Back-up Plates:
Additional plates used in connections to provide sufficient bolt grip, allow
for erection tolerances, or increase strength.
Base Angle:
A continuous angle fixed to the floor slab or to the grade beam to enable th
e attachment of wall panels.
Base Plate:
The endplate of a column which rests on the supporting substructure surface.

Bay:
The space between the center lines of frames or primary supporting members i
n the longitudinal direction of the building. Also called Bay Spacing or Bay
Length.
Bead Mastic:
A sealant furnished in a continuous roll, normally used for sealing end laps
of roof panels. See also Endlap Mastic.
Beam:
A horizontal structural member designed primarily to resist moments.
Bent Plate:
A plate bent to form an angle.
Bill of Materials:
A list of items or components used for fabrication, shipping, receiving, and
accounting purposes.
Bird Screen:
Wire mesh used to prevent birds from entering the building through ventilato
rs, louvers and roof monitors.
Blind Rivet:
A small headed pin with an expandable shank for joining light gauge metal. T
ypically used to attach flashing, gutters, etc. Also referred to as a Pop Ri
vet.
Brace Grip:
Galvanized steel strands formed into a helical hair pin shape that is wrappe
d tightly on the strand at the end of the cable brace.
Brace Rods/Cables:
Rods or cables placed diagonally in the roof and walls for the purpose of tr
ansferring wind loads to the foundations and longitudinally stabilizing the
building.
Braced Bay:
The bay where bracing is provided.
Bracket:
A structural support projecting from a column or rafter to which another str
uctural member is fastened. Example: Brackets supporting crane runway beams.

Bridge Crane:
Overhead traveling crane supported by rails which are in turn supported by c
rane runway beams.
Builder:
A general contractor or sub-contractor responsible for providing and erectin
g pre-engineered buildings.
Building Codes:
Regulations developed by recognized agencies establishing minimum building r
equirements for licensing, safety and functionality purposes such as setback
s, fire regulations, spacing and clearances. Building codes usually address
acceptable design codes. An example of a building code is the Uniform Buildi
ng Code (UBC).
Building Width:
The lateral width of the building measured from out to out of sidewall steel
lines.
Built-up Section:
A structural member, usually an "I" shape, made from individual flat plates
welded together.
Butt Plate:
The end plate of a structural member which usually rests against a similar e
ndplate of another member to form a moment resisting connection. Also called
Splice Plate, End Plate, or Cap Plate.
By-pass Girt:
The girt which passes continuously along the outside flanges of the columns.

By-pass Mounted:
See Exterior Mounted.

"C" Section:
A member formed into a "C" shaped profile by cold roll-forming from coils.
Cable Catch Assembly:
The operating handle used to open and close the ridge ventilator.
Cables:
Used for cable bracing. Can also be used to operate ridge vent dampers and f
or temporary bracing. See Brace Cables.
Cantilever:
A projecting beam that is supported and restrained at one end only.
Canopy:
An overhanging or projecting roof structure, below the eave level, supported
at one end only.
Cap Plate:
A plate located at the top of a column or end of a beam. Also referred to as
End Plate.
Capillary Action:
The action of water rising to a higher level.
Catwalk:
A narrow walkway used to provide access to mechanical equipment normally sup
ported on roof platforms.
Caulking:
A sealant used in making watertight joints.
Channel (Hot Rolled):
A member formed, while in a semi-molten state at the steel mill, into a "C"
shaped profile having standard dimensions and properties specified by a rele
vant standard specification.
Checkered Plate:
Flat hot rolled plate with raised checkered design to prevent slipping; used
for industrial equipment platforms, catwalks, stair treads, etc.
Clear Height:
The vertical dimension from the finished floor level to the lowest underside
point of the rafter.
Clear Span:
A building without internal columns.
Clip:
A plate or angle used to fasten two or more members together.
Closer:
Mechanical device, usually attached to a hinged door, which automatically cl
oses the door.
Closure Strip:
Purpose-made foam fillers to fit inside and outside profiles of roof and wal
l panels providing a weather-tight seal. Also known as Foam Closure.
Coil:
A roll of steel sheet or wire.
Cold-Formed Member:
A light gauge structural member produced from coiled steel stock running thr
ough a series of rolls at normal room temperatures.
Collateral Load:
The static load other than the basic design loads such as sprinklers, mechan
ical and electrical systems, ceilings, etc.
Column:
A vertical structural member used in a building to transfer loads from the m
ain roof beams, trusses or rafters to the foundation.
Component:
An independent part of an assembly.
Concrete Notch:
A rebate or notch formed along the edge of the concrete floor slab or grade
beam, allowing wall panels to end below the floor level thus preventing ingr
ess of dust or water.
Continuous Beam:
A beam which has more than two points of support.
Continuous Ridge Vent:
Two or more ridge ventilators mounted on the building ridge that allow air c
irculation. See also Ridge Ventilator.
Corner Column:
A column at any corner of a building. Corner columns may be primary rigid fr
ame columns or post-and-beam columns.
Counter Flashing:
Trim used to connect the sidewall sheeting of a main building to the roof sh
eeting of a lower building.

Crane:
A machine designed to lift and/or move material by means of a hoist.
Crane Beam:
A beam that supports an overhead traveling bridge crane. On underhung bridge
cranes, it also acts as a crane rail. Also known as a Crane Runway Beam.
Crane Bracket:
Structural support welded to the primary building frame to permit attachment
of a crane runway beam. See also Bracket.
Crane Bridge:
One or two girders or box sections supported on end carriages. See also Brid
ge Crane.
Crane Capacity:
The maximum weight a crane can safely lift. Crane capacity depends on the st
andard design of the crane components and their supports.
Crane Rail:
Rail welded or bolted to a crane beam forming the track on which the bridge
crane wheels travel.
Crane Stopper:
A small vertical member welded to the top of the crane beam to stop the cran
e bridge at the end of the crane run area.
Cross Section:
A view formed by a plane cutting through an object usually at right angles t
o its axes.
Curb:
Raised flashing around roof openings to form waterproof openings. See also R
oof Curb.
Curved Eave:
Curved panels provided at the eave.

Damper:
Baffle plate in a ridge ventilator that can be opened or closed using the ca
ble catch assembly.
Dead Load:
The self weight of the pre-engineered building structure including all its c
omponents such as frames, floors, secondary members, sheeting, bolts, etc.
Design Codes:
Regulations developed by recognized agencies establishing design loads, proc
edures, and construction details for structures. Examples are: MBMA, AISC, A
ISI, AWS, etc.
Diagonal Bracing:
See Brace Rods/Cables.
Door Guide:
An angle, channel, or proprietary product used to restrain a door leaf or cu
rtain during its opening and closing.
Door Stopper:
A clip bolted to the vertical door member to prevent opening beyond the door
limit.
Double Channel:
Double or back-to-back "C" sections stitch-bolted together.
Double Faced Tape:
Used as an aid to fix fiberglass insulation.
Double Sliding Door:
Sliding door with two door leaves.
Downspout:
Cold-formed sheet metal section used to carry water from the gutter of a bui
lding to the ground or storm drainage system.
Downspout Elbow/Shoe:
Cold-formed sheet metal section, matching the downspout profile, attached to
the lower end of a downspout and curved in such a way as to direct water aw
ay from a wall.
Downspout Straps:
Metal straps used to fix the downspouts to the sidewalls.

Eave:
A line along the sidewall formed by the intersection of the inside faces or
planes of the roof and the sidewall panels.
Eave Gutter:
Gutter at the eave of a building.
Eave Height:
The vertical dimension from the finished floor level to the top of the eave
strut.
Eave Strut:
A structural member, located at the eave, used for supporting the roof panel
s and the wall panels.
Eave Strut Clip:
A clip used to support the eave strut.
Eave Trim/Flashing:
A sheet metal closure whose function is primarily to provide weather-tightne
ss at the eave between the eave gutter and the wall panels.
Edge Distance:
The perpendicular distance between the plate edge and the center of the bolt
hole.
Elevation:
(a) Distance above or below a prescribed datum or reference. (b) Engineering
term referring to any wall view of a structure.
End Bay:
The first or last bay in the building, as opposed to interior bay. It is the
spacing between the outside face of the outer flange of the endwall columns
and the center line of the first interior column.
End Lap:
A term used to describe the lap at a purlin location where the end of one pa
nel overlaps the end of the panel below it.
End Lap Mastic:
Sealant, in extruded bead form, used to seal end laps of roof panels for wea
ther-tightness. Also called Bead Mastic.
End Plate:
A plate welded at the end of a member.
Endwall:
A term used to describe the entire composition of a building end. See Post &
Beam Endwall or Rigid Frame Endwall.
End Framing:
Framing located at the endwall of a building which supports the loads acting
on a portion of the end bay.
Endwall Post/Column:
A vertical member located at the endwall which supports the girts and endwal
l rafter.
Endwall Rafter:
Normally a cold-formed "C" section supported by end posts of post-and-beam e
ndwalls. Endwall rafters can also be built-up or hot rolled sections if requ
ired by design loads
Endwall Roof Extension:
Roof cantilevered beyond the endwall.
Erection:
The on site assembling of pre-fabricated components to form the complete str
ucture.
Erection Drawings:
Drawings and erection instructions which identify all the individual compone
nts in sufficient detail to permit the proper assembly of all parts of the m
etal building system furnished by the seller.
Expansion Joint:
A weather-tight joint across the width of the building allowing for expansio
n and contraction.
Exterior Mounted:
A girt system where the girts are mounted outside the columns and are attach
ed directly to the outside column flange. Also called By-pass Mounted.
Eye Bolt:
Used in conjunction with a hillside washer for tensioning cable braces.

Fabrication:
The manufacturing process usually performed in a plant to convert raw materi
al into finished metal building components. The main operations are cold- fo
rming, cutting, punching, welding, cleaning and painting.
Fascia:
An accessory whose function is to enhance the appearance of a wall. Also use
d to cover the eave or gable of a building.
Field Work:
Modification or rectification carried out on site.
Fin Neck Bolt:
Flat dome headed bolt used in framed openings, fascias, and mezanines.
Finished Floor:
Top of the concrete slab or the finished concrete surface.
Fixed Base:
A column base that is designed to resist rotation as well as horizontal or v
ertical movement.
Flange:
The projecting edge of a structural member.
Flange Brace:
An angle member extending between girts or purlins to the inner flange of co
lumns or rafters respectively, to provide them with lateral support and stab
ility.
Flashing:
A sheet metal closure used to provide weather-tightness in a structure.
Flowable Mastic:
Supplied in a nozzled cartridge. Used to seal overlapping flashing, gutter j
oints, etc.
Flush Mounted:
A girt system where the outside flanges of the girts and columns are flush.
The girts are supported by the use of girt clips bolted to the column webs.
Footing:
Reinforced concrete base that provides support for a column.
Force:
The action of one body on another body which changes or tends to change its
state of rest or motion. A force may be expressed in kilonewton(s) (kN), or
other similar units.
Foundation:
The substructure which supports a building or other structure. Usually const
ructed in concrete.
Framed Opening:
Framing (headers, sills, and jambs) and flashing which surround an opening i
n a building. Usually provided to accommodate field installed accessories su
ch as sliding doors, roll-up doors, etc.
Framing:
Primary and secondary members (columns, rafters, girts, purlins, brace cable
s, etc.) which when connected together make up the skeleton of a structure t
o which the covering can be fastened.

Gable:
The triangular portion of the endwall of a building directly under the slopi
ng roof and above the eave height line.
Gable Angle:
An angle fastened to the purlins at rake for the attachment of endwall sheet
s.
Gable Trim:
A flashing designed to close the opening between the roof panels and endwall
panels.
Gage or Gauge:
The distance between holes along the transverse axis of a plate.
Galvanized:
Steel coated with a layer of zinc for corrosion resistance.
Girder:
See Beam.
Girt:
Secondary horizontal member attached to the main frame columns. Girts normal
ly support wall panels.
Girt Clip:
Angle clips used to connect girts to the endwall columns.
Glazing:
Installation of glass.
Grade:
Ground level (or elevation) surrounding a building.
Grating:
Welded framework of crossbars used in flooring of equipment platforms, platf
orm walkways, catwalks and stair treads.
Grout:
Non-shrinking sand and cement based mixture used under base plates to obtain
a uniform bearing surface.
Gusset Plate:
Steel stiffener plate used to help distribute load at a connection.
Gutter:
Pre-formed light gauge metal channel at the roof, along the sidewalls, or in
valleys of multi-gabled roofs for the collection of rainwater.

H" Section:
A steel member with an "H" cross section.
Hair Pin:
Reinforcement bars used in distributing forces from the column foundation to
the floor slab.
Handrails:
Horizontal and vertical pipes fixed to stair stringers, edges of mezzanine f
loors, openings in floors and platform walkways.
Hangar Door:
A large multi-leaf door that is used in aircraft hangars or similar building
s.
Haunch:
Intersection of the column and rafter. Also referred to as Knee.
Header:
A horizontal member over an opening in a wall.
High Strength Bolt:
Any bolt made from steel having a tensile strength in excess of 690 megapasc
al (MPa). Some examples are: ASTM A325, A354, A449 and A490.
Hillside Washer:
A washer having non-parallel faces normally used on brace cables or rods. Al
so known as Bevel Washer.
Hinged Base:
See Pinned Base.
Hoist:
A lifting device that is mechanically, electrically or manually operated.
Horizontal Knee Splice:
Horizontal connection of the column to the rafter.
Hot Rolled Shapes:
Steel sections (angles, channels, I-sections, etc.) which are formed, while
in a semi-molten state at the steel mill, into a shape having standard dimen
sions and properties specified by relevant standard specifications.

Impact Load:
A dynamic load resulting from the motion of machinery, craneways, elevators
and other similar moving forces.
Insulation:
Any material used in building construction for the reduction of heat transfe
r.
Interior Bay:
The distance between the center lines of two adjacent interior rigid frames.

Intermediate Rafter Splice:
Connection of two pieces of the rafter.

Jack Beam:
A primary horizontal member used to support another beam, truss or rafter.
Jamb:
Vertical member at the side of a wall opening.
Jib Crane:
A cantilever boom or horizontal beam with a hoist and trolley.
Joist:
A horizontal member for supporting the decking of floors or roofs.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Knee: See Haunch.