Top Five Reasons to Select a Steel Framed Modular System on Your Next Project

You’ve decided to brace modular construction – the “up and coming” construction method of choice (that of course has been around for years and years). And there are a lot of choices if you use a wood framed system. But what if you went steel instead?  Or maybe you didn’t even realize that you could get a modular building made with a steel frame? There are a lot of inherent benefits when you choose a steel frame for your modular construction needs instead of a wood frame. Let’s look at what the top five advantages a steel framed modular construction system has over a traditional wood frame system.

1. Number of Floors: When you choose wood construction for your module design, you are limited on the number of floors you can design – six floors. With choosing a steel frame (along with the compatible connection system such as VectorBloc), you can stack your modules up thirty stories or more, affording you greater design decisions and new buildings that isn’t possible with a wood-framed design
2. Fire rating: Construction items Materials are divided into five types to determine if the material used is fire resistant, combustible or non-combustible. Wood, rated type 5, is combustible, meaning it will catch fire and burn easily. It is also susceptible to mold and pests that can cause a lot of damage to a structure over time. Steel on the other hand is rated type 2 and is a non-combustible material that isn’t capable of undergoing combustion, is mold and is pest resistant so the module will last.
3. Load support: With wood-based modular construction, you need a concrete pad poured to support the weight of the wooden modules. With a steel-framed modular unit, the modules sit on a steel frame that is designed to support concentrated loads. This provide long-lasting stability and support you can’t get with wood frames and concrete.
4. Interior Structural Connections: When using a wood-framed module, there is significant on-site work needed to ensure a proper structural connection with one module to another. This can potentially add unwanted costs and time to your project. With a steel framed system, connections can be made at the factory with easy to place bolts for structural accuracy.
5. Façade Installation: Steel-based modules can have the facades installed at the factory and quality checked and confirmed before installation at the job site. With a wood frame system, the facades are installed at the site making it much harder to verify the quality of the work.

At Z Modular, we use a steel framed chassis with a Vectorbloc connection system that provides a high performance modular structure. Want to know the other benefits of using Z Modular on your next construction project? Read our guide on how we stack up to the competition and find out why Z Modular is The Only Way to Build.