Metal deck is commonly used to support roofing and flooring systems in commercial construction projects. Because every construction project is different, metal deck is often manufactured to meet the specific needs of a project. One element that can be manufactured to meet certain specifications is the metal deck span. In this article, we will discuss the anatomy of metal deck spans, and answer the question, “how far can metal deck span?”
What Is a Metal Deck Span?
Each sheet of metal has a number of supports, such as a beam or joist. For example, a single span is a sheet of metal deck with two supports. The span is the measured distance between the supports.
Spans are measured differently depending upon the type of deck that is being used. For metal roof deck, the span distance is measured from the center of one support to the center of the next support. Metal floor deck spans, however, are measured from one edge of a beam to the edge of the next beam.
How Far Can Metal Deck Span?
The length of metal deck spans will depend upon the type of metal deck and manufacturer specifications.
One indicator of how far metal deck can span is its depth. Typically, a deeper type of metal deck, such as N Deck or 3″ composite deck, will be able to span further than shorter depth metal decks, like B Deck or 1.5″ composite deck.
Some other factors that affect metal deck span are the deck gauge, steel grade, and, for metal floor deck, slab depth.
Deck gauge is the measure of the thickness of each metal deck profile. Metal deck with a thicker gauge will be able to span farther than metal deck with a smaller gauge.
When it comes to steel grade, metal deck with a higher grade will typically be able to span farther than metal deck with a lower grade.
Metal floor deck is often used to form flooring systems, acting as a solid base that either interlocks with concrete slabs or simply supports the weight of concrete that is poured on top of it. Floor deck that needs to support a greater concrete slab depth will have longer spans.
Manufacturing Deck That Meets Your Needs
At CSM Metal Deck, we manufacture and stock metal Roof Deck, Form Deck, and Composite Deck that spans 1 foot to 10-11 feet in distance. The span will depend upon the type of deck, as well as the gauge and back-span condition.
Ready to get started on your order of metal deck? Contact us today. Once we receive your initial request, our knowledgeable staff will help you choose the deck that best meets your needs. Our estimators will choose between stock and production to give you the best price within your deadline.
