INDUSTRY TERMS AND GLOSSARY
Benefits of a Steel Building
A short reference guide of commonly used terms and phrases in the steel erection business.
BASICS OF A PRE-ENGINEERED METAL BUILDING
The basic components of a steel building consist of columns, rafters, purlins and girt.
Primary structural components include columns (vertical members) and rafters (roof structure). Columns are bolted into the concrete with anchor bolts. Rafters are then bolted to the columns to create the box structure of the building.
Secondary structural members include roof purlins, wall girts, eave struts, cee channels and flange brace. Girts, purlins, eave struts and c-channels are roll formed from galvanized coils to create the required shapes. Flange braces are used to prevent rigid frame members from twisting or buckling laterally under load. They are used on one or both sides of the rafter/columns depending on the design considerations.
Building width is defined as the distance from outside of eave purlin of one side wall to outside of eave purlin of the opposite side wall. The building span is the interior distance from one column to the other. Pre-Engineered building can have up to a 120'+ft interior clear span, depending on site conditions. With the addition of a lean-to or the use of the multi-span system which would include additional interior columns, the building size possibilities are limitless.
The building envelope often includes Batt insulation, exterior wall cladding, roofing and exterior trims. With a variety of color, profile and gauges ensures no two buildings will ever look the same. Whether your building is an industrial facility or a community sports facility, a pre-engineered building can provide the flexibility you are looking for.
Exterior Cladding:
Single Skin Panels:
Single skin roof and wall panels are roll formed from flat stock material. A variety of profiles, gauges and finishes are available from a number of different suppliers. These panels are also offered for interior liners, partition walls, fascias and soffits.
Architectural Panels:
Architectural Panels provide limitless creative solutions for interior walls systems, columns, fascia, custom curtain walls, canopies, soffits, parapet caps, spandrels and entryways .They allow for design freedoms using composite and solid metal panels.
With its diversity of surface treatments and high strength-to-weight ratio, our Architectural Panels offer an unbeatable combination of unlimited flexibility, long-term durability and cost-effectiveness for steel erection projects.
Insulated Metal Panels (Roof & Wall Systems):
Insulated metal panels are a sophisticated building product for pre-fabricated metal buildings providing a clean, consistent, and high-quality appearance. The hidden fasteners give the panels a clean, aesthetically appealing appearance.
The panels incorporate a finished interior liner, factory applied air and vapor shield, insulated foam core and finished exterior weathering surface into a single building unit.
This composite action results from a chemical bond between the poured-in-place foam core and steel skins creating a lightweight, rigid unit with exceptional spanning capacity for your metal building.
Metal Building Insulation:
Every building’s needs are different depending on the climate and building application. Pre-engineered metal buildings most often use faced batt insulation on the walls and roof. The facing is adhered to the insulation and provides a clean interior once installed. These facing are available in a variety of colours and strengths including a gym guard product which is designed for sports facilities.
Standing Seam Roof:
The Standing seam roof system is a raised seam metal roof which is designed to “float” to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction. This is accomplished with concealed sliding clips which allow for up to 3” of expansion and contraction. The panel sidelap has factory applied mastic and is typically sealed using electric seaming machines.
Standard Building Trims:
Standard wall trims including corner trims, eave trim, gable trim, eave gutters and downspouts are usually produced from the same material as the wall and roof panels. Accent coloured trims or accent bands are often used to highlight architectural features of the building.
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Accessories:
Ice Rake:
A Roof Rake is the best way to prevent an ice dam from forming above Overhead Doors, Passage Doors, and Entrance Ways. Thereby, offering protection from falling ice and snow.
Roof Curbs:
Roof curbs are used as roof support structures for fans and ventilators. They are available for flat, pitched, and ridged roofs with or without insulation. Roof curbs can be either canted or straight sided.
Translucent Panels:
In applications where a sky light is not practical but owners are looking for additional light inside the building, the skylight panels are often used. These panels are designed for both the roof and walls and will increase the amount of natural light inside the building.
