Key Factors To Consider When Choosing Metal for Construction

While building, your choice of building materials can heavily influence whether your building stands for a long time or breaks. The decision becomes more crucial when choosing metals as they determine the longevity and structural integrity of the building. Below are some factors you can consider to ensure you make the right choice. 

1. Cost and availability

When considering cost, you should not only factor in the initial cost but also consider installation, maintenance, and replacement costs. The initial cost of the metal may be efficient, but the maintenance and replacement costs make it extremely expensive and essential for large-scale users. In terms of availability, a material may have ideal properties and be cost-effective, but it may not be readily available in the needed amounts within the project timeline. A disruption in the supply chain may severely impact the construction cost and budget, making it wiser to choose a metal with multiple readily available suppliers. 

2. Strength to weight ratio

When working with various metals, it is essential to understand their weight-to-strength ratio as it determines how they can be used and formed. Aluminium alloy is a metal known to have a high strength-to-weight ratio compared to steel, making it better where weight reduction is a sky as structural integrity. The high strength-to-weight ratio of aluminum alloys makes them more economical for large-scale projects. The strength-to-weight ratio of the metal to buy will ultimately determine what you want to build and how much weight it is to hold.

3. Fire Resistance

In any case, you want a metal that will maintain its integral form and lime fire spread in case of a fire. It might seem odd that melts can aid in spreading fires due to their physical structure, but some have very low melting points. When exposed to elevated temperatures, such metals lose significant strength and start melting. A good metal has a high melting point that will allow building occupants to exit before it starts melting. The idea of fire resistance metals should not only be to meet the minimum code requirements but also ensure optimal safety and minimize property damage. 

4. Thermal conductivity

In construction, metal slice steel with low thermal conductivity is preferable as it helps create energy-efficient buildings by reducing heat transfer. Otherwise, using high thermal conductivity metals will be costly as you must invest in the hating cooling system to ensure the building is comfortable, especially in areas with high temperatures. You can consult your engineer on which metals are energy efficient and have low maintenance costs. 

5. Recyclability and sustainability 

Recycling metals prevents the need to extract raw metals from their natural ores, reducing depletion. Recycling also reduces pollution and carbon emissions during mining, which largely contribute to the greenhouse effect. By recycling, you increase sustainability by balancing the social and economic factors and reducing the negative environmental impact. 

If you are unsure where to start, you can consult with our architect or engineer on the best and most cost-effective materials for construction.