The growth of strong lightweight building materials
25 November 2010
The pace of change within the Australian building industry is faster than ever. Today, almost one in every two new homes features a roof made from COLORBOND® steel and the demand for house framing made from TRUECORE® steel has never been greater. More consumers are turning to lightweight building materials with steel emerging as the building material of choice.
To gain a competitive edge and successfully grow their business, more builders and tradespeople are educating themselves in the opportunities that building with steel offers them.
BlueScope Steel is working to further educate tradespeople on the benefits of additional training, such as the recent HIA Apprentice Training Day, and regular interaction with information tools, such as the TRUECORE® steel Working With Steel website.
Many of the country's leading project home builders now offer roofing made from COLORBOND® steel as standard on homes and framing made from TRUECORE® steel as an optional extra, encouraging homeowners to see the advantages of using steel as a primary building material in their new home.
Strong and lightweight for flexible design
COLORBOND® steel is one of the world's most advanced building materials and is designed to provide builders, tradespeople and consumers with wide ranging benefits for today and tomorrow. Lightweight strength and the flexibility of design make COLORBOND® steel a material of choice for all building sites ranging from flat building blocks to sloping hinterland blocks.
The benefits of building with COLORBOND® steel include:
- COLORBOND® steel is ideal for strong lightweight roofing, guttering and walling. Its superior oven-baked finish resists chipping, peeling and cracking. It is non-combustible and, when installed correctly, is weather-tight to protect buildings against the harsh Australian conditions such as rain, wind and hail.
- COLORBOND® steel is one of the most advanced materials in the world with its strong ZINCALUME® steel base for outstanding anti-corrosion performance and a durable exterior grade baked top-coat. It incorporates Thermatech® technology for increased thermal performance.
- COLORBOND® steel is easy to erect, which can reduce construction time and corresponding labour costs for builders and tradespeople.
- Due to its strong and lightweight nature, COLORBOND® steel is one of the most flexible building materials available on the market today.
- Roofing made from COLORBOND® steel is available in 20 standard colours, which is ideal for a wide range of home designs from contemporary to traditional, gable, skillion or curved.
- BlueScope Steel offers a warranty* of up to 30 years from the date of installation for roofing made from COLORBOND® steel and up to 12 years for walling made from COLORBOND® steel.
The durable framework for the home
Due to the long list of homeowner advantages provided by a house frame made from TRUECORE® steel, consumer demand has never been greater. The truth of the matter is that there are just as many advantages for builders and tradespeople too. Here's why many of Australia's largest and most successful builders are turning to strong and lightweight house frames made from TRUECORE® steel.
The benefits of building with TRUECORE® steel include:
- Frames made from TRUECORE® steel are quick and easy to erect. Pre-fabrication and modern fixing techniques make construction simple meaning reduced labour time on site.
- A house frame made from TRUECORE® steel is 100 per cent termite proof, with no need to apply chemical treatments to the frame. Homeowners can rest assured that the frame of their home will not be affected or damaged, even in termite prone areas.
- House frames made from TRUECORE® steel offer excellent spanning capabilities. This means designers can enjoy a new-found freedom with open space contemporary design which results in more interesting construction projects from builders and tradespeople,
- Manufactured by BlueScope Steel and tested in Australia for Australian conditions, TRUECORE® steel has a warranty of 50 years* for residential house frames, so homeowners can enjoy peace of mind with the backing of BlueScope Steel, one of Australia's leading companies.
- All steel made by BlueScope Steel includes recycled steel in its manufacture. 100 per cent of the TRUECORE® steel used in the home frame can be recycled at the end of its service life.
The advantages and benefits for builders, tradespeople and consumers when a new home has a roof made from COLORBOND® steel and framing made from TRUECORE® steel makes this lightweight building material the perfect partner for any new home.
*Warranty subject to application and eligibility criteria. For full terms and conditions and to determine the eligibility of your project, see www.bluescopesteel.com.au/warranties
