--- title: "Metal Stud Framing" description: "Metal stud framing for commercial and residential projects in Orange County. Straight, consistent, non combustible framing for partitions and rated assemblies." url: "https://hanenburg-drywall.vercel.app/services/drywall-framing/metal-stud-framing" section: "Services" business: "Hanenburg Drywall" location: "Irvine, California" updated: "2026-09-25" --- # Metal Stud Framing Metal stud framing uses light gauge steel studs and track to build non load bearing partitions. Steel is dimensionally stable, does not shrink or warp, and is non combustible, which makes it the standard for commercial partitions and most fire rated assemblies. Steel studs solve the problems wood creates. They arrive dead straight and stay that way. They do not shrink as they dry, which means no nail pops a year later. They do not burn, which is why rated assemblies specify them. And they are consistent enough that a wall framed correctly in steel will be genuinely flat. The tradeoffs are real too. Steel is not structural in light gauge, so it works for partitions rather than load bearing walls. Anything heavy hung on a steel framed wall needs blocking or a proper toggle, because a screw into a 25 gauge stud carries very little. We plan blocking for those locations rather than leaving it to whoever hangs the cabinet. ## Why this matters - Dead straight and dimensionally stable, so no shrinkage pops - Non combustible, required in most rated assemblies - Fast to install, which shortens commercial schedules - Blocking planned for every heavy mount ## Our Process 1. **Assess and Measure**: We review the space, take measurements, and confirm exactly what the metal stud framing scope needs to achieve. 2. **Written Scope**: You receive a written estimate with clear inclusions, exclusions, materials, and a realistic schedule. 3. **Protect and Prepare**: Floors, fixtures, and adjacent finished areas are protected before work begins. 4. **Execute the Work**: The metal stud framing work is completed to spec, with quality checked at each stage rather than only at the end. 5. **Clean and Walk Through**: Full cleanup, then a walkthrough with you before we consider the work complete. ## What's Included - Layout and track installation - Stud installation at specified spacing - Door and opening framing with correct jamb studs - Deflection track at head of wall where required - Blocking for fixtures and equipment - Plumb and plane verification ## Materials and systems - 25 gauge studs for standard partitions - 20 and 18 gauge where deflection, height, or load requires it - Deflection track at structural head of wall conditions - Cold rolled channel bracing for tall walls ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can you hang a television on a metal stud wall? Yes, but not into the stud alone. Light gauge steel does not hold a lag screw. The correct approach is blocking installed between studs before the board goes up, which is why we ask about mount locations during framing. Where the wall is already closed, heavy duty toggles into the board can work for lighter loads, but blocking is always better. ### Is metal framing more expensive than wood? Material cost is usually comparable and sometimes lower. Installation is often faster. Where metal costs more is in the extra blocking and detailing that heavy fixtures require, which is real but predictable. --- **Hanenburg Drywall** 12 Elksford Ave, Irvine, CA 92604 Phone: (949) 446-1300 Email: info@hanenburgdrywall.com Hours: Mon to Fri, 8:00am to 4:00pm Serving all of Orange County with no travel surcharge. Request a free written estimate: https://hanenburg-drywall.vercel.app/contact/request-estimate *Last updated: 2026-09-25*