How do you attach a sheetmetal deck to underlying steel members?

How do you attach a sheetmetal deck to underlying steel members?

• A. Puddle weld
• B. Spot weld
• C. Tack weld
• D. Plug weld

Answer: (A)

Attaching sheet metal decking to structural steel requires a bond that is strong across the contact area without creating holes or relying on many tiny fasteners. A puddle weld does this by forming a controlled weld puddle that fuses the deck to the underlying member at each attachment point. This creates a solid connection that resists shear and uplift and spreads loads over a larger area, while keeping the deck intact and avoiding perforations. Spot welds would leave many isolated points of contact and may not provide the needed edge-to-edge stability for decking. Tack welds are temporary holds used during assembly and are not a final, durable attachment. Plug welds require drilling holes in the deck to weld through to the underlying member, which weakens the deck and can create leakage paths. Therefore, puddle welds are the appropriate method for securing sheet metal decking to steel members.

Attaching sheet metal decking to structural steel requires a bond that is strong across the contact area without creating holes or relying on many tiny fasteners. A puddle weld does this by forming a controlled weld puddle that fuses the deck to the underlying member at each attachment point. This creates a solid connection that resists shear and uplift and spreads loads over a larger area, while keeping the deck intact and avoiding perforations.

Spot welds would leave many isolated points of contact and may not provide the needed edge-to-edge stability for decking. Tack welds are temporary holds used during assembly and are not a final, durable attachment. Plug welds require drilling holes in the deck to weld through to the underlying member, which weakens the deck and can create leakage paths. Therefore, puddle welds are the appropriate method for securing sheet metal decking to steel members.