steel studs

[hovermn]

I've heard talk of frost lines developing when steel and alum. is used to frame a fish house. Does this only happen with tube, or any metal? Would thin gauge steel studs do the same, or would they heat up with the rest of the house preventing the condensation?

I'm real interested in using them in a future fish house due to their extreme light weight, but I'd also hate to have a striped interior and ruined panneling to boot from the moisture. Cost aside, are there reasons to avoid them?

I suppose while I'm at it, I have one more question. My current house has 2X3 studs with 2 screws attaching each to the top and bottom. With a 2X2, how many screws are people using on each end? 1 or 2? What about "L" brackets? Would they be any stronger? I worry about splitting the 2X2 running 2 screws into the end, even with pre-drilling. Is it just that, worrying, or is there something to it?

Thanks!

[JohnMickish]

I'm not positive on this but I would think that if built with a good poly vapor barrier on the inside and a Tyvek type on the outside with pink styrofoam insulation you should be ok. Especially if instead of using wood based paneling on the inside you used a plastic based waterproof "paneling" (like what is used in commercial kitchens and bathrooms, totally water/mold proof).

Am I barking up the wrong tree here or would this work?

[hovermn]

The thing about foam insulation is that it'll fit inside of the stud, so I was hoping that the radiating heat from the foam would help keep the stud warm.

I'd have to look into the cost and weight difference between plastic and wood panneling. If there's a substantial difference in weight, that would negate using steel studs. Greater cost may put a damper on it as well with the already inflated costs of steel studs vs. wood

What's the difference between an interior vaper barior and Tyvek?

[Kylersk]

I used Duro-Therm Lite panels for my ceiling. You can pick them up an menards, they are kinda spendy though, at ~$30 a 4x8 sheet, 5/16th thick. They do how ever have an r3 value. The R3 value, and the fact I didnt have to paint my ceiling where the reason I went with them over plain plywood. I also think they are a bit lighter too. I called the factory and got the weight, but I forgot it now.

Profish enterprises uses them for their ceilings as well, that's who directed me to the product.

[love to hunt]

I have tried this and I used tube. I got frost lines.

The issue is below zero outside and warm inside. The metal never warms up as it is constantly exposed to the cold. It is worse with a ventless heater.

The only fix is to insulate the metal studs from the cold outside or put insulation over the studs inside.