What is the difference between Z purlins and C purlins?

Z purlins, also called Zee Purlins, are horizontal beams that form the roof and wall joists of a building shell structure. The name comes from resembling the letter Z. The shape of the purlins helps in overlapping the joint which makes it stronger and studier than C purlins

What is Z and C purlins?

C purlins are built to shape a building's shell structure walls and floor joists, whereas Z purlins are built to shape a building's shell structure's roof and wall joists

What is the use of Z purlins?

Z purlins or zed purlins are horizontal beams that are designed to form the roof and wall joists of a building shell structure (also view our C section purlins page). They sit between the roofing sheets and the building, acting as a support for the sheet to ensure it is firmly attached and safely in place.

A Z purlin can allow to span 3 times of its depth, 4″ Z inch purlin can allow to span 12 feet, a six inch purlin-18 feet, a eight inch purlin-25 feet and a ten inch purlin can allow to span 30 feet.

How thick are Z purlins?

Z-section steel is a common cold-formed thin-walled section steel, with a thickness of 1.6-3.0mm and a section height of 120-350mm. The processing materials are hot rolled (painted) and galvanized. Z-section steel is usually used in large steel structure plants.

What gauge is C purlin?

The quantity that makes up a standard package.

A horizontal beam or bar that is used for structural support is known as a purlin. Purlins are mostly used below the roof and are supported by the building’s walls or rafters. We can also say that purlins reinforce the rigid framing by bringing the rafters together. Steel purlins are frequently used in metal buildings, but sometimes they are used to replace closely spaced rafters in wood-frame structures.

Nowadays, purlin manufacturers commonly produce two types of purlins- Z and C purlins. Before diving into the differences between these two, let's see what they actually are.

C Purlin -

As the name implies, C purlins are shaped like the C alphabet and are primarily used to support walls and floors. As one side of this purlin is plain, it is preferred for cladding. These purlins are also perfect for simple span construction.

Z Purlin -

The shape of Z purlins is similar to that of the Z alphabet. They are mostly made using cold-formed or rolled sheets. As compared to hot-rolled angles, Z purlins are known to save up to 50% on structural sheets.

Differences Between C And Z Purlin:

1. Usage:

C purlins are built to shape a building’s shell structure walls and floor joists, whereas Z purlins are built to shape a building’s shell structure’s roof and wall joists.

2. Angles:

Z and C purlins have different angles. The C purlin has an angle of 90 degrees, and the Z purlin has an angle that is less than 90 degrees. Due to this, Z purlins are more flexible than C purlins and can be used for a variety of purposes.

3. Overlapping:

Z purlins can be overlapped continuously, whereas C purlins cannot. Therefore, in metal buildings made for longer spans, it would be better to use Z steel purlins.

4. Roof Sloping:

If a roof slope is small, the difference between the modulus of the flexural section of Z purlin is slightly larger than that of C purlin. But if the roof slope increases, the modulus of the flexural section of a Z purlin will also symmetrically increase vertically. Hence, Z purlins are better suited for roofs with large.

Z purlins standard sizes,Z Furrings are fabricated in 1”, 1-1/4”, 1-1/2”, 2”, 2-1/2”, 3-1/2”, 4”, 6”, 8”, 10”, 12”, 14” and 16” widths from 25 gauge to 10 gauge steel. The flange sizes are 1”, 1-1/4”,1-1/2”, 2”, 2-1/2”, 3”, 3-1/2”. Standard length 10' and special lengths are available.

What is the size of Z purlin?

Z Purlins area reach incorporates profiles with stature of 140mm, 175mm and 200mm and gages (thickness) of 1.6mm, 1.8mm and 2mm. Purlins are accessible in most lengths and a product of high tractable structural evaluation steel with a stirred covering.

What are the sizes of purlins?

Purlin Sizes

Purlins are typically anywhere from 4” up to 12” with a flange width of 1-½” up to 4”. They are available in a variety of custom sizes and lengths depending upon what a project requires.

There are many components that contribute to the stability of a metal building. When it comes to roofing, metal purlins are a critical element needed to give the structure proper support.

Though we do not do installations ourselves, Western States Metal Roofing has been providing contractors with the materials required for a successful installation for over two decades.

Not all metal purlins are the same as they come in different types and sizes. Therefore, it is important for you to know the differences and use the right purlin for your project.

This article goes over the different types of metal purlins so you will know everything you need to before purchasing your materials.

END LAPPING STEEL SUPPORT

Zee Purlins are secondary steel framing members used for roof and wall. Zee Purlins are commonly chosen for the ability to endlap. Available in red oxide or galvanized, Zee Purlins are available cut to length. Standard zees (symmetrical flanges) and LGSI zees (unsymmetrical flanges) are both available.

Zee Purlin lengths are cut to length from 7′-45′ in 1/8″ increments, though 20′ and 25′ are the most commonly chosen lengths.