Steel framing
Hat Sections, Sub-Girts, Furring Zees, and Strapping
Identify HS-1, CS-1, SG-1, SG-2, furring zees, and strapping, then coordinate support planes, attachments, finishes, and material quantities.
Identify the six catalog products before comparing them
The LiteFrame and Strapping family groups small formed sections and flat strip material. MBCI identifies Hat Section HS-1, Channel Section CS-1, Sub Girt SG-1, Sub Girt SG-2, Furring Zee, and Strapping separately. Start with those product names and the current section drawing. Do not shorten every item to channel or zee in a request: those words also describe other structural products in the catalog.
This guide helps prepare a selection and material request. The approved assembly determines whether a particular section can support the intended cladding, backing, or other assigned duty. The family name alone does not establish an allowable span, a brace capacity, or a fire or acoustic rating.
References: LiteFrame and strapping: HS-1, CS-1, SG-1, SG-2, furring zee, and coil references
Match section geometry to its attachment plane
Use the section drawing to identify the support face and the receiving face for the next material. Record installed orientation rather than relying on an unlabelled photograph. Compare the actual cavity and finish planes with openings, edges, and adjoining construction. A similar nominal height does not make two profiles equivalent when their attachment faces or flange widths differ.
| Catalog item | Distinguishing record | Coordinate before selecting |
|---|---|---|
| Hat Section HS-1 | Exact section drawing and attachment faces | Support and cladding connections |
| Channel Section CS-1 | CS-1 identity rather than a generic channel name | Orientation and receiving surface |
| Sub Girt SG-1 / SG-2 | Specified SG designation and section geometry | Required support plane and edge interfaces |
| Furring Zee | Furring profile and selected dimension | Cavity, attachment faces, and insulation detail |
| Strapping | Flat-strip specification and coil identification | Assigned use, attachments, and required cut pieces |
Review attachments and enclosure continuity
Show the substrate beneath the section and the material attached above it. The connection schedule should identify both interfaces. Confirm the exact receiving material and specified fastener documents; a screw suitable for one interface does not automatically suit the other. Keep unsupported panel joints and opening edges visible in the layout for review.
Where the detail crosses insulation or drainage layers, coordinate it with the enclosure designer. A metal spacer is not automatically a thermal break, and a cavity is not automatically a complete drainage system. Review the actual transitions, closures, flashings, and attachments. If an acoustic or fire-rated assembly is involved, verify the named components against that assembly rather than inferring a rating from the hat or channel shape.
References: QuickStart Guide: metal building components and system coordination
Keep strapping and engineered bracing distinct
A flat coil product needs an assigned use and connection detail. Do not label the catalog strapping as permanent structural bracing simply because it can be cut into a diagonal. Where a design requires strap bracing or restraint, identify the specified material, geometry, connection, and complete load path with the responsible designer. A substitute strip's width or appearance is insufficient evidence.
Also distinguish temporary packaging or handling ties from installed components. The receiving team should know which supplied strips belong to the released material schedule and which belong only to the shipment. Preserve this distinction in the field package so a readily available loose strip is not treated as approved construction material.
Prepare quantities and a supplier question list
Take off the approved layout by product designation and location. Count individual pieces and cut lengths for formed sections, and show required strip lengths separately from coil purchasing units. Account for returns, corners, openings, and terminations using the accepted details. Keep proposed waste or spare quantities identified instead of changing the net requirement without explanation.
- Which exact profile, thickness basis, and finish are specified at this location?
- Which section face receives each connection, and what documents govern the fasteners?
- What finished lengths, cuts, holes, and piece marks are needed?
- Who resolves changes to cavity depth, insulation, or the panel attachment plane?
- What configuration and purchasing unit is the supplier actually offering?
Resolve a cavity-depth change with a revised detail
Suppose a wall revision needs more space behind the cladding. Replacing SG-2 with SG-1 or a furring zee may appear to solve the dimension, but it changes the section and potentially its interfaces. Send the revised section, panel layout, substrate, and attachment information for review. Update the material schedule only after the responsible team accepts the complete arrangement. Give installers the accepted revision and confirm the delivered product designation before covering the work.
Common questions
Is a furring zee interchangeable with a structural Zee purlin?
No automatic interchangeability follows from the Z outline. Compare the named product, section, material, assigned duty, and connections through project-specific review.
Can HS-1 be called a resilient channel?
Do not infer acoustic performance from its hat shape. Use the exact component named in the accepted acoustic assembly and its installation documents.
Can catalog strapping replace specified strap bracing?
Only if the responsible designer accepts the material and complete bracing connection for that project. A coil listing does not establish bracing capacity.
Sources & further reading
Use the current documentation for the exact product and project. Source links do not imply a partnership or endorsement.
- LiteFrame and strapping: HS-1, CS-1, SG-1, SG-2, furring zee, and coil references MBCI
- QuickStart Guide: metal building components and system coordination Metal Building Manufacturers Association
Prepared with AI assistance. Linked references require current project-specific review. How these guides are prepared.
Products related to this guide
Explore the catalog references and compare the published options with your project documents. Products sharing a guide are not necessarily interchangeable.
Prepare a supply inquiry
- Record the project drawing or detail and the specified product, profile, or system.
- List the complete configuration, physical units, quantities, and cuts per piece.
- Request current manufacturer documents; confirm compatibility, price, and availability before ordering.
- Obtain the responsible professional's review for loads, code requirements, or installation.