Almost every new home in Queensland has a lightweight frame: either treated pine timber or light-gauge steel. Both are good systems when they're built properly. The right choice depends on your site, your budget and what matters to you. Here's how they compare in practice.
Timber frames
Most Queensland homes are framed in plantation pine, treated to H2 against termites and borers, with LVL used for lintels and beams. Frames and trusses are usually prefabricated in a factory and stood up on site by carpenters.
- Good: generally the cheaper option, every carpenter knows it, and it's easy to cut, pack, notch and modify on site. Timber also conducts less heat than steel.
- Not so good: it can shrink, twist and bow, especially if it's wet when the linings go on. It still relies on treatment and a termite management system.
Steel frames
Light-gauge steel frames are roll-formed from zinc or zinc/aluminium coated steel, usually by a frame manufacturer, and assembled with screws or rivets. Brands you'll see include TRUECORE steel.
- Good: very straight and consistent, won't shrink or warp, can't be eaten by termites, and won't rot.
- Not so good: usually costs a bit more, fewer trades are set up for it, and changes on site are harder. Steel conducts heat, so it needs a thermal break.
How they compare
Cost
Timber is usually cheaper for a standard house, and most builders' pricing is set up around it. Steel is typically a little dearer, though it varies with the design, the supplier and the timber market at the time. Get both prices on the same plans if your builder offers both.
Termites
Steel can't be eaten. Timber needs H2 treatment, plus a termite management system under the NCC in termite-prone areas. Note that even with a steel frame, the NCC still requires protection for other parts of the building that termites can damage, so a steel frame doesn't mean "no termite barrier".
Straightness
This is where steel shines. Steel walls stay straight, which helps with tiling, cabinetry and long runs of plasterboard. Timber can be very good too, but it depends on the timber quality, how wet it gets, and how carefully the frame is checked and straightened before linings go on.
For timber frames:
- AS 1684 allows MGP10 framing, and it's the most common grade. I recommend MGP12 where you can, because it's stiffer and tends to give straighter walls.
- Studs at 450 mm centres instead of 600 mm give a stiffer wall, at the cost of more timber.
- Use LVL studs in critical spots, such as kitchen walls and walls that will be tiled.
Heat and condensation
Steel conducts heat much faster than timber. To stop heat (and condensation) bridging through the frame, the NCC requires a thermal break between steel framing and some types of external cladding, plus insulation in the walls and ceiling. Timber frames need insulation too, but heat moves through timber more slowly. Either way, insulation and sarking do the real work in meeting the 7-star energy requirement.
Changes on site
Timber is easy to modify on site: a carpenter can add a nogging, move a stud or trim an opening in minutes. Steel frames are engineered as a system, so changes such as moving openings or cutting members usually need the frame manufacturer's or engineer's approval. Plan your layout, wall cabinets, TV walls and grab rails early, so the right noggings and reinforcement are built in.
Sustainability
Plantation timber is renewable and stores carbon. Steel takes a lot of energy to produce, but it's highly recyclable and frames create very little site waste. Look for timber certified by FSC or PEFC (Responsible Wood) if this matters to you.
Combining them
Many homes use both: steel or timber wall frames with timber trusses, or steel beams in a timber frame where a long span is needed. That's normal, as long as each part is designed and connected properly.
My take
- Choose timber if budget is tight, you expect changes during the build, or your builder's systems and trades are set up for it.
- Choose steel if straight walls matter a lot to you, you're in a high termite-risk area, or your builder offers it at little extra cost.
- Either way, the quality of the frame comes down to the people building it and checking it. A badly built frame of either material is still a bad frame.
What to check at frame stage
Whichever material you choose, check before the linings go on:
- Walls are plumb and straight, especially where tiles and cabinets go.
- Bracing, tie-downs and connections match the engineering.
- Lintels and beams are the sizes shown on the plans.
- No cuts, holes or notches beyond what's allowed (AS 1684 for timber, the manufacturer's rules for steel).
- For timber: stamps showing the grade and treatment, and the timber is dry before linings.
- For steel: no damaged coating or rust, grommets in service holes, and the thermal break in place.
Our C7 Frame Stage Inspection Checklist covers all of this step by step. You'll find it on our checklists page.
C7 - Frame Stage Inspection Checklist
$119.00 AUD
Last updated 28 Oct 2026 · Revision 5 · Free updates for life
Checklist Type: Major (Frame Stage)
Form Factor: Fillable, print-ready PDF (A4, 48 pages)
When to use: Frame stage: after the frame and trusses are up, before linings go in
A 146-point frame stage checklist. Check walls, openings, trusses, bracing and tie-downs against your drawings before the linings go in, while changes are still simple.
