6.10 Light steel framed walls and floors
This chapter gives guidance on meeting the Technical Requirements for light steel framed walls and floors and:
- applies specifically to ‘warm frame’ and 'hybrid construction' using 0.45-4.0mm thick framing
- does not apply to light steel framed walls used in basements.
Definitions for this chapter
| Differential movement | Movement between the frame and cladding, eg due to thermal expansion, shrinkage (in concrete masonry) and moisture expansion (in clay masonry) |
| External infill | Walls which are built between the floors of steel or concrete frames and are designed to resist wind loading and to support the weight of the other wall components. They do not provide stability to the building or resist floor loading. External infill is considered as a secondary structural component |
| Hybrid construction | Cavity construction where insulation is installed both between the studs and on the cavity side of the steel frame |
| LSF | Light steel frame. In this chapter, ‘LSF’ refers to construction framing members made from cold-formed profiles 0.45-4.0mm thick. Structural members are typically at least 1.0mm thick |
| Primary structural components | Elements of the structure designed to carry and transfer primary loads of the building as a whole, including self-weight, dead loads and live loads |
| Secondary structural components | Elements of the structure which do not play a wider role in the structure, but carry loads directly imposed on them (and transfer them to the primary structure) such as self-weight, wind loads, cladding and openings |
| Sheathing | Board applied to the outside of the steel frame (installed where required by the design) |
| Warm frame | Cavity construction where insulation is installed on the cavity side of the steel frame |
Clauses for 6.10 Light steel framed walls and floors
- 6.10.1 Compliance
- 6.10.2 Provision of information
- 6.10.3 Structural certification
- 6.10.4 Structural design of load-bearing floors and walls
- 6.10.5 Structural design of infill walls
- 6.10.6 Roofs
- 6.10.7 Steel and fixings
- 6.10.8 Detailing of steel joists
- 6.10.9 Restraint
- 6.10.10 Construction of load-bearing walls and external infill walls
- 6.10.11 Interfaces with staircases
- 6.10.12 Fixing floor decking and ceilings
- 6.10.13 Other design issues
- 6.10.14 Behaviour in relation to fire
- 6.10.15 Acoustic performance
- 6.10.16 Moisture control
- 6.10.17 Insulation
- 6.10.18 Air and vapour control layers
- 6.10.19 Breather membranes
- 6.10.20 Cladding, lining and sheathing boards
- 6.10.21 Wall ties
- 6.10.22 Services
- 6.10.23 Further information
- Figure reference table
Last updated: 2nd January 2024