Lightweight construction technology using steel profiles and lightweight beams

Light-frame construction technology makes it possible to build flexible, functional, and efficient walls, ceilings, and other building components. With the right steel profiles, panels, insulation, and fasteners, you can tailor the solution to meet requirements related to, for example, sound, fire, height, and stability.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through what lightweight construction techniques entail in practice. You’ll also learn when lightweight beams might be the right choice and what’s important to consider during the design phase, material selection, and installation.

What is lightweight construction technology?

Light-frame construction is a method of building using lightweight, adaptable steel systems. This technique is used, among other things, for interior walls, suspended ceilings, fire-rated cladding, and other building components where functionality, flexibility, and efficient installation are key requirements.

Instead of focusing on a single component, you need to consider the entire structure. Studs, tracks, panels, insulation, sealing, and fasteners must all work together. Only then can the building component meet the appropriate requirements for sound, fire, height, and stability, for example.

Lightweight construction techniques are often chosen when a project has clear requirements regarding function and constructability. These systems can be adapted to the specific conditions of the building component, whether it involves room partitioning, fire protection, high walls, or more advanced structures.

Start with the requirements—before you choose a profile or wall system

Before selecting profiles, panels, and fasteners, you need to determine the building component’s function and technical requirements. For interior walls, sound, fire, height, and stability dictate how the solution is designed. The profile type, stud spacing, panel cladding, insulation, and sealing must therefore be selected as parts of the same system.

Sound in Lightweight Interior Walls

When selecting building components designed to reduce disruptive noise, you first need to understand which sound frequencies are relevant in the environment. For example, office spaces do not always have the same requirements for insulation against low bass frequencies as other types of premises. With the right knowledge of sound requirements, it is therefore possible to choose a solution that is tailored to both function and cost-effectiveness.

Sound can travel along multiple paths between two rooms. It can travel directly through the wall, via adjoining floors, ceilings, and walls, through ventilation ducts, or through gaps. Therefore, the laboratory value for a wall alone is not the sole determining factor. In the finished building, sound insulation is also affected by flanking transmission, connections, and construction details.

Doors, electrical boxes, small gaps, or mechanical contact between the sides of a wall are other factors that can impair sound insulation. This type of contact is often referred to as a short circuit. In double-wall constructions, such as lightweight interior walls and floor joists, the various components must therefore be kept separate for the structure to function as intended. A short circuit can occur, for example, through electrical and plumbing pipes, electrical boxes, or contact between rails and studs in a double stud frame.

In other words, the wall’s construction is crucial for sound reduction. The number of panels, their weight, stud width, cavity insulation, stud spacing, and stud stiffness all affect the result. A double-stud wall provides better sound insulation than a single-stud wall, since the two sides of the wall are separated from each other. Changes in materials can also affect sound performance. In a two-layer construction, replacing the inner gypsum layer with plywood or OSB can reduce sound reduction by approximately 1 dB on one side and approximately 3–4 dB if the replacement is made on both sides.

Height and Stability in Lightweight Construction

Walls constructed with steel studs and gypsum board have high strength and stiffness. When subjected to lateral loads, drywall walls function as composite structures, in which the drywall panels stabilize the studs and partially act as flanges. Without special measures, certain wall types can be constructed to heights exceeding 8 meters. The construction height can be further increased by using closer stud spacing, box studs, or CF reinforcement studs.

The maximum construction height specified in our wall tables is based on a horizontal line load of 0.5 kN/m at the center of the wall and a deflection criterion of h/300. If the project has different load or deflection requirements, the wall must be designed separately.

Typically, the stud spacing is c 450 or c 600 mm, adapted to standard panels with widths of 900 and 1,200 mm. A tighter stud spacing increases the wall’s rigidity and stability. At the same time, the wall covering and intended use may impose other requirements on the stud spacing, for example in wet areas or when subjected to specific loads.

Lightweight beams – for high walls, floor joists, and ceilings

Lightweight beams are used in structures where the requirements for load-bearing capacity, stability, or span are higher. They are suitable for use in tall walls, floor systems, roofs, and other building components where low weight must be combined with high strength.

Our lightweight beams are manufactured from cold-formed, hot-dip galvanized steel sheet and are available in several profile designs. This makes it possible to tailor the solution to the structure’s load, dimensions, and intended use.

What is a lightweight beam?

A light-gauge beam is a thin-walled steel section used in structures that require load-bearing capacity, stiffness, and span. Compared to standard wall studs, light-gauge beams are used in building components that place higher demands on the structure’s capacity.

Our product line includes CL, UL, and ZL lightweight beams, among others. They are used, for example, in floor systems, roofs, and high walls, and are selected based on the project’s specific conditions, such as load, support points, span, and desired profile shape.

Advantages of Lightweight Beams

Lightweight beams combine low weight with good load-bearing capacity and stiffness. This makes them suitable for use in structures where the material needs to be easy to handle, while also meeting load and span requirements.

The profiles are available in several dimensions and designs, making it possible to adapt the structure to the project’s specific requirements. For example, CL, UL, and ZL lightweight beams can be selected based on how the beam will be connected, the load it will bear, and the required profile shape.

Light-gauge steel beams are also dimensionally stable and non-combustible. They do not absorb moisture and are therefore not affected by moisture movement in the same way as organic materials. This creates ideal conditions for precise and durable structures. Our lightweight beams are also available in various lengths and dimensions, making it easier to adapt the material to the project’s needs and reducing the need for cutting on the construction site.

Lightweight Construction Technology and Sustainable Building

Lightweight construction technology paves the way for more resource-efficient building. Steel profiles combine low weight with high performance, which simplifies handling, transportation, and assembly. At the same time, the systems can be tailored to the requirements of the building component, ensuring that the right amount of material is used in the right place.

Steel is also a recyclable material. With documented systems and relevant environmental information, it becomes easier to meet the project’s climate goals and sustainability requirements. For the majority of our products, we offer our eco-steel, EVO. EVO steel produces approximately 70% lower CO₂ emissions compared to conventional steel, while maintaining the same functionality and performance. The material also uses less zinc.

Sustainable construction is also about ensuring that the solution works from start to finish. Proper design, the right materials, and efficient installation reduce the risk of waste, rework, and unnecessary material consumption.