Steel frame manufacturers and fabricators can produce almost any one or two storey home design seen in Australia today and recently steel frames have been used in some three and four storey designs. Because house frames made from TRUECORE^® steel have a high strength-to-weight ratio and stay straight and true, they’re an ideal choice for modern home design. Long spans, open plan living spaces, architectural rooflines; they’re all possible with the inner strength of TRUECORE^® steel. And frames made from TRUECORE^® steel are suitable for both flat and sloping blocks.

Steel is inherently strong and TRUECORE^® steel meets the requirements of all relevant Australian Standards. Most modern systems use high tensile steel components and appropriate jointing methods, and are engineered to meet the relevant structural requirements of the National Construction Code

Yes, it is. TRUECORE^® steel with Activate^® technology incorporates a thoroughly tested protective aluminium/zinc/magnesium alloy coating. Our patented Activate^® coating technology is an important component of BlueScope products installed across a range of environments and building applications. Where there are cut edges from drilling or cutting operations, the galvanic action of the coating protects the exposed steel edge against corrosion.

BlueScope Steel manufactures TRUECORE^® steel to all the relevant Australian Standards (AS1397:2011 and AS/NZS 1365:1996) for thickness, width, mechanical properties and coating mass.  TRUECORE^® steel is easily identifiable through product branding and the distinctive blue coating.

TRUECORE^® steel is backed by a reassuring 50-year warranty from BlueScope.  The warranty is offered to eligible applicants for residential applications and is subject to terms and conditions.  For full terms and conditions and to determine eligibility please visit warranties.bluescopesteel.com.au/ or call BlueScope on 1800 800 789. In addition, consumers have rights under Australian Consumer Law which cannot be excluded, modified or restricted and the warranties offered by BlueScope do not affect those rights.

Steel framing has been successfully used in housing since the early 1950’s and in recent years has gained in popularity. There are well-known and reputable builders in Australia who recognise the benefits of TRUECORE^® steel and building steel framed houses.

TRUECORE^® steel is made by BlueScope to strict tolerances and fully complies with all relevant Australian Standards.  Light gauge steel framing is a precision engineered product manufactured to accurate dimensions and this helps to ensure walls are straight and true.  Steel frames don’t shrink, twist or warp over time which may help reduce builder call-backs and ongoing maintenance issues.

As anyone who’s had to deal with termites would probably tell you, it’s worth doing everything you can to stop them, right from the start. Termites and borers are a problem in Australia and damage to a house frame by these pests can be silent and invisible to the eye. Rectification may involve replacement of the damaged frame and other building components and the damage is often/may not be covered in standard insurance policies. Frames made from TRUECORE^® steel are termite proof and qualify as a termite resistant material under The National Construction Code. Regular termite inspections are recommended to check the other building components in your home.

Because it’s termite and borer proof, TRUECORE^® steel doesn’t need to be treated with insecticides to keep these harmful pests from eating your frame. So, if you live in an area affected by termites and if minimising insecticides around your home is a priority for you and your family, building your home with frames made from TRUECORE^® steel is a great way to start.

The National Construction Code specifies chemical and physical termite barriers only where structural members are subject to termite attack. A steel frame is termite proof, but it is still recommended to use non-structural fixtures of termite-resistant materials, or a steel frame plus a termite barrier, combined with regular pest inspections. For further information visit the National Association for Steel-Frame Housing’s (NASH) information page: www.nash.asn.au/nash/why-choose-steel/structural-pests

Yes. When used as part of the NASH bushfire standard, frames made from TRUECORE^® steel provide simple design solutions to achieve compliance when building, even in a flame zone. For further information please refer to the National Association of Steel-Framed Housing’s Standard ‘Steel Frames Construction in Bushfire Areas’ or visit www.nash.asn.au/nash/safety-and-security/bushfires. We also recommend you speak with your builder about the suitability of steel framing for your particular build.

There will be no initial shrinkage or swelling of a frame made from TRUECORE^® steel as there is no absorption or drying of moisture in steel frames.  Steel framing in a properly constructed and insulated home expands and contracts in response to temperature changes at rates reasonably similar to those of other building materials.  And steel frames won’t shrink, twist or warp over time so there’s less chance of sticking doors and window jambs, nail pops and wavy roof lines due to frame movement.

Because they arrive to site pre-fabricated, frames made from TRUECORE^® steel are ready to be installed straight away. Some builders have suggested there are time savings compared to some other building materials.  We recommend you speak to your builder for an estimate of the build time for your specific project.

A frame made from TRUECORE^® steel can be lined, insulated and clad in a variety of ways which can deliver the desired thermal and acoustic properties.

Yes, steel frames can accommodate a range of facades including brick, veneer, fibre cement and timber. Cladding solutions can be fixed directly to steel framing.

Compared to double-brick construction, floorspace gains can be achieved when using frames made from TRUECORE^® steel combined with external cladding construction. Over a typical home design (slab area = 221m²) this may equate to three square metres which could mean more living space or additional storage.

Yes, steel framing can be fixed directly to a concrete slab, or to steel flooring systems on brick, concrete, or steel piers.

Yes, these materials should be isolated because in the presence of water these materials will develop galvanic cells which will result in rapid destruction of the protective metal coating of the steel frame. Copper pipes are easily isolated from the frame by using nylon grommets or face fixed to the studs using plastic clips. Both of these systems also resist water hammer noise.