Metal furring system
The term 'metal furring system', or MF system, refers to a non-structural metal attachment that is used to hold a finish material, often used as a technique for creating a seamless plaster internal finish with a void behind for the installation of services, with plasterboard fixed directly to the concealed metal furrings. It can be used as an alternative to traditional timber batten construction for walls and ceilings.
In metal-framed construction, the furring pieces are long, light gauge materials (usually 25 or 20 ga.) of various shapes, often used to hold insulation or other construction items between materials. Due to the light gauge, a certain amount of rigidity is provided by the bends that create the cross section shapes.
A ‘hat’-shaped bent metal is the most common type of metal furring. This is used to secure the outer layer of material where it would be difficult to insert attachments such as screws and nails.
A ‘z’ furring is attached to one surface at the bottom flange, accepting an outer layer of material to be attached to the other flange. This is often used in commercial and residential buildings as a spacer, allowing an existing wall surface to be insulated, or allowing horizontal electrical or plumbing components to be installed and covered with a finish material.
A variety of fastening methods can be used with a metal furring system. Screws are the most common and easiest, although when the furring strip is attached directly to concrete, masonry or structural steel, more specialised fasteners are used such as sleeve type anchors, course thread anchors, power actuated pin fasteners, and so on.
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