What do purlins support in a roof structure?
Roof purlins are beams that carry other roof components, rather than acting as a direct substrate for the covering. In a timber roof structure they support the rafters, while in a steel hall they often sit directly beneath sheet metal or sandwich panels. Their section and spacing follow from calculations for the entire system. Stability, the method of connection and how the covering is fixed to the supports must also be considered. Purlins usually run along the roof, perpendicular to the slope of the pitch, and transfer loads to columns, frames or other supports.









