| Cost and Value | Appearance | Frame Construction |
| Interior Construction | Wall Sheathing | Roof Decking |

Product Description    Advantage

Engineered Shear Strength
Unlike a stick-built house, a Steel-Kits home offers you a choice when it comes to sheathing. Steel-Kits homes are engineered to meet the specified building codes and design loads without wall sheathing (IBC/IRC code requires sheathing behind any vinyl wall covering). In contrast, wood-framed homes typically have load-bearing shear walls, and they must have a sheathing like plywood or OSB board to give them sufficient stiffness and strength. In a Steel-Kits home, the steel frame bears all the load and provides the necessary shear strength. Many of our customers decide to save the expense of sheathing and attach their steel siding or their brick ties directly to the frame. Some people choose to add an insulation board or similar product, and others want full sheathing for one reason or another, and it only makes their steel-framed home even stronger. If you decide to use a sheathing, we recommend that you choose a fireproof product like Georgia Pacific's Densglass to attach to your non-combustible steel framing.