Your steel framing arrives in labelled bundles and usually waits on site before your builder starts. How you store steel framing in that gap affects the coating and how smoothly assembly runs. The rules are simple, and storage instructions are supplied with every shipment.
Store the bundles off the ground on bearers, covered but ventilated, and clear of standing water, cement dust and salt spray. Keep them in labelled order and follow the storage instructions supplied with the shipment.
Plan the set-down area before the container arrives
Unloading, storage and on-site work are the responsibility of you and your local builder. Decide where the bundles will go before the container reaches the site, not while the truck is waiting.
- Choose firm, level ground that drains well and does not hold water after rain.
- Keep it away from where concrete will be mixed, poured or cut.
- Use the side of the site most sheltered from salt spray.
- Leave room to reach each bundle without moving the others.
- Have timber bearers ready, enough to keep every bundle clear of the ground.
Agree who unloads and with what. Long bundles need support along their length while they are lifted so they do not bend. Wall panels are light enough for a small crew, but larger roof members may need lifting equipment.
Check the bundles and keep them in order
Before anything goes into storage, check the bundle labels against the erection drawings. Look for broken straps, bent members and scraped coating. Photograph anything missing or damaged and tell us straight away. A gap found on delivery day is far easier to sort out than one found halfway through erection.
Every component is labelled to match the erection drawings. Stack the bundles in the order your builder will need them, with the tags facing out. Wall frames go up first, so they should not be buried under roof framing.
Cover the frame, but let it breathe
The coating protects the steel, and it does best when it can dry out. A tarpaulin pulled tight to the ground traps condensation and rainwater against the bundles. Moisture that sits on the steel for long periods is what you want to avoid.
Cover the top of the stack, leave the sides open enough for air to move, and tie the cover down so wind cannot drag it off. Avoid sealing bundles in plastic sheet. If the bundles do get wet, open the cover on a dry day and let them dry.
Keep it clear of concrete work and salt spray
Cement dust and wet concrete are harmful to the coating, so store the frame well away from the slab pour, the mixing area and any cutting of concrete or blockwork. Salt spray leaves salt on the steel, which is why the stack belongs on the sheltered side of a coastal site.
Keep other metals, such as copper pipe offcuts, from resting against the framing. Avoiding contact between dissimilar metals is part of how durability is managed.
If the coating gets scratched
Small scrapes can happen during unloading. Tell your builder, and check what the project specification says about treating damaged areas and cut edges. Protected cut edges are part of how durability is managed, so treat any repair as a specification question. If the documents are unclear, ask us before anyone reaches for a paint tin.
This article is general guidance. Structural performance, wind and cyclone design, corrosion protection and compliance depend on project-specific site information, engineering and correct installation. It does not replace advice from a qualified engineer or the requirements of your local building authority.
- Pacific Steel Framing on-site storage instructions, supplied with every shipment — reference to be added