Metalcon vs. Concrete vs. Wood: Which is better for building in Chile?

The Battle of Materials in Chile

Choosing the skeleton of your house is the most important long-term decision. In Chile, a seismic country with extreme climates, tradition sometimes clashes with efficiency. Let's analyze the three giants objectively:

1. Reinforced Concrete and Masonry

It is the classic Chilean standard. "Solid," as people like to say.

• Advantages: Great thermal inertia (retains heat, but takes time to warm up), feeling of robustness, good natural acoustic isolation by mass.
• Disadvantages:
  • Poor Thermal Insulation: Concrete is a "thermal bridge." Cold passes straight through. To meet current standards, it must be lined with external insulation (EIFS), increasing the cost of the work.
  • Seismic Rigidity: Being rigid, it fractures. While it won't fall, post-earthquake crack repairs are costly.
  • Humidity: Absorbs moisture by capillarity if not perfectly waterproofed.

2. Wood (Traditional Framing)

Very common in the south and in self-construction.

• Advantages: Economic, renewable resource (if certified), good rustic aesthetic.
• Disadvantages:
  • Biologically Alive: It is food for termites and fungi. In Chile, the subterranean termite plague is a real and devastating problem.
  • Instability: Wood "works" (swells with moisture, contracts with heat), which cracks stucco and misaligns doors.
  • Fire: It is combustible.

3. Metalcon (Light Galvanized Steel) - The Canadian Standard

The system we use at Canadian Houses combines industrial engineering with residential construction.

Why do we choose it?

• Immune to Pests: No termite eats steel. You will never have to fumigate the structure.
• Dimensional Stability: Steel is inert. Your wall will always be straight. No cracks due to material "working."
• Superior Seismic Behavior: Being a lightweight and flexible structure, it dissipates earthquake energy by "dancing" with it instead of rigidly resisting. It is incredibly safe.
• Perfect Thermal Chamber: The C-profile structure allows filling 100% of the wall thickness with high-density insulation, without interruptions.

Technical Conclusion

For a country like Chile, Metalcon offers the perfect balance: the structural safety of steel with the thermal efficiency needed for our climates. It is not "cheap prefabricated"; it is precision engineering applied to your home.