Purlins are horizontal beams used for structural support in buildings, commonly in roofs. They can be made of wood or steel, with steel purlins being the most commonly used in roofing. There are three types of steel purlins: RHS, Cee, and Zed, each with different uses.
A purlin is a horizontal beam or bar used for structural support in buildings, most commonly in a roof. Purlins are supported by beams or building walls. They are most commonly used in metal buildings, although they sometimes replace closely spaced beams in timber frame structures.
The purlins of a roof support the weight of the roof slab. The roof deck is the wood, plywood, or sheet metal panel that creates the roof surface. When it’s made of wood, it’s usually covered with some sort of waterproofing and sometimes an insulating material.
There are several types of purlins. They are divided into categories according to the material from which they are made and their shape. Different purlins are used for different purposes, including structural support of walls or floors. Although solid wooden beams are sometimes used as purlins, the most commonly used purlin in roofing is the steel purlin, which is usually made of cold-formed steel that is thin enough for screws to drive in.
Cold formed steel is made by rolling or pressing thin sheets of steel into the desired shape. It is less expensive to the manufacturer than hot rolled steel and is also easier to machine. Although cold-formed steel is stronger than hot-formed steel, it is more likely to crack under pressure than to bend.
There are three types of steel purlins. Rectangular Hollow Section (RHS) is a type of purlin often used in roofs where the support structure will be visible after construction is complete. For example, decks and covered patios often use this type of purlin. Since the bar is hollow, caps are welded to the ends of the purlin to keep moisture from getting inside and corroding the metal. The rectangular shape gives the roof the same aesthetic quality as a roof supported by wooden beams.
Purlins Cee or C are shaped like a square letter C. They are often used for structural support in walls and as floor joists in addition to roofs. Cee Purlins can also be used to form bracing, tie rods or columns in sheds.
The zed or Z purlin is shaped like a letter Z. Its shape allows one purlin to overlap others at the seams. This gives zed purlins the potential to be much stronger than C purlins. They are mostly used in walls or for large roofing projects.
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