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Buildings

Cold-formed steel vs red iron buildings

Both are steel buildings. Cold-formed steel uses lighter members shaped at room temperature. Red iron uses heavy structural steel, named for the red primer it usually ships in.

How they differ

Cold-formed steel — Lighter C- and Z-shaped members formed from steel sheet. Usually galvanized.
Red iron — Heavy structural beams and columns, typically shipped with a red primer.
Weight — Cold-form members are lighter and easier to handle on site.
Size of building — Red iron is the usual choice for larger commercial and industrial buildings and very wide spans.

How to choose

Commercial or residential buildings of moderate size: cold-form steel kits are a common fit.
Large commercial or industrial buildings: red iron.
Not sure: send the use, site, size, and timeline and we’ll review it.

Questions

Why is it called red iron?

Structural steel frames are usually shipped with a red primer coat, which gave the buildings the name.

Does Ironworks install both?

Yes. Ironworks supplies and installs cold-form steel and red iron buildings. Concrete is handled by our subcontractor partners.