Box-Section Steel Framing

Box-section framing is the load-carrying skeleton that sits behind cladding, glazing or plasterboard in shopping centres, offices and commercial interiors. Square and rectangular steel hollow sections are cut to size on site, welded or bolted together and anchored to the slab and soffit.

Where it is used

It is chosen where galvanised drywall studs are not enough: tall shopfronts, walls carrying heavy cladding (stone, composite, timber panels), wide door and display openings, load-bearing wet-area modules for wall-hung WCs and basins, column and beam casings, and frames around circular rooflights and ceiling voids.

How it is built

1. Grid lines and openings are set out on site from the architectural drawings.
2. Floor and head tracks are fixed with mechanical or chemical anchors.
3. Posts are plumbed in; rails follow the cladding module (usually 40–60 cm).
4. Stiffening frames are added around doors, displays and service penetrations.
5. Weld areas are cleaned and touched up with anti-corrosion primer.

Which frame where: comparison

Material

Sections are cold-formed structural hollow sections to EN 10219. Size and wall thickness depend on wall height, the cladding to be carried and the opening width. The size table below lists commonly used sections with their standard unit weights.

Section selection is project-specific; tall or heavily loaded walls require an engineering check.