Insulation Between Metal & Wood Studs in Newtown, CT

When given a choice in buying studs, instead of automatically reaching for the wooden studs, you may want to consider buying metal, especially for non-load bearing walls. Most metal studs are made from sheet steel and although it does conduct cold, a solution to this is to apply insulation between the outside wall and let the metal act as a thermal break. However, when it comes to strength, you can easily add more structural support with wood. We give you the pros and cons of both materials:

Pros and Cons of Metal and Wood Studs

Convenience: Metal is lighter than wood and takes up half the space that lumber does, because of its hollowed shape. In this way, it's much easier to transport and store metal instead of wood. Metal has no sawdust, and it's far easier to just get a metal-cutting saw blade to cut. Just make sure to clean up any pieces on the floor.

Easy Installation: Steel framing is far easier to handle because the steel weighs far less than wood (a third less) and are attached with screws, meaning easy removal if you made a mistake.

Stability: Wood is vulnerable to twisting and warping, especially during cold or rainy weather. Wood, when moist, attracts mold and other unpleasant things, such as insects. Over time, wood can also rot, while metal will stand the test of time. Whichever material you choose, you must get a vapor barrier, or sill gasket installed between the bottom plate and concrete floor.

Resistant to Insects and Fire: With wooden studs, you risk getting carpenter ants and termites eating through the studs. Metal is a far superior option in this regard, and unlike wood, metal doesn't burn and getting metal studs means that the wall is, in a way, fireproof.

Strength: Between the two, wood is sturdier than metal, until it's been screwed in with drywall. When it has, it turns b and rigid. Meanwhile, metal can only be used on non-load-bearing walls, while for wood, it's possible to add more structural support.

Environmental Concerns: Metal framing can also be seen as an environmentally-friendly alternative to wood, but both have good and bad points.

Wood involves cutting down trees, and that's seen in a negative light. However, wood is a renewable resource. Wood is biodegradable while metal is sent to the scrap heap. Metal, on the other hand, is recyclable, which is very good, but the process of recycling so far, isn't. For this point, it depends more on preference.