Tech Note 551e: Design Guide: Permanent Bracing of Cold-Formed Steel Trusses
Summary: Prefabricated and site fabricated cold-formed steel trusses have proven to be efficient and structurally-sound roof structures. While roof trusses are the major component of the structural roof system, permanent bracing is also required to complete the system and ensure that it performs as designed. In this Tech Note, the basic requirements and design parameters for permanent bracing of cold-formed steel roof systems will be reviewed.
Disclaimer: Designs cited herein are not intended to preclude the use of other materials, assemblies, structures or designs when these other designs demonstrate equivalent performance for the intended use. CFSEI documents are not intended to exclude the use and implementation of any other design or construction technique.
Tech Note 558b-1: Lateral Load Resisting Elements: Diaphragm Design Values
Archived with cover page Nov. 2011
Summary: This note was archived November, 2011. The author has developed ASD design tables using an analytical method for wood framing based on the provisions of the 1991 edition of the AFPA National Design Specification for Wood Construction. Additional research is needed to bring the data in line with current codes and standards. The data below is from commentary section D2.1 of American Iron and Steel Institute AISI 213, Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing – Lateral Design.
Disclaimer: Designs cited herein are not intended to preclude the use of other materials, assemblies, structures or designs when these other designs demonstrate equivalent performance for the intended use. CFSEI documents are not intended to exclude the use and implementation of any other design or construction technique.
Tech Note 562-22: Powder-Actuated Fasteners in Cold-Formed Steel Construction
This Technical Note updates and replaces Tech Note 562
Summary: Power-actuated fasteners (PAF’s) are industry standard for attachment of cold-formed steel (CFS) steel framing members, usually track, to concrete, CMU or steel structural elements. “Power-actuated” is the broad category used to refer to fasteners which are driven directly through the CFS and into the substrate, using a powder, gas, compressed air or electro-mechanically driven tool. Efficient installation of framing systems is greatly enhanced by the use of PAF’s. For CFS-to-steel applications, the specification AISI S100 addresses all relevant limit states with equations and safety/ resistance factors. For CFS-to-concrete, limited guidance is provided but not all limit states are covered. This technical note will provide design guidance based on AISI S100, as well as installation and good detailing practice.
Disclaimer: Designs cited herein are not intended to preclude the use of other materials, assemblies, structures or designs when these other designs demonstrate equivalent performance for the intended use. CFSEI documents are not intended to exclude the use and implementation of any other design or construction technique.
Tech Note B001-25: How Cold-Formed Steel Framing is Produced
Reaffirmed December 2025
Summary: Cold-formed steel seems like a fairly simple product when you are holding it in your hand, but as you can see, there are many production steps involving things like mining iron ore out of the ground, creating molten steel, furnaces above 2,000°F, reduction mills imparting forces in excess of 100,000 pounds per square inch, and hydrochloric acid cleaning baths before it even reaches the roll forming stage. This Tech Note provides a basic outline of the processes involved in producing the products you work with daily, be it manufacturing, drafting, designing, engineering, installing or demolishing a building at the end of its life cycle.
Disclaimer: Designs cited herein are not intended to preclude the use of other materials, assemblies, structures or designs when these other designs demonstrate equivalent performance for the intended use. CFSEI documents are not intended to exclude the use and implementation of any other design or construction technique.
Tech Note B002-26: How Cold-Formed Steel is Used in Building Construction
This Tech Note Updates and Replaces Tech Note B002-20
Summary: Cold-formed steel framing is used in numerous applications across the building industry. The purpose of this Technical Note is to provide a general overview of common cold-formed steel shapes and various applications in which they are used.
Disclaimer: Designs cited herein are not intended to preclude the use of other materials, assemblies, structures or designs when these other designs demonstrate equivalent performance for the intended use. CFSEI documents are not intended to exclude the use and implementation of any other design or construction technique.
Tech Note B003-26: Introduction to Building Codes
This Tech Note Replaces and Updates Tech Note B003-20
Summary: The International Code Council develops a suite of building codes that are considered nationally to be the model codes for the building industry. Local jurisdictions adopt, and in some cases amend, the codes and they become the law of the jurisdiction for building design and construction. The adopted building codes are intended to provide minimum requirements to provide a safe building environment. Among other requirements, the code dictates the maximum allowable size of a building based on its intended use, materials used in construction, fire resistance rating of structural elements, and the presence of automatic sprinkler systems. The International Building Code establishes all design loads to be applied to the building or structure. The building code also relies on references to other standards and specifications to ensure the provisions reflect the current industry practice. For cold-formed steel framing, the IBC references the American Iron and Steel Institute’s suite of framing standards as the accepted design methods and procedures.
Disclaimer: Designs cited herein are not intended to preclude the use of other materials, assemblies, structures or designs when these other designs demonstrate equivalent performance for the intended use. CFSEI documents are not intended to exclude the use and implementation of any other design or construction technique.
Tech Note B004-25: Introduction to Cold-Formed Steel Framing Standards
This Tech Note Updates and Replaces Tech Note B004-20
Summary: The AISI Committee on Framing Standards was established in 1998 with a mission to eliminate regulatory barriers and increase the reliability and cost competitiveness of cold-formed steel framing in residential and light commercial building construction through improved design and installation standards. This Tech Note summarizes the efforts and work products of the Committee.
Disclaimer: Designs cited herein are not intended to preclude the use of other materials, assemblies, structures or designs when these other designs demonstrate equivalent performance for the intended use. CFSEI documents are not intended to exclude the use and implementation of any other design or construction technique.
Tech Note B005-25: Introduction to Cold-Formed Steel Framing Design Aids
This Tech Note Updates and Replaces Tech Note B005-20
Summary: Both steel industry and manufacturers’ associations provide design aids that assist engineers with the proper application of the cold-formed steel design challenges. Design examples and design aids are essential to educate an engineer in the proper use and design of cold-formed steel members, connections and assemblies. This Tech Note provides an overview of some of the available cold-formed steel framing design aids.
Disclaimer: Designs cited herein are not intended to preclude the use of other materials, assemblies, structures or designs when these other designs demonstrate equivalent performance for the intended use. CFSEI documents are not intended to exclude the use and implementation of any other design or construction technique.
Tech Note B006-25: Introduction to Evaluation Services and Explanation of Evaluation Reports
Reaffirmed in November 2025
Summary: Evaluation reports act as a bridge between authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) and manufacturers in conveying specific information on building products and systems relative to compliance to codes and standards. When an evaluation report is made available and determined as supporting the product’s use in projects, approval of the code official should be solicited. After such approval is attained, the design and installation details given in the report need to be observed and the labeling of the actual product needs to match the description provided in the evaluation report.
Disclaimer: Designs cited herein are not intended to preclude the use of other materials, assemblies, structures or designs when these other designs demonstrate equivalent performance for the intended use. CFSEI documents are not intended to exclude the use and implementation of any other design or construction technique.
Tech Note B007-25: General Considerations for Cold-Formed-Steel Connections
This Tech Note Updates and Replaces Tech Note B007-20
Summary: Cold-formed steel (CFS) connections present unique design challenges to consider due to the thickness of the steel. Connections with thin steel materials behave differently than connections with thicker hot-rolled steel materials and are prone to unique limit states. This Technical Note is an introduction to typical CFS connection design issues as defined by common limit states.
Disclaimer: Designs cited herein are not intended to preclude the use of other materials, assemblies, structures or designs when these other designs demonstrate equivalent performance for the intended use. CFSEI documents are not intended to exclude the use and implementation of any other design or construction technique.
Tech Note B008-25: Basic C-Shaped Wall Stud Behavior
This Tech Note Updates and Replaces Tech Note B008-20
Summary: Although cold-formed steel framing shares some limit states with hot-rolled steel, cold-formed steel framing and specifically C-Shaped studs exhibit unique behaviors when subjected to various loading conditions. This Tech Note gives an overview of those unique behaviors that need to be considered when designing C-Shaped cold-formed steel members.
Disclaimer: Designs cited herein are not intended to preclude the use of other materials, assemblies, structures or designs when these other designs demonstrate equivalent performance for the intended use. CFSEI documents are not intended to exclude the use and implementation of any other design or construction technique.
Tech Note B009-25: Structural Versus Nonstructural Cold-Formed Steel Framing
This Tech Note Updates and Replaces Tech Note B009-20
Summary: This Tech Note defines structural and non-structural cold-formed steel framing. It lists code definitions that can be used to categorize framing in question.
Disclaimer: Designs cited herein are not intended to preclude the use of other materials, assemblies, structures or designs when these other designs demonstrate equivalent performance for the intended use. CFSEI documents are not intended to exclude the use and implementation of any other design or construction technique.