Division 05 — Metals: how to specify products in it
Structural steel, joists, decking, cold-formed framing, metal fabrications, stairs and railings. Division 05 carries structural products and the architectural metalwork people touch, and the checks differ for each.
What Division 05 covers
Structural and architectural metals: structural steel framing, steel joists and decking, cold-formed metal framing, metal fabrications such as ladders, lintels and supports, metal stairs, pipe and tube railings, decorative metal and railings, and the coatings that protect them.
Common sections
- 05 12 00 Structural Steel Framing
- 05 21 00 Steel Joist Framing
- 05 31 00 Steel Decking
- 05 40 00 Cold-Formed Metal Framing
- 05 50 00 Metal Fabrications
- 05 51 13 Metal Pan Stairs
- 05 52 13 Pipe and Tube Railings
- 05 73 00 Decorative Metal Railings
What to check before you specify
- 01Material grade and standard — the steel or aluminum grade, and the standard it is produced to, matched to the structural design.
- 02Corrosion protection — galvanizing, metallizing or coating system chosen for the exposure, with the coating standard and thickness stated.
- 03Railing loads and geometry — guard and handrail loads, heights, openings and graspability per the applicable code and accessibility standard.
- 04Fire protection — where structural steel must be protected, the fireproofing or intumescent system’s listing for that member and rating.
- 05Dissimilar metals — isolation where aluminum, stainless and carbon steel meet, called out in the section.
- 06Fabricator and installer qualifications — certifications and welding qualifications the section requires.
Researching it with Gaudi Pro
Ask for the product and its condition: “aluminum pipe railing system for an exterior ramp in a coastal exposure.” Gaudi Pro returns the products that fit, cited to the manufacturer’s data sheet, with a confidence indicator on each result. Start free