Tiny Home with a Steel Frame

A number of professional tiny home building companies have emerged in recent years, and as the field evolves, so do the construction methods. An example of this is the new tiny home model recently unveiled by SteelGenix, a Denver, Colorado-based tiny home builder. They used lightweight, high-strength steel framing, while the exterior is also clad in metal. Using steel instead of wood for the framing reduces the overall weight of the tiny home in this case, though this of course depends on the gauge. The home is appropriately named Steelhaus.

The walls of Steelhaus were made of an insulated metal panel system. These panels are filled with non-CFC polyurethane modified isocyanurate foam. To get the metal to stick to the foam core they used a special laminating process that involves the use of structural urethane adhesives, heat and pressure. Even though this foam is not the greenest choice when it comes to insulation materials, it does yield a very energy-efficient home, while also cutting down on construction time. The roof is also made of metal and sloped, which offers a good amount of interior headroom. The home also features large windows, which let in plenty of natural daylight and aid ventilation.

According to the builders, these 3-inch insulated panels they used give the wall an insulation value of R-24, which is the same as is offered by standard 4-inch SIPs. The advantage of using these metal panels is that they also result in a 2.5 times lighter home than a timber-framed house with a 2 x 4 batt-insulated wall. The metal panels fit together in a tongue and groove design, which yields a continuous, well-insulated wall and creates a very tight building envelope. They use 76% recycled steel to create the panels.

The interior is very modern, and features metal, wood and glossy elements. The model pictured here features a spacious living/dining area on the ground floor, as well as two sleeping lofts, which are both accessible via a ladder.

There is no word yet on the price of these homes, but I expect it will be made available soon. The company will be exhibiting their creation at the Tiny House Jamboree this October.

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