Metal rafters are an exceptional, long-lasting, and adaptable roofing material. These fundamental roof frame elements are well-liked by both builders and homeowners because they offer vital support and stability. Usually constructed of steel or aluminum, metal rafters provide remarkable strength and resistance to wind, rain, and snow.
The longevity of metal rafters is one of their main benefits. In contrast to conventional wood rafters, which over time may be vulnerable to warping, rot, or insect damage, metal rafters are renowned for their long lifespan and low maintenance needs. Because metal rafters are less likely to need repairs or replacement over the course of the roof, their durability translates into cost savings over time.
Metal rafters are also very strong and lightweight, which adds to their structural integrity and ease of installation. This feature is especially helpful in areas where there is a risk of earthquake activity or where there is a lot of snowfall. Because metal rafters are lightweight, there is less weight on the roof structure overall, which may lead to more cost- and design-effectiveness.
Metal rafters are also less harmful to the environment. They are a sustainable option for builders who care about the environment since they are frequently composed of recycled materials and can be fully recycled when their useful life comes to an end. Through improved insulation and heat reflection from the sun, their energy efficiency can also help reduce heating and cooling expenses.
- Building a rafter structure
- What you need to know about the design of the roof and the rafter system
- Napal and flat roofs
- How rafters are fastened together
- Types and features of rafters
- How to assemble a rafter structure correctly
- Rift system installation technology
- Metal rafter structures
- Metal rafters: their advantages and disadvantages
- Choosing material for metal farms
- Steel roof structures
- An example of installation of metal rafters
- Advantages and disadvantages of metal rafters
- The use of metal rafters
- Advantages and disadvantages
- Combined rafter systems
- Types of metal farms
- What to consider when calculating metal structures
- Thermal insulation of metal rafter farms
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Building a rafter structure
The building of the roof is an extremely arduous process, but it accomplishes a very admirable purpose: shielding the building from precipitation, wind, and heat loss.
Since it gives the roof structure stability and strength, the rafter system is by far the most significant component.
If you choose to construct your own home, be aware that installing the rafters—which form the foundation of the entire roof structure—by hand is a very fulfilling task, provided you approach the task with the appropriate mindset and adhere to all applicable laws and regulations.
What you need to know about the design of the roof and the rafter system
You must comprehend the fundamentals of roof design before you can properly carry out the installation of rafters on your own.
Slopes are the inclined planes found on most house roofs. The rafter system (frame) and the leapboard that is placed atop it for the roofing flooring serve as the precise foundation for the roof’s slopes.
The rafter system’s apparatus.
Lower ends of rafter legs typically rest against Mauerlat. An inclined and horizontal rib is obtained at the intersection of the slopes.
The values and the m landing are obtained at the intersection of the slopes that form the incoming angles, and the horizontal rib is referred to as the skate.
Pediament or cornice overhangs are the edges of the roofs that extend past the walls of the building. They extend past the exterior walls in a horizontal manner.
The cover external material, also known as the roof, is then installed above the crate and rafters once they have been laid. Prior to installation, heat, steam, and waterproofing must be addressed.
Napal and flat roofs
The roofing slopes that are classified as flat (with a slope angle between 2.5 and 10%) and pitched (with a slope angle greater than 10%) determine the division of the roofs.
A slope is the plane of the roof that creates a water slope.
The primary types of roofing.
Subspecies of naught roofs are further classified as follows:
- Single -shoe – rely on two outer walls of various heights.
- Gable – resting on a couple of external walls with the same height. The triangular end walls that are obtained with this form are called forceps (in the case of a building from the boards) or gables (if they are being built from stone). Therefore, these roofs are also called forceps.
- Helmes or four -sided – these roofs have triangular slopes (called rollers) on the end sides. If the rollers are not brought to the cornice, then the roof is called half -water.
- The tent roofs have four slopes in the form of the same triangles that have a common peak.
- The attic (broken) gable roofs consist of rectangular planes interconnected at a blunt angle.
The most common type of roof is pitched, which is created by installing the rafters on the roof in a specific order.
How rafters are fastened together
There are three ways to join rafters: bolt, clamp, and double tooth.
Rafting legs serve as the primary structural supports of the roof, bearing the weight of the roof as well as the pressure from precipitation.
The type of roofing material and local climate conditions (wind speed and strength, amount of precipitation falling, snowfall) must be taken into account when calculating the rafter system.
The rafters must be fastened to one another in order for the frame to be sturdy. Additionally, the frame is connected to the house’s "box" to prevent the roof from accidentally being torn off in a strong wind.
Wooden rafter systems are commonly utilized in the construction of private and suburban homes because they are simple to make, readily pliable, and easy to process.
Types and features of rafters
Large rooms overlap in the rafter farm, which has a flat lattice design. This rod system is geometrically constant; the rods are arranged in a single plane and are joined at their ends.
Various rafter roof system types.
The term "upper belt" refers to the farm rods positioned along the lower belt and on the upper circuit. Internal vertical rods are often referred to as inclined or slanting racks.
Since a triangle offers the most rigidity, the rafters’ instruction manual essentially assumes that one is present.
The primary component of the rafter farm are the rafter legs, which are positioned along the slopes and serve to support the crate.
The types of rafters are as follows:
The roof’s angle, the load from wind and snow, and the kind of roofing material all play a role in the type of rafters and installation technique chosen.
Dangling
Varieties of rafters that hang.
The hanging type of rafters are unique in that they only have two extreme supports—the house walls, for example—instead of using intermediate supports.
The hanging rafter system works with both bending and compression. Furthermore, a large horizontal bursting force is created by this kind of structure and is transmitted to the walls.
To accurately decrease the indication of this endeavor, you can utilize puffs (made of metal or wood) to join the rafters. They are found above and at the base of the rafters. In the first instance, the screed serves as both a ceiling and a wall at the same time. Attic roofs are frequently built using this method.
When additional supports are not provided and roof spans range from 7 to 12 meters, this type of rafter leg assembly is utilized.
Lower belt tights and rafters make up the main components of the farm hanging. Unlike layered type rafters, these only produce a vertical effect on the Mauerlat.
Nauseous rafter legs
Kinds of rafters with layers.
Only homes with an additional load-bearing wall or columnar intermediate supports, which are positioned in the middle with regard to the lateral supporting walls, can properly install layered rafters.
The middle section of the layered rafters is supported by its own wall or supporting pillars, while the ends rest on the side walls. Their components therefore function as beams, only bending.
Rafts are used in places without intermediate support when they are present, and in places where they are, they are layered. As required by instruction, layered rafters are used if the roof’s span—the distance between its supports—is greater than 6.5 meters and if there is an additional support—10 to 12 meters.
The rafter layer is outfitted similarly to buildings that use a frame system. Nails are used to secure the bars of continuous double or stratum floor boards that make up the crate.
How to assemble a rafter structure correctly
Plan for installing the rafter system gradually.
A continuous flooring made of two plank layers (double flooring) is used to construct the crate beneath the flooring of a soft roof made of roofing material or Tolya.
The upper layer of the crate is referred to as protective, and the lower layer as worker. Spread (with a 20–30 mm gap) or continuous single flooring serves as the foundation for coating with flat slabs of asbestos-cement.
A 50 × 50 mm cross-section bar crate serves as the foundation for asbestos-cement wavy sheets (traditional slate), fiberglass wavy sheets, and tiles.
Techniques for fastening root legs
You must choose how the rafter system will be attached before you can assemble it.
The rafters will be fastened using one of the following techniques, depending on the materials used in the building’s construction:
- connection with the upper strapping of frame wooden buildings;
- Connection with the upper crowns of chopped and custody buildings;
- Connection with supporting bars of stone buildings.
Alternatives for rafter cutting in a beam (Mauerlat).
In this instance, the Mauerlat’s thickness should range between 150 and 160 mm, and it can be chosen to be partially (the uniforms are only placed in the joints with the rafters) or completely (the beam is placed along the entire length of the plane).
To prevent rafters from sagging, use struts, crossbars, and a lattice from a rack when choosing rafters with a small cross section. The logs used to make racks and struts have a minimum diameter of 130 to 140 mm.
It is implied in the instruction that the rafter leg is cut into a puff during installation.
In order to eliminate the chance of the rafters’ ends sliding along the tightening and rolling out, rafter legs with teeth a third the height of the tightening must be inserted, either simultaneously with the use of spikes or separately.
Rift system installation technology
The lumber used to make the rafter structure is composed of one or two rocks that are free of wormholes and decay.
Using a round-fingered machine, boards and bars are transversely cut to the desired length. Products are then cut on this machine according to a predetermined template (profile). The rafters are divided into pieces and marked using templates prior to assembly.
Kinds of rafter fasteners.
All of the frame’s components are put together as a plan for a boy.
Planks should be applied in order to precisely determine where the rafters will be placed in the completed form before beginning the assembly on the boy with coal or chalk; this is known as the rafter laying scheme.
Following cutting and control assembly, the rafter structure’s components need to be packaged and labeled in accordance with the sets. Large-span rafters require a control assembly in order to be able to be gathered during construction without fitting.
Battaards are chosen for bolt nests in rafter elements.
Raft installation over multiple spans may involve the use of hanging and layered rafter shapes that alternate.
Small-span rafters can already be gathered from businesses and delivered pre-assembled to the construction site.
Metal rafter structures
Basically, the following situations involve the use of metal rafters in roof design:
- in order to give additional hardness of the roof;
- If when installing the frame you need a beam more than 10 m long.
Metal rafters are typically used for the construction of industrial facilities rather than residential ones (warehouses, workshops, etc.). Condensate is the worst enemy of metal rafters.
The remaining rafter elements—runs, Mauerlat, ridge supports, etc.—are also made of metal if using metal rafters is already necessary for the roof’s construction.
Raiser installation is a responsible and time-consuming procedure, but it can be done by hand provided all guidelines and instructions are followed.
Metal rafters: their advantages and disadvantages
Because they can support heavier loads, metal rafters are more durable and dependable than wooden ones. This post will discuss the primary benefits and drawbacks of them, along with the selection and installation of metal rafters.
A metal rafter system is typically chosen to make the roof more rigid. It is also utilized when building rafters that need the installation of beams longer than ten meters.
In this instance, it should be replaced with the Mauerlat beam in addition to rafters, skate runs, and supports made of wood. Rather, a strong channel is laid, to which metal rafter legs are fastened using welded corners.
Combination rafter systems, which combine metal and wood, are also utilized in practice but have a number of drawbacks.
The most crucial is that wood cannot come into contact with metal because a sudden change in temperature on the metal’s surface causes condensate to form, which rots the wood.
It should be treated with wood elements using specific antiseptic and moisture-resistant techniques to prevent this. Furthermore, roofing material needs to be used to isolate the wood from the metal.
It is also worth taking into account the attic premises’ insulation.
When it comes to metal rafters, the material needed is under or above the rafters rather than between them as it is with wooden rafter systems.
Additionally, you need to leave a space between the metal and the roof heater to stop condensation from wetting the insulation material.
The remaining layers of the roof pie, such as the internal casing, vapor barrier material, roofing, and ventilation gap, are situated above the insulation layer when the insulation is laid beneath the metal rafters.
By doing this, cold bridges are avoided and heat loss to the attic is stopped.
An alternative is to use metal rafter systems instead of wood. In this instance, the lack of wooden components means that decay need not be a concern.
Considering the lengthy service life and the potential to use entire rafters that can range in length from 7 to 30 meters, this roof version is highly profitable.
Often referred to as farms, metal rafters can be produced on their own or bought already assembled. Periodic classic profiles, paired corners, etc. are used in their manufacture. D.
Farms are made up of two triangles with angled shoulders. They are best suited for the construction of hangars and other industrial buildings due to their capacity to block large areas and heights.
Rafter metal farms are also used in the construction of residential buildings with metal frames. In this instance, the farms are made to order for a particular frame and delivered to the construction site.
The basis is completed along with their installation.
Metal rafters have the aforementioned benefits, but there are drawbacks as well, chief among which are the transportation and assembly of metal structures:
- Metal rafters have a rather large weight, so to rise to the desired height and installation, the use of special equipment is required;
- Steel farms have poor resistance to high temperatures, so in a fire after 15-30 minutes they sag and collapse of the roof;
- Finally, the construction of a metal rafter metal system is a fairly expensive event.
Choosing material for metal farms
Rafters for farms made of profile pipes
Scarves are used to perform the conjugation of the nodes in a pair profile, which is typically used for the manufacturing of farm elements. Elastic welding or riveting is used to join the components.
Prior to fabricating a metal structure, it is important to determine the cross section of the components, the quantity of welds, the necessary number of rivets, etc.
The farm is manufactured in the following manner:
- For the manufacture of the upper zones of the farms, two inconspicuous corners with a taurus cross section are used, the docking of which is performed on the smaller sides.
- The lower belts are made using two corners.
- In the case of loads on the farm arising within its panels, paired channels are used.
- For the manufacture of braces and racks, equivable corners are used, the cross -section of which is a teenic or cross -shaped.
- Taurus are used for the manufacture of completely welded farms.
The farm rafter, which is constructed from profile pipes, was the most widely used type of individual construction.
Compared to designs using a channel, taurus, or corner, this farm is substantially lighter, and welding can be done right there on the construction site.
Useful: Hot rolled or bent pipes are used in the production of farms. Steel tape with a rectangular or square section and a thickness of 1.5–5 mm is used to make hot-rolled pipes.
Steel roof structures
Rafting steel farms
Rafter farms are used to construct steel roofing structures, with spans ranging from six to thirty meters.
Farms are made of profiles with a periodic section, like van-welded pipes with a square or rectangular cross section or paired corners.
The two slopes that make up the rafter farms are equal in bias and do not add up to a full 20 degrees. Specialized columns or mortgaged reinforced concrete camshafts are used to support them against the walls.
Welding is used to attach corners and rights from a wooden beam to farms where the crate will be placed. Horizontal connections are made from the corner along the lower belts of the farms to increase the rigidity of this system.
Metal farms are primarily utilized in industrial and civil construction for structures like the following; they are rarely utilized in the construction of private homes.
Farm is typically used with a light modular steel frame when building residential private homes.
Any industrial facility can carry out the relatively simple process of producing steel farms.
These structures’ primary benefits are:
- High strength;
- The possibility of blocking long spans;
- Good rigidity.
Among the drawbacks of steel farms are:
- Large weight (20-30 kg/m 2), requiring the use of special equipment during installation;
- Low fire resistance of the roof structure (15-30 minutes);
- Corrosion formation in the absence of special processing.
An example of installation of metal rafters
Diagram of a triangle farm
As an illustration, let us look at the installation of a metal rafter structure with a 22–30º inclination and a roof coating made of iron, slate, or etternet:
- The most suitable option in this case will be a triangular rafter farm, the height of which is 20% of the span length (FIG. 1 in the diagram). Its low weight allows you to build walls near its supports to a relatively small height within the attic;
- In the case when the span length is 14-20 meters, it is recommended to choose a farm with descending braces due to the least weight of this design;
- The length of the panel located in the upper zone of the farm should be selected in the range of 1.5-2.5 m;
- The number of panels in both parts of the farm should be even, in accordance with the indicated span size, the number of panels is 8.
When building an industrial structure, the foothill farms serve as the foundation for the installation of farms and are positioned on rafter farms that connect the support columns to one another.
These buildings have spans that range from 20 to 35 meters long, so the Farm of Polonso should be applied (FIG. 2). Two triangles are joined by tightening to form this design.
This makes it possible to remove the lengthy braces found in medium panels, whose cross sections need to be enlarged in order to resist bending, increasing the farm structure’s weight.
Each of the 12 or 16 panels that make up the upper belt has a length of 2-2.75 meters. Tightening, which is 4-6 lengths of panels long, is fastened in the event of fading to the ceiling farms to the upper belt nodes.
For a variety of reasons, it is typically not justified to use metal rafter systems when building country homes and cottages, even though they are more rigid and reliable than wooden ones.
When building industrial buildings, using metal rafters is the most suitable option because they can span fairly large distances.
457) What are metal rafters made of? Let’s compare their wooden and metal systems to the rafter metal farms.
Advantages and disadvantages of metal rafters
The foundation of any pitched roof is the rafter system. Typically, wood is used to make its components. This material is lightweight and easy to install, and it is also environmentally friendly.
Wooden rafter systems can be constructed without the need for specialized tools. But using wooden rafters isn’t always a good idea. Metal rafters are a better option if the roofing on a slope is longer than ten meters.
The use of metal rafters
Metal is an expensive and heavy material. However, it can take on nearly any form and has a high strength.
Occasionally, using metal components rather than the more conventional wooden ones when building a roof frame is far more practical.
The following situations call for the usage of the metal rafter system:
- For the manufacture of the rafter system, a long beam (more than 10 meters) is required;
- To give the roof additional stiffness.
The construction of industrial buildings, including stations, supermarkets, swimming pools, warehouses, etc., is the primary application for the metal rafter system. Due to their high cost, metal rafters for roofs are rarely used in private construction. Furthermore, installation and transportation are very challenging tasks.
When the slope of the roof is more than ten meters, metal rafters are utilized. Under such circumstances, metal runs, skate supports, and Mauerlat are appropriate. A strong channel takes the place of the Mauerlat beam. Welded corners secure the metal rafters to the structure.
Advantages and disadvantages
A sophisticated method of employing metal components is the technology that uses a light steel frame. Metal farm components are constructed from a pair of lightweight, galvanized profiles.
The following benefits come with metal designs:
- Fire safety. The rafter system does not contain elements of combustible materials. Due to this, the likelihood of a fire from the roof is excluded.
- No need to perform annual processing of the structure using antipyrene and antiseptics.
- Long service life. Manufacturers give a guarantee for a hundred years. This design is not exposed to mold, fungus and rot. Metal protection from corrosion is ensured by applying zinc coating.
- When performing work, there are completely no waste. This is due to the high accuracy of metal design parameters. You can perform the installation of such a design all year round.
- Environmental friendliness. Designs consist of environmentally friendly materials that are easily amenable. It is important to note that the details of the structure do not need to be treated with chemical reagents that have a negative effect on the human body.
Multi-story buildings would benefit from the use of metal rafters. Since ceramic tiles place a heavy load on the rafter system, they are also utilized as a foundation for those tiles.
But in other situations, using metal rafters isn’t the best idea because of these drawbacks:
- It is difficult to transport and installation of such rafters quite difficult.
- Metal rafters have a large weight. A special technique will be required to raise them and subsequent installation.
- At high temperatures, rafters made of metal are quickly deformed. In case of fire, they sag it very quickly, as a result of which the entire roof is collapsed.
- High cost of metal roof structure.
Combined rafter systems
Combined rafter systems are frequently utilized when building roofs. They employ metal components in addition to wooden ones.
There are certain subtleties to this method that need to be considered. Wooden and metal components shouldn’t come into contact with one another because a sudden change in temperature on metal details can cause condensation, which rots wood components.
By pre-processing wooden elements with moisture-resistant compounds and antiseptics, this can be prevented. Using roofing material, you can also separate the tree from the metal.
Types of metal farms
Belt-based classification of metal rafter farms:
- With a parallel belt.This option has many of the same type of details, the same length of the belt and grate rods, a small number of joints, as well as the complete unification of the structure. All this makes the installation process of metal farms quite easy. Rraft farms of this type can be used under a soft coating of the roof.
- trapezidal (single -shout). It characterizes the device of high stiffness nodes, as well as the absence of long rods in the middle part of the farm. This design is quite economical.
- Farm of a polygonal structure. This option is quite complicated and is usually used in the construction of buildings with a large span and weight. The use of farms of this type allows you to save a large amount of steel. It is impractical to apply a similar design for small buildings, since the savings will be small.
- Triangular farm design.The advantages of this type include the ease of manufacture, as well as the possibility of using for roofs that have a large slope angle. It should be noted that most support nodes have a complex device. For the manufacture of long rods in the central part of the farm, a significant amount of material is required.
What to consider when calculating metal structures
In order to complete the metal farm calculation, specific knowledge is required. Usually, specialized computer programs handle the calculations. Since the calculations will determine the structure’s strength and dependability, they must be precise. In this instance, the following considerations must be made:
- Constant loads on the structure (weight of the roofing and rafter system);
- Additional loads (wind, snow, weight of people on the roof);
- Periodically arising loads (hurricane, seismic).
Thermal insulation of metal rafter farms
It is crucial to remember that condensation poses a risk to thermal insulation materials in addition to the rafter frame. When the heater gets wet, most of its functional properties are lost. It should therefore be placed either under or above the metal rafter legs.
All other roof pie components should be positioned above the thermal insulation layer when it is placed beneath the rafters. The purpose of this is to stop cold bridges from forming.
It is imperative that roofers possessing such experience be contacted for the installation of a metal roof frame.
Advantages | Durable, lightweight, resistant to insects and rot, recyclable |
Considerations | Higher initial cost, requires professional installation, can be noisy in rain |
For contemporary roofing requirements, metal rafters provide a strong and adaptable option. They are perfect for withstanding a range of weather conditions, from strong winds to heavy snow loads, thanks to their strength and resilience. Metal rafters don’t rot, attract vermin, or warp with time like traditional wooden ones do.
The fact that metal rafters are lightweight and less demanding on the building’s overall structure is one of their main advantages. This could lower construction costs and facilitate easier and faster installation. Their consistency in size and form also guarantees consistency in roof construction, which helps to expedite the building process.
In addition to their practical advantages, metal rafters provide flexibility in design. They offer more creative expression options for architects and homeowners alike because they can be customized to fit various roof shapes and architectural styles. Thanks to technological advancements, metal rafters can now be customized to a wide range of colors and finishes, improving the building’s overall appearance.
In summary, metal rafters offer a contemporary roofing solution that combines sturdiness, strength, and visual appeal. When building a new structure or remodeling an old one, taking metal rafters into account can pay off in the long run in terms of structural integrity, upkeep, and design flexibility.
"A strong and effective option for contemporary roofing systems are metal rafters. Homeowners can benefit from increased structural integrity, a longer lifespan, and improved resistance to weather elements like wind and snow by switching out their traditional wooden rafters with metal ones. The advantages of employing metal rafters are discussed in this article, including how their lightweight design lowers building costs and makes installation easier. We’ll also talk about their advantages for the environment and how they support sustainable building techniques. Knowing the benefits of metal rafters can help you choose a safe and durable roofing solution whether you’re building a new roof or remodeling an existing one."