Wood or Metal studs....what should I use?

Does anyone have an opinion on what I should use for finishing my basement. I'm in the Toronto,ON area so winter's are cold and summers are hot and somtimes humid. I have worked with wood not metal but I hear they are simply different to work with not necessarily more difficult to work with. I went to the HD and metal is priced 10 cents less than wood (but I hear metal will cost the same in the end). So, since price doesn't appear to be a factor....Can anyone tell me what would be best? Pros & Cons of each?

thanks

 

Being in Toronto, you don't have to worry about termites.

Steel studs should not sit directly on a concrete floor. The wood should be PT.

Steel can rust at connections even if stainless screws are used. - The screw strips off the steel stud coating permitting an opening. Steel does not warp or shrink.

Wood is a little easier to connect with your existing home structure and is more compatible with it.

Steel studs are much more difficult to insulate if you are filling between the studs (studs are a thermal short circuit). Not much difference if you use a rigid insulation board overf the faces of either.

Don't get too wrapped up in superinsulating a basement. The soil around it is a natural moderator that reduces heating costs in the winter and reduces cooling costs in the summer compared with the needs above grade. Below grade you also do not have the air leakage. The key to a suceesful basement finishing job is the control of moisture and humidity.

You can beat yourself to death trying to compare costs to the last penny.

Dick

 

Then the fact with steel you still have to use wood to frame in door openings so you have something solid to connect to, along the base you have to install blocking so your trim has something to nail to, if you plan on hanging anything of weight on the walls you must plan ahead now since steel studs dont lend themselves to well for hanging orniments like deer heads and the like.

I've often thought about using steel, but then I'd still have to gear up for using wood with it to achieve practicality that people take for granted, so for now it's just easier to do all wood.

 

Let's make this easy. Wood!

 

Wood all the way.
Wrap your bottom plate (and any other wood which is in contact with the concrete) with 6 mil poly.