Metal stud

A fire-resistant metal stud for supporting a vertical wall comprising an elongate formed sheet metal body having an elongate first side and, opposite thereto, an elongate second side, elongate means central thereof adjoining said first side and said second side, means on said second side for affixing wallboard thereto, a pair of flanges on said first side adapted to have the edges of a pair of wallboards affixed against the inner side thereof, whereby said flanges would be disposed on the surface of a wall formed by said wallboards, said pair of flanges including at least one flange which is formed from an inner layer sheet of metal extending from the inner edge of the flange to the outer edge of the flange whereat the metal is reversely folded and extends back to said inner edge forming an outer layer, said inner layer having means for retarding the increase in temperature of said inner layer and the wallboard surface adjacent thereto when said wall is subjected to a fire on the wall second side, said means for retarding comprising structure which directs cooler gases to the interface of said inner layer and said wallboard, said stud further comprising an internal gap formed between said flange inner layer and outer layer, whereby air within said internal gap that becomes heated will tend to move vertically upward, within said gap.