Light steel frame buyer guides
Light steel frame: frequently asked questions
Twenty plain answers on light steel framing: terms, coatings, standards, engineering, quantities and what to ask a supplier.
Short answers to the questions buyers ask first. Each answer is general. Project-specific design, code compliance and pricing have to come from your engineer, your local authority and a supplier quotation.
What is light steel frame?
A structural system of thin cold-formed steel studs, joists and trusses, screwed together into wall, floor and roof frames.
What is cold-formed steel?
Steel sheet shaped into a profile at room temperature by rolling, rather than hot-rolled into heavy sections.
What does G550 mean?
G550 is a steel grade designation indicating a minimum yield strength of 550 MPa under the AS 1397 standard.
What does AZ150 mean?
AZ150 is a zinc-aluminum alloy coating class with a coating mass of 150 g/m2. Ask for the mill certificate to confirm what was delivered.
What thickness does Digital Oro list?
Its catalog lists the structural frame in 0.75 mm and 0.95 mm light steel.
Which standards does Digital Oro say it supplies to?
Its catalog says it can provide light steel frames in both Australian and American standards. Confirm which applies to your project in writing.
Why is the steel coated?
The coating protects the thin steel from corrosion. A zinc-aluminum coating combines barrier and sacrificial protection, as the catalog describes it.
What is a stud?
A vertical member in a wall frame. Studs are spaced along a track at the top and bottom.
What is a track?
The horizontal channel that studs sit in at the top and bottom of a wall frame.
What is a truss?
A triangulated frame, here made of light steel, that carries the roof load across a span.
What is a purlin or batten?
A horizontal member that spans the trusses or rafters and carries the roof sheeting. The catalog lists 35 mm steel roof batten and roof purlins.
What is a sub-floor or chassis?
The floor structure under the walls. The catalog lists an elevated sub-floor built from SHS stumps, RHS bearers and light steel joists.
What are SHS and RHS?
Square hollow section and rectangular hollow section: closed steel tubes used for stumps, bearers and similar members.
Does the frame need an engineer?
Yes. A structural engineer licensed for your site must design or approve the frame for local loads and code.
Is a catalog description enough for a permit?
No. Permits normally need project-specific drawings and calculations.
Can I get a price from a guide?
No. Write a request for quotation with your quantities and documents.
How do I estimate quantities?
Start from the drawings, count wall length, floor area and roof area, and add a stated waste allowance. See the estimating guide.
What documents should I ask the supplier for?
Mill certificates, test reports, shop drawings, a fastener and connection schedule, and the standard the frame is designed to.
How should I store the steel on site?
Off the ground, supported, covered and kept dry. See the receiving and storage guide.
Where do I begin as a first-time buyer?
Follow the 10-step buyer path, then write an RFQ.
Next step
Browse the full guide set.
Where Digital Oro fits
Digital Oro International's material catalog lists a light steel frame built from AS1397 G550 AZ150 steel in 0.75 or 0.95 mm, zinc-aluminum coated at more than 150 g/m2, and says it can supply frames in Australian and American standards. The catalog lists wall frames, floor joists, roof trusses and sub-floor systems. It gives no prices, stock levels or lead times; those come from a quotation. See the light steel frame catalog page or browse all ten categories.
Questions people ask
What is light steel frame?
A structural system of thin cold-formed steel studs, joists and trusses, screwed together into wall, floor and roof frames.
What is cold-formed steel?
Steel sheet shaped into a profile at room temperature by rolling, rather than hot-rolled into heavy sections.
What does G550 mean?
G550 is a steel grade designation indicating a minimum yield strength of 550 MPa under the AS 1397 standard.
What does AZ150 mean?
AZ150 is a zinc-aluminum alloy coating class with a coating mass of 150 g/m2. Ask for the mill certificate to confirm what was delivered.
What thickness does Digital Oro list?
Its catalog lists the structural frame in 0.75 mm and 0.95 mm light steel.
Which standards does Digital Oro say it supplies to?
Its catalog says it can provide light steel frames in both Australian and American standards. Confirm which applies to your project in writing.
Sources and further reading
Have a project outline or drawings?
Organize your scope, then contact Digital Oro through its official channel. Availability, engineering, pricing and delivery terms need project-specific confirmation.
Text Digital Oro on WhatsApp Explore Digital Oro →+52 1 984 452 3553 · the WhatsApp number Digital Oro lists publicly
Digital Oro International advertises on The Company Chronicle. This guide was written by our editorial team from public sources and general professional practice; it does not describe a guarantee, quote or offer from Digital Oro International. Confirm current terms, prices and availability with the operator before you decide.