TimG

Thankyou soo much for all taking the time to reply. I've decided to use the steels as purlins and cladd in faux oak/oak boards after, they are in the vaulted ceiling so not under close inspection! The oak beans were proving too expensive and too much of a headache! 100mm is from BR drawings...yes correct re padstone...will be sitting on thermalite walls (still amazes me how much weight can go on a thermalite wall!)

Hi All, First of all thankyou for your time in reading this. Our current new build design has two parrelel 178x102x19 steel RSJ purlins running width of building made up of a 3.45m and 6.6m section (two of each) The two beams were to be bolted together. The ceiling are vaulted, so Purlins will be visible. Structural engineer has suggsted we can use 200x150 oak Purlins (air or kiln dried to reduce chance of later movment). Sourcing 6.6m Oak purlins is very diificult so it will be seperated into 2 lengths of 3.3m. This potetially means 6 scarf (or similar) joints! Are they suitable for a 100m bearing on concrete padstone or will they most likely require bolting (fished joint)? I have thought about cladding the steel after, but if I can use a natural materials in the first place then I would like to do that. Any comments/suggestions appreciated (located E of Basinsgtoke, Hampshire)