We are tube specialists dedicated to supplying high calibre products and customer service. Being able to offer both allows our business to stand out from the crowd. This has led us to becoming the top ERW steel tube supplier West Midlands has available. So, choose us every time you need tubing.
Tube comes in pretty much every size and shape. One of the leading aspects about the products you utilise for your projects is the material. Choosing the right substance ensures your project will fulfil its purpose. It will do so for as long as it is meant to as well. What we are going to do here is compare one of the oldest construction materials to one of the strongest. We will be comparing wood and steel tubing.
Strength
To evaluate both materials, you must look at key elements. The first one we are going to cover is strength.
On its own, wood actually has more strength than steel. You can make it withstand more fatigue over longer stretches of time. This is doable through contemporary treatment and manufacturing practices. It is possible to attribute this to wood’s cellular composition, as well as its capacity to compress under pressure. However, such treatment methods are time consuming and expensive.
Unlike steel tubing though, wood cracks and splits over time. Steel’s strength has the ability to outperform wood thanks to numerous processing methods and alloy additions. This is the reason why skyscrapers and other big structures use structural steel.
Weight
Steel might be 12x denser than wood. Yet, you are able to manufacture tubes to weigh less than wood. Even better, you can do so without sacrificing longevity, durability, and strength. Steel tubes are perfect for endeavours where saving weight is important. If you’d like to work with the finest ERW steel tube supplier West Midlands has, talk to us.
Durability
In this regard, steel tubes win hands down. Steel doesn’t bend, warp, or rot easily. Additionally, it can endure water and fire damage. It is the same for heavy impacts. However, wood can do a better job of absorbing vibrations from the likes of heavy machinery.
Wooden parts were popular for frames for objects like hot tubs at one point. However, more manufacturers are favouring steel tube since it can stand up to the elements and tough jobs.
Longevity
Steel tubing wins again in this aspect. An enhanced, inorganic substance, the material does not suffer from ageing quite like wood does. Being a less durable medium, woods need far more upkeep and maintenance during their lifespans. Even treated wood is able to absorb moisture. This leads to it contracting and expanding. Such a fluctuation causes rotting and weakness in certain instances. Lastly, woods are vulnerable to contraction and expansion, in addition to pest damages.
Shapeability
When a precise fit matters, steel tubing should be your choice. You can bend and manipulate the tubes into any shape. This even includes ones with tight curves and sharp turns, and irregular ones. With wood though, this isn’t the case. They don’t bend well at all.
Manufacturability
This is really the only area where steel falls short. Creating tubes using the metal requires more labour and time. As such, it is the more expensive option. It consists of superheating raw substances, shaping and cooling, and introducing amendments. When you fabricate wood, things aren’t nearly as involved.
When it comes to wood vs steel tubing, the latter wins. It might lose with manufacturability, but it succeeds in every other area. To summarise, using steel tubes for your project will be a long term investment in value and versatility.
A dynamic ERW steel tube supplier in the West Midlands
At Union Steel Tubes, we care about supplying exceptional products that meet your needs. To guarantee the quality, we test every tube before we send it off. When everything gets the all-clear, we use a rapid delivery service so that you don’t have to wait.
So, if you need help from the top ERW steel tube supplier West Midlands has, contact us. We can help with tubing for a vast array of applications.
