Type B Deck is the most common structural metal decking in the industry. It is an ideal structural substrate on short to medium span conditions that range from three feet to ten feet in distance. B Deck is lightweight, strong, economical, and easy to install. The panel in the image below is 1.5” deep and 36” wide. It also has 6 (6” wide) ribs with a male and female leg to create an interlocking sidelap.
At Western Metal Deck, we have been selling metal deck for over 30 years. B-deck continues to be our most popular selling decking panel. It is used by our customers on all types of projects with different applications. Over the years of selling B-deck, we have noticed some common misunderstandings on what B-deck is, and how it comes. Our aim of this article is to go over the types of B Deck and the various ways it is produced.
In this article, we will go over:
Different Types of B Deck
Type B-Deck is manufactured into Type B Roof Deck and Type B Floor Deck.
Both types have identical dimensions and are manufactured with different sidelap connections. The only difference between them is the Formlok embossment pattern on the floor deck, which the concrete adheres to.
Type B Roof Deck
B Roof Deck is a smooth non-composite structural metal roof deck panel. It provides diaphragm shear and vertical load capacity to support the rigid board insulation and built-up roofing. It is produced by different manufacturers, with different sidelap attachments, which we will go over below.
Type HSB-36
HSB-36 stands for High Shear B Deck @ 36" Wide. It has a standard male-female interlocking sidelap. The sidelaps are attached with either a button punch or a top seam weld. It is manufactured by Verco Decking Inc. and is the most common metal roof decking panel in the Western United States.
Type PLB-36
PLB-36 stands for Punch Lok B Deck @ 36" Wide. It has a standard male-female interlocking sidelap. The side lap is attached with a patented pneumatic Punchlok II tool. The main purpose of the Punchlok II system is to obtain greater diaphragm shear values. It is manufactured by Verco Decking Inc.
Type HSB-36-SS
HSB-36-SS stands for High Shear B-deck @ 36” wide - Stitch Screw. It has a stitch screw sidelap connection. This panel is designed to be screwed at the sidelap. It is intended for large roof decks with mild slopes. The main advantage is laborers can operate a ¼” drill to install the stitch screws with minimum training. It is manufactured by Verco Decking Inc.
Type 1.5BI
1.5BI stands for 1.5” Deep Type B Interlocking Sidelap @ 36” Wide. It has the standard interlocking sidelap. The sidelaps are attached with either a button punch or seam weld. It is manufactured by Nucor Vulcraft Group.
Type 1.5PLB
1.5PLB stands for 1.5” Deep Type PunchLok B-Deck @ 36” Wide. It has the standard interlocking sidelap. The sidelaps are attached with the PunchLok II tool. It is manufactured by Nucor Vulcraft Group.
Type 1.5B
1.5B stands for 1.5” Deep Type B Nested Sidelap @ 36” Wide. It has a Nested Sidelap. The sidelaps are attached with sidelap screws. It is manufactured by Nucor Vulcraft Group.
Type B Floor Deck
B Floor Deck is a composite metal floor deck panel. Composite Floor Decks are meant to have concrete poured over it. This panel has the FormLok embossment pattern on the vertical ribs of the panels which helps create an effective composite slab for greater strength due to the composite design.
Type B-36 Formlok
B-36 Formlok stands for B @ 36” Wide with Formlok embossments. It has the standard interlocking button punch sidelap. The sidelaps are attached with either a button punch or a top seam weld. The vast majority of jobs use this type of sidelap for floors with concrete poured on top of the deck.
Type PLB-36 Formlok
PLB-36 Formlok stands for PunchLok B @ 36” Wide with Formlok embossment. It has the standard interlocking sidelap. The panel is identical to Type B-36 FormLok but it requires the use of the PunchLok II tool to connect the sidelaps. The PunchLok connection is not used very often on structural floor decking that is covered with structural concrete. This is because the small amount of extra strength developed from the PunchLok connection is minimal in comparison to the overall strength developed from the composite system.
Gauges for B-deck
The gauge of metal decking is the main factor that determines the price per square foot of the B-deck. The heavier or thicker the gauge is, the more it costs per square foot. In turn, the lighter or thinner the gauge is, the cheaper it costs per square foot. Out of all these gauges, 20 gauge is the most commonly used.
For costs of all the gauges see: How Much Does Metal Deck Cost (Rates, Factors, & Fees)
B-deck comes in the following gauges:
- 16 Gauge (weighs 3.5 pounds per square foot)
- 18 Gauge (weighs 2.9 pounds per square foot)
- 20 Gauge (weighs 2.3 pounds per square foot)
- 22 Gauge (weighs 1.9 pounds per square foot)
Each gauge provides different span capabilities, load capacities, and diaphragm shear values. The gauge you need will typically depend on these three factors. The heavier gauges provide higher values, but in turn cost and weigh more.
Different Finishes for B-Deck
Type B Deck is available in different finishes. It can come with a Galvanized or Prime Painted finish. The standard finish for type B deck is Galvanized G-60.
- Galvanized is a zinc coating over cold-rolled steel. Available in the following options.
- G-60 - is a Zinc coating with 0.6 or 6/10 of an ounce of Zinc per square foot. This is the total combined weight of Zinc from the top, bottom, and edges.
- G-90 - is a Zinc coating with 0.9 or 9/10 of an ounce of Zinc per square foot. This is the total combined weight of Zinc from the top, bottom, and edges.
- Prime Painted is an Acrylic Primer which is applied to cold-rolled steel. Available in the following options.
- Gray Primer paint on both sides over bare steel
- Gray Primer paint on the bottom side over galvanized deck
- White Primer paint on the bottom side over galvanized deck
As you can see, type B Deck is a versatile metal decking product. We have seen it used as trash gates, metal siding, canopies, and most recently it has been used as platforms in the movie theaters to raise up the recliner seating.
It continues to be our top selling decking panel year after year. The range of types, gauges, and finishes that B deck comes in, makes it an excellent option to consider on your next metal deck project.
