Sag Rod

A tension member used to limit the movement of a girt or purlin in the direction of its weak axis before the installation of sheeting.

Sealant

See Caulking.

Secondary Framing

Members which carry loads to the primary framing. In metal buildings this term includes purlins, girts, eave struts, flange braces, etc.

Seismic Load

The assumed lateral load acting in any horizontal direction on the structural system due to earthquakes.

Self Drilling Fasteners

See Self Drilling Screws.

Self Drilling Screws (SDS)

Fasteners, used for attaching panels and trims to girts and purlins, which drill their own holes and eliminate the pre-drilling operation.

Self Tapping Screws (STS)

Have the same function as SDS but need pre-drilled holes.

Sheeting

Profiled metal panels.

Sheeting Angle

An angle used to support sheeting.

Shims

Small steel plates used for leveling base plates or for packing between structural members.

Shipping List

A list that enumerates, by part number or description, each piece of material or assembly to be shipped. Also known as Packing List.

Shop Details

Drawing details for fabrication of parts and assemblies.

Side Lap

A term used to describe the lap at the side or lengthwise direction of panels.

Sidewall

A term used to describe the entire composition of a building side which is parallel to the ridge.

Sill

The bottom horizontal member of a door or window opening.

Simple Span

The term used in structural engineering to describe a support condition, for a beam, girt, purlin, etc., which offers no resistance to rotation at the supports.

Single Slope Building

See also Mono-Slope.

Skylight

A translucent panel used at the roof to transmit natural light. It is usually made of fiberglass.

Slats

Flat strips used in the shutters of roll-up doors.

Sleeve Nut

A long nut normally used to join two brace rods of the same diameter together. Also known as Coupling.

Sliding Door

A single or double leaf door which opens horizontally by means of overhead trolleys or bottom wheels.

Slot

An elongated hole.

Soffit

The underside covering of any exterior portion of the metal building such as canopies, sidewall and endwall roof extensions.

Soil Pressure

The load, per unit area, a structure will exert, through its foundations, on the soil.

Soldier Column

A column, in sidewalls outside the main frame lines, located in extended bays to support sidewall girts, wall canopies and Lean-To’s.

Space Saver

Building with a single gable clear span and straight columns. Wall girts are flush mounted.

Span

Distance between the supports of beams, girders or trusses. In a pre-engineered building distance between interior columns.

Spanner

A component used to connect the endwall post (column) to the endwall roof purlins.

Specification

A statement of particulars defining physical dimensions, strength and other properties, or a statement defining performance expectations of materials or devices.

Splice

The connection between two structural members.

Steel Line

The extreme outer limits of the structural framing system of a building to which the sheeting is attached.

Step in Eave Height

The condition where a lower building is attached to a higher building at the endwalls, resulting in one building with different eave heights at each end. Sometimes called Roof Transition.

Stiffener

Plate welded to a member to increase strength of the web or to provide continuity at connections.

Stiffening Lip

A short extension of material, at an angle to the flange of cold-formed structural members, which adds strength to the member.

Stiles

The vertical side members of a doorframe.

Stitch Screws

Fasteners used to fasten side laps of panels and for attaching trims or flashing.

Structural Steel Members

Load carrying members. May be hot rolled sections, cold-formed shapes, or built-up sections.

Strut

A brace fitted into a framework to resist force in the direction of its length.

Strut Purlin

An additional purlin, in braced bays, located close to the normal purlin at the intersection of roof brace rods or cables and the frame rafter, as required by design.

Suction

A partial vacuum, resulting from wind loads on a building, which causes a load in the outward direction.