A reference guide for the standard PorthouseDean timber specification — grades, treatments, fasteners, bearing requirements, and restraint provisions for domestic structural timber.
Steel Column Cap Plate Details: Beam Sitting on Top of a Column
Advice Centre
Cap plates allow beams to sit on top of a steel column rather than connecting into its side. Here’s when they’re suitable, how beam pairs work, and what this connection cannot do.
Steel Fabrication Specification: What Standard Are Beams Built To?
Advice Centre
All structural steelwork on PorthouseDean projects must be fabricated to the National Structural Steelwork Specification (NSSS). Here’s what that means.
Steelwork Notes and Specifications for Domestic Projects
Advice Centre
The full steelwork specification that applies to all PorthouseDean structural packages — grades, welds, bolts, paint and installation requirements.
Timber Joist Connection to the Side of a Steel Beam for a Flush Ceiling
Advice Centre
Where timber joists frame into the side of a steel beam for a flush ceiling finish, timber packers in the web create a robust fixing surface. No structural calcs are typically needed.
What Are My Options for Connecting Steel Beams?
Advice Centre
An overview of the main steel beam connection types used in domestic structural design — flexible end plates, cap plates, suspended connections and goalpost frames.
Downstand vs Flush Ceiling: Which Steel Beam Position Is Right for You?
Advice Centre
Steel beams can be installed so they drop below the ceiling line or sit flush within the floor zone. The structural performance is identical — but the cost, complexity, and finished look are very different.
Notching and Drilling Suspended Timber Floor Joists: The Rules
Advice Centre
Notching and drilling floor joists is acceptable within defined zone limits. Outside those limits, the joist capacity is reduced and may need replacing. Here’s what you need to know.
Fire Protection for Structural Steelwork
Advice Centre
Fire protection for structural steelwork is specified by the architect, not PorthouseDean. Intumescent coatings must be compatible with the corrosion protection system already on the steel.
Fabrication Drawings: Why Your Fabricator Must Send Them to Us Before Starting
Advice Centre
Fabrication drawings must be reviewed and approved by PorthouseDean before any steel is cut. This one step prevents costly mistakes that cannot be undone once fabrication has begun.
Goalpost Frame Beam-to-Column Connection: How It Works
Advice Centre
A goalpost frame uses a moment-resisting beam-to-column connection. This explains the standard connection geometry, bolt grades and plate specification.
How Do I Connect a Steel Beam Into the Side of Another Beam?
Advice Centre
A flexible end plate connection allows a secondary beam to frame into the side of a primary beam at the same level. Here’s what it involves and why it’s specified.