Most remodelers would frame up a
basement family room or new bedroom
with wood studs and wood plates. And
why not? This is the way we've done it
for years. However, I've found that in
many cases steel-stud framing, normally
reserved for commercial jobs, costs less
and takes less time.
The 25-gauge steel studs I use come
in bundles of ten and cost about $1.52
per 8-foot stud, which is very competitive
with the $1.50 2x4 studs we buy
here in St. Louis. Once you get familiar
with the materials and the way they're
installed, you'll be able to save on labor
compared to building with wood.
Steel studs are commonly categorized
either as non-load bearing (NLB)
"drywall