▁range ▁from ▁ 0 . 0 1 4 7 ▁in . ▁( 0 . 3 7 3   mm ) ▁to ▁about ▁ ¼ ▁in . ▁( 6 . 3 5   mm ). ▁Ste el ▁pl ates ▁and ▁bars ▁as ▁thick ▁as ▁ 1 ▁in . ▁( 2 5 . 4   mm ) ▁can ▁also ▁be ▁cold - formed ▁successfully ▁into ▁struct ural ▁shapes ▁( A IS I , ▁ 2 0 0 7 b ). < ref > American ▁Iron ▁and ▁Ste el ▁Institute , ▁Comment ary ▁on ▁North ▁American ▁Spec ification ▁for ▁the ▁Design ▁of ▁Cold - Form ed ▁Ste el ▁Struct ural ▁M embers , ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁Pub lished ▁ 2 0 0 7 </ ref > ▁ ▁__ TO C __ ▁▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁The ▁use ▁of ▁cold - formed ▁steel ▁members ▁in ▁building ▁construction ▁began ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 5 0 s ▁in ▁both ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁Great ▁Britain . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁accept ance ▁of ▁cold - formed ▁steel ▁as ▁a ▁construction ▁material ▁was ▁still ▁limited ▁because ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁ade qu ate ▁design ▁standard ▁and ▁limited ▁information ▁on ▁material ▁use ▁in ▁building ▁codes . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁documented ▁uses ▁of ▁cold - formed ▁steel ▁as ▁a ▁building ▁material ▁is ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Bapt ist ▁Hospital , ▁constructed ▁around ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁in ▁Lyn ch burg , ▁Virginia . ▁The ▁walls ▁were ▁load ▁bearing