Erection of a steel building is a relatively easy project if you have basic building skills like,
able to read a tape and measure accurately,
able to use a level accurately and ability to read and comprehend a steel building drawing.
Steel Building Drawings are quite simple once you understand how they work. When your steel building arrives, it will be on a flat-bed semi
All the parts on that truck will have a number either stamped on them or an identification tag attached to them.
The drawings will have locations and part numbers where the parts go to erect the steel building.
All of the parts are pre drilled and formed on a jig at the steel building manufacturing plant.
You will not have to drill or weld parts to erect a steel building.
Below is a link to a sample set of steel building erection drawings. Before you click that link I would like to give you a preview of what to look for and how to read the drawing.
The first page shows a 3-D wire drawing of what the building will look like.
In this case the building is a 40' wide x 60' long x 16' eve height.
It has 1-12' wide x 12' high framed openings in the front side wall(Frame Line A).
1-12' wide x 14' high framed opening in the left end wall (Frame Line 1).
1-12' wide x 14' high framed opening in the right end wall (Frame Line 4).
1-3' x 7' personal door in front side wall (Frame Line A).
Page 2 shows the anchor bolt plan. This drawing shows the layout or plan view of the building.
To orient yourself with the drawing look at the top and you will see numbers encircled 1-4 and on the left side you will see letters encircled A-C.
Think of this as a grid layout. Each one of these lines are grid lines. Grid line A is the front side wall of the building with the 1 framed opening and 1 personal door framed opening.
Grid line C is the back-side wall.
Grid line 1 is the left end wall with 1 framed opening and Grid line 4 is the right end wall with 1 framed opening. Grid lines 2 and 3 are the center main frames.
On Page 3 you will see the parts for installing Frame Line A. The columns are EC-3 and RF1-1. Look at the bottom of frame lines 1-4 for part number.
The girts which are the horizontal members that the sheeting attaches to (G-6, G-7, G-8, G-9, G-10) are bolted to the girt clips that are pre-drilled and welded to the columns at the building manufacture.
The E-1, E-2, E-3 members at the top are eve struts.
The DH-1 is the door header and the DJ-3 are door jams for the overhead door framed opening. The DH-2 is the door header and the DJ-4 are door jams for the personal door framed opening.
This is how you start.
First set all the columns on Frame Line A (EC-3 and Rf1-1). As you set the columns plumb them with a level and fine tune the dimension along line A.
Next install the girts (G-6) in bay 1 (between frame lines 1 and 2). Leave the nuts snug but loose enough to make final adjustments when you install the x brace (CB-3, CB-4).
After installing the x-brace use the adjustment nuts on the x-brace to final square and plumb the bay. Next tighten the nuts on the girts.
Proceed to the next bay and repeat the same procedure. In bay 2 (between lines 2 and 3) install the door jams (DJ-3) and plumb.
The end walls (lines 1 and 4) are shown on page 7 and 8 respectively.
After all the walls have been framed using the above procedure your next step is the main frame rafters( lines 2 and 3). The assembled main frame rafter is shown on page 9.
Bolt the RF1-2 at the peak to RF1-2 laying it on the pad approximately where it has to go so when you raise the rafters you do not have to move the lift while the rafter is in the air.
Plumb the rafters.
Watch the video Raising the Main Frame to see the procedure.
Refer to page 3 Roof Framing Plan. Start installing the purlins (P-3 and P-1) in bay 1(between lines 1 and 2). Start at the peak (line B) and work down the roof.
After the purlins are installed then install the eve struts (E-1, E-2, E-3). Then install the x-bracing (CB-5). Square and plumb the bay. Use the same process for the next 2 bays.
The process is pretty simple. Get the part from the inventory, place it where is shows on the drawing, put the bolt thru the hole and twist on the nut.
Sheeting the walls.
After the final check for plumb and square you start the sheeting. First install all the base trim, trim around the doors and windows including the flashing for the jams.
The side wall sheets will come pre-cut to length. It is always best to pre-drill the sheets before installation.
Per-drilling ensures that the screw line is straight and always attaches to the girt.
This is done by stacking the sheets directly on top of each other for each side wall separately. Measure the girt pattern on the wall by starting at the bottom and measuring up.
There will be instruction for the screw pattern to be used and difference between the leading edge and the trailing edge.
Drill the holes in the sheet stack according to the screw pattern spec and the girt layout.
Whenever possible make the lap with the prevailing wind to secure a tighter seal.
After installing the closure to the base trim set the sheet on the base trim then plumb the sheet. Secure the sheet to the walls.
Always screw the joint first and do any adjustment on the leading edge if necessary. Check every 3-rd sheet to make sure they are staying plumb and on the layout.
To sheet the end walls the procedure is the same. If the roof pitch is greater than 2;12 you might have to cut the top of the sheets to the angle of the roof.
Install the eve trim before sheeting the roof.
Follow the same procedure to sheet the roof as the walls.
After installing the roof sheeting then install the ridge cap and the gable trim as per instructions.
If you want to view an enlarged set of steel building sample drawing click this link. Steel Building Sample Drawings
You will have to back click to get back to this page.
The videos on this page show actual on-site construction of different phases of the erection process.
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Steel Building Terminology
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