LSB^® spans the distance

The project involved building a garage with a concrete tiled roof, that was originally specified to use Hot Rolled Structural Steel.

Despite its spectacular location overlooking a canal, the garage’s
situation within a gated estate with obstructing power lines presented the construction team with a range of access challenges.

To transport and use Hot Rolled Steel sections on-site, the builder faced hiring a 50 metre crane at a cost of $400 an hour.

After discussing the features and benefits of LSB with the LiteSteel Technologies sales team, the builder and the engineer were keen to specify LSB into the project.

LSB saved Topline Home Improvements Pty Ltd the cost and logistical challenges of using a crane to transport Hot Rolled Steel on site. But that’s just one of the benefits achieved.

Project engineer Barry Klimister found designing the garage with LSB design tools was easy.

LSB had the competitive edge over alternative products for the project with its long span capabilities and high strength to weight ratio.

LSB could achieve single spans of five metres for garage beams at 12 kg/m with less deflection over long spans than Hot Rolled Steel.

Over 100 metres of LSB was used in the project, including 300 × 75 × 2.5 LSB for a five metre (60 kg) garage lintel to support the concrete tiled roof. LSB also was used for floor beams and
window lintels.

Despite its lighter weight, LSB’s unique profile with a flat, thin web and two hollow flanges delivered the garage structure with the same torsional rigidity expected from Hot Rolled Steel sections.

When it came to installation, LSB’s benefits came to the forefront. The builders were impressed by LSB’s usability on-site.

The site workers, used to working with timber, were not initially keen to use LSB in the project.

However, once they realised how light it was and how easy it was to install, they would have no hesitation in using LSB on future projects.

Not having used LSB before is no barrier to a project – despite being a relatively new product to the construction industry, it doesn’t require any new training, tools or alternative building methods.

Topline Home Improvements Pty Ltd discovered the full advantages of LSB as a lighter structural beam with the strength of steel that is practically as easy to use as timber.

The site workers found that LSB can be lifted and carried like a timber beam – much easier to handle on-site than Hot Rolled Steel which can be up to 40% heavier.

With the ability to be cut, nailed, screwed and drilled on-site using professional power tools, LSB offered on-site flexibility – which is important in an environment where time literally is money.

A standard professional hand-held circular saw fitted with a ferrous metal cutting blade makes cutting LSB on-site as easy as cutting timber.

Similarly, using a professional hand-held power drill, site workers can easily drill through structural steel beams, making it easy to attach brackets, bolts and other components.

With LSB, all connections can be bolted on-site, avoiding off-site fabrication and allowing more control over the project schedule.

Cutting service holes into LSB on-site is simple using a standard power pack drill fitted with a carbide tipped hole cutter. This can be done after the beams have been installed so services can be
passed through exactly where they need to be – an advantage not available with Hot Rolled Steel structural beams.

Using a pneumatic nail gun, workers are able to nail flooring (up to 22 mm thick) directly to LSB.

Previously, connecting steel sections to other parts of a building structure was only possible through welding.

However, connecting LSB is convenient and efficient – readily available galvanised steel brackets, such as ‘Pryda’ brackets for structural timber, can be used. In constructing the garage,
LSB was strapped to timber wall members as per standard timber installations.

Alternatively, if required, LSB is easy to weld using Manual Metal, Gas Metal or Flux Cored Arc Welding.

The LSB sections arrived on-site pre-primed and ready for painting once installed. The environmentally-friendly EnviroKote™ water-based primer paint protective coating system applied to LSB during manufacturing provides more durability, scratch resistance and up to twice the Residential Projects: Garage Lintels level of corrosion protection of traditional steel tube primers.

The advantages of using LSB as garage lintels can be easily applied to similar residential construction applications, including roof purlins in car ports, outdoor decks, house lintels, parameter
beams, hanging/strutting beams, floor joists and
floor/roof bearers.