Hat channels are an alternative type of steel roof framing system which can also be used as a purlin where a lower profile is required or where the cover system requires closer purlin spacing thus making standard “Z” or “C” purlins overly expensive.
Purlins traditionally support the roof deck / cladding / sheeting and are in turn supported by the principal rafters / steel beams etc.
In the past, the majority of roof structures were of wooden construction but over the past 15 to 20 years there has been a vast shift away from wood to metal (mainly steel) roof construction. The advantages of using a steel structure over a wooden one are numerous and a few of them are listed below:
- Steel is generally cheaper than wood construction
- Steel is recyclable and thus “greener” than wood
- Steel structures can be assembled quicker than wood
- Steel is lighter than wood structures of the same size
- Steel is not affected by termites or other insects that feed on wood
- Steel can be expected to last much longer than wood in most applications
