Steel

DOC Outlines Steel Tariff Product Exclusion Process

March 19, 2018

Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced its procedures for excluding products from the recently announced tariffs on steel and aluminum product imports.

Secs. Ross & Mnuchin Give Perspectives on Steel Tariffs

March 12, 2018

On March 8, President Trump signed two proclamations to temporarily increase tariffs on imported steel by 25 percent and aluminum by 10 percent. The new tariffs will take effect March 23, but it’s currently unclear how long they will remain in place and which countries they will ultimately be imposed upon.

Video: Administration Explains Reasons Behind Steel Tariffs

March 5, 2018

President Trump is anticipated to slap new tariffs on aluminum and steel later this week, or early next week. Some are wondering, will these be applied to everyone?

A Memorable Revival

Rebuilding a historic church after a ruinous fire was a project not to be forgotten.

DOC Steel Investigation Suggests Future Supply Constraints

February 19, 2018

While steel consumers will likely continue to take a “wait and see” attitude, the findings the DOC emphasized in their report to the president indicate there may be future trade action to protect domestic producers.  President Trump has until April 11 to act on the DOC’s recommendations.

Post Fire Retardant Treatment

Question: 

Is a Class A fire rating (provided by our liquid spray-on fire retardant) acceptable in certain situations?

Penetration Of Fire Walls

Question: 

Can a roof truss penetrate a one-hr. tenant separation wall without having a one-hr. rated ceiling? The building official insists that the 2x4 chords are combustible and nullify the integrity of the one-hr. rated partition that is constructed in an attic above an 8 in. C.M.U. bearing wall. The partition consists of gypsum board attached to 2 x 4 stud framing. The building official insists that a ledger must be attached through the gypsum board to support the trusses each side of the wall. This is almost saying that any rated assembly must have bearing only on other rated assemblies.

Trusses Exposed To The Elements

Question: 

We are having a house built and on a recent visit we brought along a friend who builds houses for a living. He noticed that the trusses were wet and a bit moldy. The wood seemed warped, brown, and had white splotches on it. We are worried that it would later make the roof uneven. How could we tell how long the trusses have been exposed to the elements? What options do we have from here? Do we request new trusses, or can these be repaired?

Charring Of Trusses

Question: 

Our home caught fire last month and burned partly through a tongue and groove ceiling to the trusses. Some are charred. Our contractor did a moisture meter test. An engineer for the insurance company said the trusses were only smoke damaged & the moisture meter test is invalid (it can be set to read anything). I found one article on charred trusses, but it’s pretty vague. We do not feel safe with the insurance engineer’s assessment because some of the trusses are obviously charred. We hired an engineer who agreed with us.

Fire Damage Assessment

Question: 

How do you evaluate whether a metal plate connected truss is still usable after exposure to fire? Are there any recommended tests?