For commercial projects under 4 stories, wood has traditionally been king due to cost. However, volatile lumber prices are making Light Gauge Steel (LGS) increasingly competitive.
Steel offers better precision, no warping (crucial for modern finishes), and non-combustibility which can significantly lower insurance premiums during construction and operation. For hotels and multi-family projects, we are seeing a strong shift toward panelized steel framing systems that can speed up framing time by 30% compared to stick-built wood.