When to Use exterior framing metal mesh？

Should you build your home from metal studs? What are the positives and negatives of metal stud construction? Over the past few years, we've had more and more clients ask about building their custom home from metal studs. Below we share our un-biased opinions on the positives and negatives for metal stud construction.

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Positive: Rot, Mold and Termite Resistant

Metal studs will not rot, mold or attract termites unlike conventional wood framing. With conventional wood framed construction, the cost to replace and protect against these can be expensive. With metal stud construction rot, mold and termite invasion will not occur in your home. This may be particularly intriguing for families with mold allergies or respiratory problems.

Positive: Fire Resistant

The fire resistive qualities of metal stud construction are becoming more and more appealing to homeowners, especially our area of Southern California. We are plagued by wildfires and many of our clients are willing to invest in any measure to protect their homes from fires. Metal stud construction with a fire resistive sheathing will help improve the fire resistance of your home. To read more about other measures for protecting your home from wildfires check out our article here.

Positive: Less Waste if Prefabricated

We've worked with a metal stud fabrication company called B&T Manufacturing who pre-cuts, pre dimples and fabricates all of the steel members in our buildings. This requires a bit more coordination and work upfront with the engineers and fabrication team during the design process however, it can drastically reduce waste on site because each framing member is precut to size in the shop. There should be minimal to no cutting of members on site as the frame is erected, therefore minimal waste.

Positive: Ease of Installation

Metal studs are roughly 1/3 the weight of the same size wood member. This is because metal studs are 'C' shaped in section and hollow. The light weight makes it easier for the framers to carry and lift into place on site. This also means a lower volume of raw material being used.

If the metal studs were prefabricated and cut to size in a shop as discussed above, the erection of the frame will be even faster. This will reduce the time the framing crew is on site and most likely lower installation costs.

Positive: Predictable Quality, No Bowing or Warping

Compared to wood stud framing, the quality and precision of metal studs far exceeds wood members. Wood members can bow, warp, twist and have endless imperfections that can reduce structural integrity and cause problems during the lifecycle of a building. Metal studs are manufactured with a high level of precision which will significantly minimize the need to fur out walls or use plaster to float out walls or surfaces that are not plumb or level.

This impeccable precision of metal stud framing should not be overlooked. When building a custom home from wood studs, there is often a significant amount of time invested by the plaster and framing crew to shim, fur and float out walls and ceilings to correct them. If this time isn't required, that means a nice chunk of money and time saved on the project.

Negative: Insulation Values

Metal is inherently a better thermal conductor compared to wood. This doesn't mean metal studs are a poor solution, it simply means that the wall assembly made from metal studs needs to be slightly modified to reduce thermal transmittance. A common way to modify a metal stud wall to meet insulation requirements is to skin the outside of the wall with a layer of rigid insulation. The layer of rigid insulation outside the metal studs and sheathing minimizes thermal bridging and heat transfer through the wall.

This type of assembly is often referred to as an EIFS assembly. With EIFS assemblies, there is typically a higher cost involved and can be unfamiliar for traditional home builders. We personally like the EIFS system and have designed multiple buildings using this type of system.

Negative: Higher Cost

Currently, metal stud framing is now only about 30% more expensive than wood studs. The higher cost is not all in the material, it is mostly the installation costs. This upfront cost may be unattractive to building owners that are on a tight budget however it is important to evaluate potential savings throughout the life cycle of the building. For example, the owner will not be reframing the building from termite, mold or rot damage. They will not be as concerned about water or fire damage. The cost saved to replace rot, termite, mold, water or fire damage could easily offset the upfront 30% investment to go with metal studs.

Negative: Unfamiliar Among Traditional Framers

Traditional or small builders may be unfamiliar with metal stud framing. The learning curve to erect a metal stud building may impact schedule and result in errors on site. It is critical to work with a building and framing crew who has erected metal stud construction in the past as opposed to hiring a conventional wood framing crew.

Negative: Wall Hanging

Unlike wood studs, the homeowner cant simply hammer a nail into a wood stud to hang a picture, mirror or television arm. With a metal stud building, the contractor will often add wood blocking in the areas where these items may be located. This will allow the homeowner to screw or nail directly into wood using conventional nails and screws. In our opinion this is a minor drawback of metal studs and can be easily addressed with a little planning.

Negative: Wireless Signal Interference

One of the most frequent complaints about metal framed buildings is the interference with wireless signals. This can be solved relatively easily with multiple routers, wifi boosters or antenna extensions.

For more exterior framing metal meshinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

Negative: Not Biodegradable & Higher Embodied Energy

We are an environmentally conscious Architecture firm and the fact that metal studs are not biodegradable and have a higher embodied energy is often difficult for us to overlook. That being said, although wood is a renewable resource, there is a significant environmental price to pay to harvest trees.

One thing to note about metal stud framing is that the members are often composed of recycled content. When metal stud buildings are demolished, the metal can be recycled and used again. We have have not been able to find comprehensive studies on the environmental impacts for each of these construction types so it is difficult for us to make select on system over the other purely based on environmental impact. If these studies are available please notify us at www.rostarchitects.com.

From creating a new parking structure with an awe-inspiring aesthetic to retrofitting an existing building, architectural wire mesh provides versatility and durability which makes it unique from other design material options.

What is Architectural Wire Mesh?

Wire mesh - also commonly referred to as "wire cloth" or "wire fabric" - is a versatile metal product that can be used effectively in countless applications. Popular uses for wire mesh include steel wire mesh partitions, wire mesh for building facades, and PVC wire mesh for machine guards. From industrial to commercial applications, wire mesh is a versatile metal product with unlimited potential. Often overlooked as a facade solution, wire mesh has a number of benefits and features which make it a viable construction material. 

A wire mesh facade is a series of singular wire mesh panels assembled together, forming a one-of-a-kind structural exterior. In most cases, facades are installed by tensioning mesh panels to the height of the project, with substructural support at the top and bottom of the panel.

Wire mesh constructions also facilitate comfort by providing protection from the sun and absorbing sound. Manufactured from high-quality stainless steel, architectural wire mesh offers good corrosion resistance requiring minimal maintenance. Tried-and-tested fastening systems enable mounting solutions to be customized, which guarantees optimum safety in even the tallest of buildings and the strongest of winds.

Mesh elements can be tensioned over several stories using flat tension profiles, clevis screws, and pressure springs. A solid substructure for absorbing the resulting loads is required at both the upper and lower faces of the structure. Intermediate mounting is provided at each floor level by means of a round tube and wire connectors running behind the mesh.

What are the Components of a Wire Mesh Facade?

The substructure, clevis hardware, flat tension profile, pressure spring, the intermediate tube, and wire mesh panels stand as the most vital.

• The substructure serves as the foundation of the facade and is attached directly to the building.
• The clevis hardware is placed along with the top and bottom flat tension profile. The purpose is to connect the mesh panel to the substructure frame.
• The flat tension profile is a clamp placed at the top and bottom of each mesh panel. These clamps allow the mesh and clevis hardware to be attached with ease.
• The pressure springs are located in the bottom or top substructure and provide a safe means of tensioning the mesh.
• The intermediate tubes are designed to provide additional support throughout the length of the facade. The specific placement of the intermediate tubes allows them to prevent the panels from moving.

6 Benefits of Architectural Wire Mesh for Facade Claddings

1. Large-Scale Surfaces: Architectural mesh can be tensioned over the full height of a building, short or tall. This reduces costs dramatically compared to other materials such as perforated plates or expanded metal. A substructure is only required at the top and the bottom mounting points. The different levels of the building require intermediate fixings that can be designed for significantly lower horizontal loads.

2. Quick and Easy Installation: Typically, the building will already have the substructure in place. This includes both the top and bottom as well as the intermediate tube holders. If the intermediate tubes, substructure at the top and bottom, and the clevis hardware attached to the substructure profile are preinstalled, the contractor will simply need to lift the wire mesh panels and attach them to the hardware, put on a defined pre-tension, and clip the wire connectors to the intermediate tubes.

3. Long Life Cycle: Architectural wire mesh stands out for its extreme durability and is almost maintenance-free due to the use of corrosion-resistant stainless steel and robust mounting technology.

4. Natural Ventilation: The transparency of architectural mesh provides a natural ventilation system. It is possible to customize the open area of the mesh so that the project-specific requirements of ventilation can be achieved.

5. Safety Feature: Stainless steel wire mesh can be used as a guardrail system for protection in spaces such as multi-story car parks or for claddings on external staircases and balconies.

6. Sun Protection: Architectural wire mesh acts as an effective sunlight protection solution, in particular, to filter incident light and reduce the warming of the building.

Architectural Wire Mesh Facade Mounting Solutions Explained

When it comes to wire mesh panel attachment systems, there are two primary choices: a flat tension profile attachment system and an eyebolt attachment system. But each attachment system is designed to work in specific situations with special shapes.

So, what exactly is the difference between flat tension profile systems, eyebolt attachment systems, and other special systems?

Mounting Solution 1: Flat Tension Profile

Wire mesh elements can be tensioned on multiple levels using a flat tension fastening solution consisting of flat tension profiles, clevis screws and compression springs. Especially in exterior applications, the structural characteristics require the use of compression springs. The compression springs give sufficient elasticity to the wire mesh when exposed to the respective loads, however, a solid substructure is required to absorb the resulting loads on the upper and lower faces of the facade. Intermediate mounting is provided at each floor level by means of a round tube and cable connectors that are placed behind the screen. The flat tension profile fixing solution can be used with all kinds of wire mesh panels except cable mesh panels.

Mounting Solution 2: Round Bar with Eyebolt

With the slide-in round bar and eyebolt fixing system, wires are removed from the metal mesh and replaced by a load-distributing round bar. Eyebolts are used to clamp the stainless steel mesh to a substructure. This fixing system is suitable for cable mesh with groups of warp wires.

Mounting Solution 3: Special Shapes

Each project has its own specific requirements. Whether curves, angled edges, or cut-outs, special mounting solutions can also be implemented. They are individually determined and implemented with planners and contractors.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of interior framing metal mesh. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

How To Maintain a Wire Mesh Facade