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Frame Construction
Ready to Assemble
Erecting our pre-engineered system differs quite a bit from framing a "stick-built" house. In fact, it is a lot easier. Instead of cutting, measuring, and fitting raw lumber to a general design in the field, the crew erecting a Kodiak Steel Homes® kit will work from a precise set of plans that specify every part down to the last nut. All the parts are pre-formed, pre-cut and labeled, ready to be bolted and screwed together. You shouldn't have to look far for a steel framing crew. Our homes are designed on the same principles used for the vast majority of "low-rise" commercial buildings, and the same experienced erectors who are putting up these steel-framed structures can assemble yours as well. Be sure you tell them that you have a bolt-together red-iron system and not a light-gauge stud-framed design. If you choose our steel roof system, the same crew will be able to install it as well.
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"Stick-built" wood framing
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Light gauge steel framing
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Kodiak's red-iron framing
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Wood's Disadvantages
A pre-engineered Kodiak Steel Homes framing system eliminates the waste and maintenance cost of wood. As an organic material, wood has a number of problems that can cost time, money, and headaches. The first thing a wood framing crew must do when receiving a load of lumber is to go through it and cull out the pieces with obvious defects, so you start out with some waste, which will increase as the lumber is cut to shape and length. Of course, the remaining boards may conceal hidden defects that can fail under stress. Wood is not consistent in quality or shape, and it can be difficult to pull wooden walls into plumb. Assuming the framers manage to construct straight walls, the problem is not over. Wood absorbs moisture and will probably dry out or "settle" after construction, possibly causing it to change shape and stress or crack the dry wall. Changes in humidity can cause wood to swell or shrink repeatedly, creating further stress. If any part of the frame should ever be exposed to water, as by a flood or even a burst pipe, it will probably be ruined by rot and mildew. Of course, wood will also support mold growth and harbor pests unless it is treated with irritating or toxic chemicals, and even these may fail to prevent some problems.
The Steel Difference
Steel has none of the disadvantages of wood. Its uniform quality yields straight walls and consistent performance. It won't rot, mold, or absorb moisture. It doesn't swell, shrink or warp, and even if your steel frame is submerged in water it can probably be reused. Our pre-engineered parts eliminate waste and extra labor, and, unlike light-gauge steel framing, our commercial red-iron system is familiar to a huge pool of experienced steel framers.
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