For the past two decades, the changes or improvements to interior drywall metal framing have been minimal. Enter the UltraSTEEL® Framing Advantage. With UltraSTEEL®, you can see, hear and feel the difference.
ClarkWestern Building Systems is proud to bring you this quantum leap in interior drywall metal framing. UltraSTEEL® Framing is a technically advanced roll-forming technology that improves product performance significantly with easier installation, greater load-bearing capacity with higher limiting heights, along with better acoustics and fire resistance.
UltraSTEEL® Framing is an internationally patented method of altering the characteristics of the base strip steel, that also provides higher tensile strength from lighter gauge materials. Essentially, it work-hardens the steel with two mating rolls. Through this process, the effective thickness of the material is increased to that of the original thickness plus the depth of the ribbing.
Compared to Traditional Metal Framing, UltraSTEEL® Framing has increased stiffness and load-carrying capacity. By using the UltraSTEEL® process, the depth of the sheet is increased, improving its sectional properties. Since the sheet has been worked between the two forming rolls, the material yield is dramatically increased.
The UltraSTEEL® framing process increases the effective thickness of the material (the depth of the double-helix ribbing) and, in practice, means that the gauge of the metal can be reduced. The metal is stiffened by creating a double-helix dimpled pattern on the surface of the material, which is then further strengthened through work-hardening by the combined effects of cold-roll forming, all-in-one continuous process.
UltraSTEEL® Framing helps to prevent screw stripping. Screw stripping can occur for a number of reasons, including steel and/or gypsum variations. The UltraSTEEL® Framing cross-section ensures every screw is in contact with a material thickness greater than the nominal gauge of the steel. Furthermore, the location of screws within UltraSTEEL® Framing material creates inward pressure around the point of contact as a pull-out force is applied.
The UltraSTEEL® Framing cross section ensures that every screw is in contact with a material thickness greater than the nominal gauge of the steel.

The location of a screw within the UltraSTEEL® Framing material creates inward pressure around the point of contact as a pull-out force is applied.
UltraSTEEL® Framing delivers noticeably improved acoustical benefits. Several sound insulation tests were conducted with various gypsum boards. The dimpled surface has been shown to reduce the levels of noise transmission through walls and ceilings.
Fire tests using UltraSTEEL® Framing have shown an increase in performance.