Blog
Short, practical pieces on the steel in a house extension.
- 10 November 2026 · Structure · 3 min read
What is a flitch beam?
A flitch beam is a steel plate sandwiched between two timber joists and bolted through, so the three act as one. It carries far more than timber of the same depth, and it can be built in place from pieces light enough to carry upstairs.
- 10 November 2026 · Fire · 3 min read
Intumescent paint for steel beams: when you need it and what it does
Intumescent paint swells in a fire into an insulating char that keeps steel below the temperature at which it weakens. In a house it is mainly used on beams and columns left on show. Where the steel is hidden, fire-rated plasterboard does the same job with less fuss.
- 10 November 2026 · Structure · 3 min read
Padstones for steel beams: what they do and how they are sized
A padstone is a block of dense concrete or engineering brick under each end of a steel beam. It spreads the beam's load over enough wall to stop the masonry crushing. Its size comes from the engineer's calculation, never from habit.
- 10 November 2026 · Structure · 4 min read
Universal beam sizes: how to read them
A universal beam is named by three numbers: nominal depth and width in millimetres, then weight in kilograms per metre. A 203 x 133 x 25 UB is about 203 mm deep, 133 mm wide and weighs 25 kg a metre. Depth does most to decide how far it can span.
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