i2-Lancaster Farming, Saturdai
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TRUSS PLATE INSTITUTE
In the summer of 1954, the
Shirk family began to manu
facture laminated wood raf
ters in their home in Myer
stown, Pennsylvania. Before
and after school, several sets
of rafters were glued and
clamped together in the base
ment of their house. In time,
the family felt that the busi
ness needed a name which
was truly descriptive of the
quality product that they were
producing. The name Rigidp
ly Rafters was established in
1954 by Chester F. Shirk,
owner and operator of this
contracting company.
In the years that followed, a
number of changes and chal
lenges occured. 1963 brought
the introduction of a new pro
duct line, wood roof trusses,
and the first crane truck was
put into operation in 1964.
Recreational Facility: Featuring 90’ And 96’ Span Trusses & Glu-Lam
Posts.
Post frame Building Package: Lumber, Steel Cladding, Engineered trus
ses, Glu-Lam Posts & Glu-Lam Beams.
The term “diaphragm action” is no lon
ger foreign to the industry, but, there are
two questions people most often ask.
How does diaphragm action work?
and why should I care about diaphragm
action?
Diaphragm action is a technical way of
saying that the roof and ceiling of a build
ing are being used to help carry lateral
(wind) loads.
Diaphragm action is achieved when
posts on the endwalls of a building,
extend to the top chord of engineered
trusses which are connected by purlins
two feet orr center. The building must
then be covered with a steel cladding and
fastened with screws or sheeted with ply
wood and nailed, which in turn helps to
strengthen the building. Large openings
r, January 23, 1993
Call Our Sales Staff TODAY With Your Special
Building Requirements And Let Us Design A Post
Frame Building For YOU!
Telephone:
and WOOD ROOF TRUSSES
701 E. Linden St.. RICHLAND, PA 17087
70’xl12’ Storage Facility
in the endwalls should have headers
installed that are engineered to transfer
the load across the opening.
Because of the diaphragm action, post
sizes, and their embedment depth can be
reduced, and the number of knee braces
can be reduced or eliminated entirely.
This leads to a stronger building for a
more economical price.
In 1985, the post frame building indus
try received yet another benefit, the deve
lopement of “The Glu-Lam Post,” which
are manufactured in our plant. These
posts were tested and approved for use
in the post frame construction industry by
engineers at The Pennsylvania State
University, and Wood Mechanics Per
sonnel. These posts can be manufac
tured up to 60‘ lengths. Along with their
(717)866-6581
Endwall Detail Showing Glu*Lam Posts Extending To Top Cord
Of Engineered Trusses And Correct Endwall Bracing For Truss
Erection.
Improve
The
Quality
Of Your
Next Post
Frame
Building
By
Specifying
Glu-Lam
Posts.
many benefits, they prove to be very
effective in acquiring diaphragm action,
because of the possibilities of the longer
lengths.
We are confident that with our large
inventory of post frame building mater
ials, efficient manufacturing plants, engi
neering and sales personnel, we are well
equipped to meet the needs of you, our
customer.
Everyone at Rigidply Rafters,
Inc. is fully committed to serving
our customers and providing
them with the finest products
available. The excellence that
we strive for is to show our
appreciation for our customers
continued loyalty to Rigidply
Rafters. You deserve the best!
MEMBER
In 1971 the business
expanded to include yet
another market, that being
the Post Frame Building
Industry. That same year
saw Rigidply develop a
relationship with Fabral
corp as being our supplier
of steel and aluminum
cladding.
Through the years we
have seen a number of
changes occur in the “Pole
Building Industry," as was
formerly called. Today
we’re seeing the picture
change again, but the agri
cultural buildings we’re
designing now are far more
sophisticated than ever
before.