As low-maintenance, long-lasting decking materials like composite and PVC have moved into the spotlight, a new problem has emerged: durable deck boards are now outlasting the cheap wood framing beneath them. The solution: steel deck framing, which brings deck framing into the same durable, low-maintenance territory that has become the norm in decking.
Steel is a major upgrade over wood when it comes to deck framing for a few key reasons:
- Strength: steel is exceptionally strong, giving your deck the sturdiest foundation possible. Steel’s strength can even support unique features like hot tubs on your deck surface in a way wood often can’t.
- Durability: wood is susceptible to damage from water, insects, and fire. Steel resists all three, giving you a deck frame that will last for years.
- Consistency: with exposure to water and fluctuating temperatures, wood can expand, contract, and warp. Steel, on the other hand, is consistent and true - all parts of your steel deck framing will be the same size, fitting together well and keeping your deck surface from warping into visible waves.
- Fire Safety: steel framing is safe from fire spread. More local areas are incorporating fire safety into their building codes, and more and more deck builders are turning to steel to not just meet but exceed those requirements.
- Looks: steel features a sleek, powder-coated finish to give your deck frame a polished look.