connect the frame frame, erect walls and roof rafters. Produce interior and exterior decoration, insulation. In order for the fire safety of a house made of LSTC to be at the highest level, the materials of the outer walls are impregnated with special chemical fire protection agents. Turnkey LSTK houses are built very quickly, the deadlines are not delayed, all stages begin and end right on time. The term of building a house is 3-4 months and depends on the complexity of the design and dimensions.

LSTK technology

LSTK is an abbreviation that is used to denote not only construction technology, but also the material used - thin-walled galvanized steel profiles.

Still wondering why the construction of a turnkey LSTK house has become such a sought-after and popular service in the Russian market? The answer is hidden in the following: the technology for the construction of prefabricated buildings from light steel thin-walled structures was developed in the 1950s and since then has been constantly improved and developed by specialists in the construction industry.

Canadians have pioneered this simple yet reliable construction technology. The reason for the creation was the need for high-quality and inexpensive construction of residential buildings for the middle class of the population.

Prefabricated houses from LSTK, the turnkey construction price of which is 5-6 times lower than the capital one, have a whole list of advantages and positive features.

Advantages and features of houses from LSTK:

• Price. The cost of building a metal frame is more economical than the usual capital one.
• Timing. It is possible to build turnkey frame houses from a metal profile in 2-4 months.
• Easy installation. The frame of the house is built according to the documentation as a constructor. All LSTK elements are marked and have the necessary holes, they are securely joined to each other.
• No shrinkage on the foundation. If ordinary houses shrink due to heavy weight and huge load, then light steel thin-walled structures do not.
• Long service life. The proven service life of a house from LSTK, which was built on a turn-key basis by professionals, is 60-110 years.
• Excellent heat saving performance. The insulated wall of the house made of light steel thin-walled structures with a thickness of 15-20 centimeters corresponds to the thermal characteristics of a brick wall with a thickness of 1.6 meters.
• Construction at any time of the year. It is possible to build a turnkey house from LSTK even in wet weather.

The technology of construction of prefabricated buildings is developing, improving and widely used in our country. The construction of a turnkey LSTK house is a good alternative to the capital construction of a house. Many practice a savings option that will be of interest to many: you can order a ready-made set of a metal frame for a house, hire workers and build a house with a minimum economic benefit of 100-150,000 rubles. In any case, the LSTK technology is more economical than conventional construction, so we recommend not saving on professionals and entrusting the construction of a house exclusively to high-level specialists.

A metal frame for the house will help to build inexpensive and reliable housing in a short time. These structures were mainly used for the construction of industrial and commercial buildings, due to the high thermal conductivity of the material. With the advent of thermal profiles and various types of insulation, metal-frame houses have become a significant competitor to wooden houses.

A metal frame house can be built both in classical and modern or high-tech style. Source buscarfoto.com

Features of frame houses from a metal profile

The profile house consists entirely of metal structures. They are the basis of walls, floors and roofs. The thickness of the profiles used depends on the bearing loads.

Features of such buildings:

due to the light frame, the weight of the whole house is reduced;

a house made of a straight steel profile is built quickly and does not require the use of many building tools.

Despite the emergence of new technologies in construction, a metal house requires additional thermal insulation, since this material has a high thermal conductivity. The choice of this or that insulation depends on the climatic conditions in which the house will be located.

The metal used in the construction of such houses is durable, does not rot and burn, and does not require additional processing. The material can be completely recycled without harming the environment.

Construction work is carried out in any season, regardless of the weather. The steel frame is suitable for the construction of low one-, two-, three-, and four-story buildings.

Source domsireni.ru

Advantages and disadvantages of metal profile houses

The technology of building frame houses made of metal is becoming more and more popular. This is facilitated by a number of advantages of this material.

A metal frame house is much lighter than a wooden and brick house. When performing work, less material is used, which makes it possible to build a lighter and less solid foundation. Mostly use its tape and pile types. Installation work is carried out faster. Their cost is much lower than when working with a wooden base at home.

Since a metal profile house is much colder than a wooden or brick house, the technology of light thin-walled steel structures is used in its construction. In this case, the profile is protected from heat transfer by additional heaters that fill the entire space between the frame racks. Mineral wool, polystyrene foam, ecowool, expanded polystyrene are used as heat-insulating materials. These materials are not expensive and also have good soundproofing qualities.

Insulation plays an important part in creating a warm and environmentally friendly home Source pinterest.fr

Having correctly made the so-called “pie” for insulating the walls of the house, in compliance with the technology of protection from the wind from the outside and from the steam inside, you can achieve maximum insulation of the house.

A frame house made of metal profiles, despite the lightness of steel structures, is quite durable. Its service life reaches 100 years. Reliability is achieved by using galvanized profiles equipped with stiffeners. The coating of the material protects it from corrosion. The frame of a metal house does not shrink over time, does not crack, has good fire safety and is not affected by pests.

To reduce the electrical conductivity of the material, metal-frame buildings are equipped with proper grounding. To finish the house outside and inside, materials are used that are in themselves dielectrics. The complex of these works provides complete insulation of metal parts.

An important advantage of the steel frame is its ability to withstand heavy weight roofing materials.

The disadvantage of using a metal frame is its rapid destruction during a fire. From high temperature, the metal loses its rigidity and deforms. At the same time, the house is destroyed much faster than the wooden one.

Source infomebli.ru

In such a house it is difficult to install built-in furniture and household appliances. For the installation of massive cabinets and other devices, it is necessary to additionally strengthen the place for installation with profiles. The steel profile is difficult to combine with materials such as cement or brick. This is especially inconvenient when erecting a fireplace or other structural elements of the house.

Video description

About the features of building a house from LSTK in detail in the following video:

On our website you can get acquainted with the most popular projects of frame houses from construction companies presented at the exhibition of houses "Low-Rise Country".

Types of steel profiles

For the manufacture of elements of light thin-walled steel structures, durable structural steel is used. The product itself is made using the cold stamping method. To protect against corrosion, a zinc coating is applied to the metal sheet.

Metal structures are also made from hot-dip galvanized sheets. They are used less often because of their high cost but much more durable in operation.

For the production of a profile, a sheet of steel is taken from 0.7 to 2 mm. The choice of thickness is influenced by the required bearing capacity of the structural element.

The following types of profiles are used:

guides,

rack,

Source nastroike.com

Special beams are also used to cover the floor and shelf. The truss system of the building consists of the same elements. Connect all elements of the metal frame structure with bolts, rivets, self-tapping screws. In some cases, contact welding is used.

Stages of building a house from a metal profile

The stages of construction of a metal frame house are the construction of:

foundation;

• structural insulation;

  home decoration.

Foundation

The frame of metal profiles is lightweight and does not require the construction of a solid foundation. Before choosing the type of foundation, you should study the nature of the soil on the construction site.

For such a house, a shallowly recessed strip foundation is quite suitable. It may be of small width, since the load from the lightweight steel structure will be small. The base is made as a rigid horizontal frame, which allows redistributing the load in case of deformation of the base.

When using a columnar foundation, the frame is made of rigidly interconnected beams mounted on supports.

A pile-screw foundation with a 200x200 timber strapping is ready for fastening a metal frame. Source narashvat.ru

For the foundation, brick, reinforced concrete and monolithic blocks are used. The installation of shallow foundations saves concrete consumption and labor costs, which in turn reduces the cost of the house.

On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer the service of building frame houses. You can directly communicate with representatives by visiting the exhibition of houses "Low-Rise Country".

Frame assembly and roof installation

A turnkey metal frame house consists of mandatory elements that affect the reliability of its operation. These include:

horizontal frame;

metal columns used to connect the frame to the foundation;

vertical columns;

roof trusses;

• purlins for attaching wall panels.

The rigidity and stability of the frame in all three directions is created in compliance with the rules for installing the main structural elements: frames, trusses and columns. This is achieved in compliance with the rules of spatial geometry. All products are manufactured with a high degree of precision.

To speed up the installation process, each product is marked accordingly. Structural elements of the future house are brought to the construction site in disassembled form and are already connected on the spot. Some modules are delivered ready-made.

Prefabricated wall panels with window openings reduce home assembly time Source zen.yandex.ru

Directly at the production site, not only individual elements of the frame base are assembled, but also completed wall panels. In some cases, they are equipped with windows, a heating system and cladding. The wall modules are installed on the support frame and connected to the steel span structure by welding and threaded fastening.

The roof of a house made of metal profiles can be:

• lean-to;

  gable.

Depending on the shape of the house itself, the roof can be of a complex configuration. The most common types of roofs for metal frame houses are one- and two-slope.

Roof steel structure elements are load-bearing trusses, truss elements and spans. The work itself is no different from the construction of a roof from other materials. First, they build a truss system and make a roof sheathing. Then they perform steam, waterproofing and lay the top coat of the roof.

This is how the roof insulation scheme looks like Source ngspl.ucoz.net

For rafters, a galvanized C-shaped profile with a thickness of 0.8 mm - 1.2 mm is used. The crate is made of steel profile beams of rectangular or square section. A vapor barrier film, insulation and waterproofing material are placed on top of the crate. Slate, metal tiles, ondulin and other materials are used to finish the house.

House insulation

Warming of a house from a metal profile is carried out with polystyrene foam and mineral wool. Polyurethane foam is also used. The space that is filled with any material should become dense and effectively retain heat. All cavities inside the metal profiles are filled with foam.

From the inside, the surface of the walls of a metal-frame house is covered with a vapor barrier material, and a dense film is attached to the outside to protect it from the wind.

Source orgtorg.org

The openings between the wall panels are also filled with such new materials as gas and foam blocks, which contain insulation.

For exterior wall decoration, surface plastering, natural stone, brick and siding are used.

Video description

The process of building a frame house from a metal profile in this video:

Projects and cost of houses

The cost of a metal frame house includes the expenseon the:

materials;

• assembly work.

You can slightly reduce the cost of the finished house by ordering a standard assembly of the building. The price of housing itself is not much different from that of wood or brick. A two-story cottage made of sandwich panels, with dimensions of 7x10 meters, will cost about 1.7 million rubles. However, the price depends on the configuration of the house. If you order only a warm circuit, then the cost of the "box" will be about 1.32 million rubles. A house with a rough finish costs about 1.75 million rubles.

Projects of houses from a metal frame are varied:

Fachwerk-style metal frame house

A small metal frame house with an attic floor, with a total area of ​​72 sq.m., is intended for a family with children. The house is convenient to use, with a sufficient number of living rooms. In construction, ferrous metal is used for the manufacture of load-bearing structures and galvanized thermal profiles for wall panels. The structural elements of the house are connected using self-tapping screws.

The cottage is being built without the use of special equipment.

Source makebestphoto.ru

Source www.cottage.ru

One-story metal frame house with a garage

It is made of metal structures that can withstand the necessary loads. External finishing - decorative plaster. Options for finishing - brick or siding. Roof type - metal beams, roofing - metal tiles.

Source yandex.ru

Classic house with attic

Quite often, buyers prefer projects of two-story houses or cottages with a residential attic. There are no restrictions on the design - the project can be chosen with a garage, a balcony and other extensions.

Source uacg.bg

Source pinterest.com

Conclusion

In terms of design, frame houses made of metal profiles do not impose any significant restrictions on architects. True, after the construction of the house, over time it will no longer be possible to reschedule, but this is a feature of many technologies.

Special attention should be paid to the insulation of the LSTK-house. Since the metal has good thermal conductivity, in order to exclude the appearance of cold bridges, a special approach to insulation and strict adherence to technology are required. For this reason, the construction of the LSTK-house should be carried out by professionals who will give a guarantee for their work.

Houses on a metal profile frame are a new word in the development of frame construction technologies. We will figure out how to quickly and cost-effectively build such a house with your own hands.

The construction of a private house today has changed a lot due to the emergence of new technologies. The wooden frame allows you to build a structure very quickly and provide good performance. The use of a metal profile frame for building houses with your own hands is a further development of frame technology. Let's figure out what are the advantages of this method and how to build such a house with your own hands.

Advantages and disadvantages

The technology of building buildings on a metal profile frame assumes that all frame elements of walls, ceilings, and roofs are made of metal. The thickness and shape of the profile for each section is calculated separately, based on the load being tested. This method of construction allows you to achieve the following results:

• Reducing the weight of the finished building.
• Speed ​​of construction.
• Reduction of tools necessary for construction: since the profile is manufactured in the factory, a drill, a plumb square, etc. become unnecessary.

The frame is filled with insulation panels, which are selected for the conditions of each region. Thus, it is possible to achieve the required indicators for protection against freezing. Frame houses are warm and economical: since there is no heat loss, it is possible to significantly save on heating.

Other advantages of houses built using this technology are:

• Ease of disposal. Unnecessary structure does not need to be broken. You can disassemble the house, like a designer, letting the metal of the frame be melted down. The environment does not suffer either.
• Durability: the metal does not burn, does not rot, practically does not deform from temperature changes.
• Construction can be carried out at any time of the year, without interruption for the cold period.

Usually frame construction is used for the construction of small buildings with a height of one or two floors. The height of the walls of such an object is usually no more than 6 m, and the span is about 12 m. The limiter is the bearing capacity of the rafters. Roof trusses with a length of 24 m or more require the use of a special profile, they are difficult to manufacture and install.

There are several features that must be considered when choosing a frame house:

• Good thermal protection translates into a need for a good ventilation system. The house is essentially a thermos, and without an effective ventilation system, it will be humid. And these are suitable conditions for the development of mold fungi.
• The walls of the frame house will not be able to hold a lot of weight. It will not be possible to hang shelves on them or drive in a dowel for a picture.
• Although the metal frame is made of corrosion-resistant alloys, care must be taken that it does not come into contact with moisture. Otherwise, corrosion processes can cause destruction of structural elements.

Given these features, you can live in a frame house with great comfort, and building it with your own hands is not very difficult. But careful observance of technology and the purchase of quality materials for construction are required.

Assembly technology

The production of a frame house is carried out in several stages.

The design stage involves the preparation of documentation for the factory that will produce the profiles for assembling the frame. Even if you plan to build a house yourself, at this stage you need to resort to the help of a specialist. Incorrectly manufactured frame parts can make construction an impossible task. Therefore, it is worth choosing and implementing one of three options:

• Choose a ready-made house project. The cheapest option. In the variety of options developed by designers, there is almost certainly a solution that combines an affordable price and a fairly high quality.
• Having chosen a ready-made project, order its modification for your own needs. This may include changing the internal layout, adding new elements (bay window, attic, etc.) or vice versa, refusing complicating details in order to reduce the cost of construction.
• Order the development of the project from scratch. This is the most expensive and time consuming option. But on the other hand, it guarantees that the house will turn out to be unique in design and truly convenient for your family.

When the project is ready, the frame elements and insulation panels are made, and at this time work is underway to create a reliable foundation for the future home. Light weight allows the use of a pile foundation or technology based on the use of SHS supports. Both methods allow you to make the foundation quite quickly.

Next, the frame is assembled. In fact, this procedure resembles a game with a children's designer, only the details are very large. Since all elements are prefabricated, there is no need to waste time measuring and drilling holes. It is possible to assemble the frame completely in a few days.

At the next stage, the frame is sheathed with insulation panels. In general, this stage is similar to the work carried out during the construction of houses on a wooden frame.

When this stage is over, communications are brought into the house and the room and facade are being finished.

Necessary materials and tools

All types of metal profile (it is also abbreviated as LSTK) for house frames are made of structural steel using cold dies. Each sheet is coated with zinc to prevent corrosion. The coating thickness varies from 18 to 40 microns. The thicker the coating, the more expensive the profile, but also the higher its durability. The most expensive profiles are hot-dip galvanized.

The thickness of the sheet from which the profile is made is also different. The thinnest is 0.7 mm, the thickest is 2 mm. The thicker the steel, the higher the bearing capacity of the LSTC. However, as the thickness increases, the weight and cost also increase. Therefore, the thickness of the metal and the type of profile are calculated by specialists based on the loads that the frame will carry.

Today, LSTKs enter the market from dozens of sources: foreign and domestic, small factories and large steel mills. It is difficult to recommend a specific manufacturer here. It is worth looking at the quality of the metal (no traces of rust, coating chips, etc.)

There are several types of profiles:

They are also divided into subspecies depending on specific tasks:

It is impossible to determine which profile to put on each site without special knowledge. That is why it is better to entrust the drafting of a frame house to a specialist.

The set of tools may differ slightly, depending on which manufacturer the LSTCs are ordered from. But almost always, the profile set is supplied based on a screwdriver assembly: everything is numbered, laid out in the appropriate order, equipped with the appropriate fasteners.

Do-it-yourself frame house from a metal profile. Step-by-step instruction

The process of building a frame building is almost the same, even though a metal frame is used, even a wooden one. Here are the basic steps for building a house on a finished foundation:

1. The bottom trim is assembled on the base. This is a very important stage, since it is here that the foundation for the future building is laid.
2. The main support posts are placed in the corners. It is very important to set them strictly vertically. When using a metal frame, such a sheerness is easier to achieve, but still it does not hurt to check the correct installation with a plumb line.
3. Additional racks are attached between the main support posts, they are connected into a single frame of the walls with the help of crossbars and jibs.
4. Racks are connected together by the upper strapping. The ceiling frame is mounted.
5. The roof frame is assembled.
6. The roof is waterproofed and insulated, a crate is assembled on the rafters for roofing material.

If you plan to build a multi-storey structure, two frame options can be used. In the first case, the support posts pass through the entire frame. Then the two floors of the house represent, as it were, a single whole. In this case, the strength of the structure is higher, but it is more difficult to build, since a longer and heavier profile will be needed. In the second case, the frame of the first and second floors are separate things, which are then connected to each other.

On this frame of the house is ready. In principle, assembling such a structure is no more difficult than assembling a constructor. It is only important not to mix up the details and carefully perform each operation.

Here are some tips from builders who are professionally involved in assembling frame houses:

• In the work you will need an assistant, and preferably several. One can assemble only some small structure, like a garden gazebo, and even then the hands will be greatly missed.
• Since metal conducts temperature much better than wood, a metal frame can create so-called. "bridges of cold". In order for a house on a frame made of LSTK not to lose heat, you should take care of high-quality insulation of the external and internal walls of the building. Modern insulation materials are well suited for this: polystyrene foam, mineral wool.

It is quite possible to build a building on a frame from a metal profile with your own hands. Modern technologies make it possible to make such construction fast and not too laborious. But it is necessary that the frame is properly designed and made of high-quality metal. Then your house will be warm, durable and cozy.