On its own, composite steel decking is known by many in the industry as ‘crinkly tin’, a slang term originating from the sheeting used on farm buildings in the past – however there’s much more to it than that! The profiles are designed with precision to ensure that they perform with the concrete seamlessly to form a structural floor.
When combined with poured concrete that simple ‘crinkly tin’ becomes an integral part in any structure and means that the build will achieve the right load and fire rating and fulfil the demand of the building use. Used for large-scale builds such as stadiums, hospitals, car parks and commercial buildings, steel decking offers both structural flexibility, as well as programme and cost savings, when compared with more traditional forms of construction.
Concrete works with the steel decking to create the composite slab, with the composite steel decking used as tensile reinforcement. This ‘two birds with one stone’ approach is just one of the many benefits of this type of construction. Overall project time is reduced as this method is more rapid than others, and it also acts as a cover for other trades that are working simultaneously and, once fixed, the decking provides a safe working platform during the construction phase. Cost is another huge benefit. Not only are staffing costs reduced due to the speedy construction, but there are also savings to be made from reduced loading and foundation costs for the building. As the resulting slab is shallower than other methods of construction like pre-cast planks or reinforced concrete frame (RC frame), there is less weight and foundation costs can be reduced. Used with composite beam construction, it’s also a versatile way of working as it reduces the steelwork frame weight and can be incorporated into the most complex designs with little-to-no waste. As the steel decking is all manufactured with the same profile, they stack neatly on top of each other which means that minimal site storage is needed, along with a reduction in transport.
Our range of composite steel floor decking offers flexibility to suit your project specifications and can be available in gauges ranging from 0.7mm to 1.25mm. We have 350 or 450N/mm2 minimum yield strength options available and some of our range benefit from our enhanced HD coating, to offer greater resistance against corrosion.
We aim to make decking that enhances your project and leaves you feeling that all requirements are met.
There’s complex engineering behind each of our products and services as the high performance of this structural part of the building is so vital. We continue to innovate and design products that our clients want and need. At SMD we always listen to feedback, so if you feel that we’ve missed something in our current range then please get in touch – we’d love to hear from you.
BENEFITS OF METAL DECKING:
- Rapid speed of construction, reducing overall project time
- Provides the tensile reinforcement requirements of the slab
- Composite construction reduces steelwork frame weight
- Reduced foundation costs, due to reduced loading
- Provides a cover for following trades
- Minimal site storage requirements
- Easily installed into complex designs, with minimal wastage
- Can achieve up to four-hour fire rating for the slab