Miscellaneous steel detailing is the work of turning the architect's and engineer's drawings into shop and setting drawings for every steel item that is not part of the main frame: stairs, railings, ladders, loose lintels, embed plates, frames, equipment supports and bollards. Each item is drawn with its exact size, material, connections, finish and location so the shop can build it and the site can install it. Compared with structural detailing, misc work relies more on architectural drawings and site measurements, covers many more item types, and often includes items the fabricator's own engineer has to design.
This post explains how misc steel detailing works and what the drawings for each item should show. For the commercial side of a misc package (scope, pricing and scheduling), see miscellaneous metal fabrication.
How misc steel detailing differs from structural detailing
| Structural steel detailing | Miscellaneous steel detailing | |
|---|---|---|
| Main source drawings | Structural drawings, grid and elevations | Architectural plans, sections and details, plus structural and specifications |
| Dimensions | Mostly from the grid and design elevations | Often from finished surfaces and site measurement |
| Item types | Beams, columns, bracing and connections | Dozens: stairs, rails, ladders, lintels, embeds, frames, supports, bollards, angles |
| Design | Usually by the engineer of record | Often delegated to the fabricator for stairs, guards and ladders |
| Finishes | Primer or galvanizing by area | Varies item by item: galvanized, primed, painted, powder coated, stainless |
| Coordination | With the concrete and erection sequence | With concrete, masonry, drywall, flooring, mechanical, electrical and roofing |
The practical difference is that a misc detailer spends much of the time finding information: which architectural detail governs, what finish thickness is on a floor, what the mechanical unit actually weighs, whether an embed belongs to this package or another. Questions go back to the design team as RFIs, and answers are recorded on the drawings.
Drawing types in a misc steel package
A complete package usually includes:
- Setting drawings for embed plates, anchor bolts and cast-in angles, showing each item's location from gridlines or slab edges, its elevation, its mark and its orientation. These go out first because they are needed before concrete is poured.
- Location or erection plans for each item type, keyed to piece marks, so the installer knows where every lintel, ladder and railing run goes.
- Assembly drawings for each fabricated piece: a stair flight, a ladder with its cage, a railing section, a door frame. Each shows views, dimensions, welds, bolt holes and finish.
- Single-part drawings for plates, brackets and cut parts, often with NC or DXF files for cutting.
- Schedules for repetitive items such as loose lintels, with size, length, bearing and finish listed by opening.
- General notes listing material grades, welding and bolting standards, coatings, design loads for delegated items and reference drawings.
Most detailers now work in a 3D model and pull the drawings from it, which helps catch clashes between, say, a stair stringer and a beam, or a railing post and a door frame.
Detailing stairs, rails and ladders
These three items take most of the effort in a typical misc package, because each one is fitted to the building and governed by code geometry.
Stairs. The detailer works out the number of risers from the measured floor-to-floor height and the finishes, then draws the stringers, treads, landings and connections. Riser uniformity, headroom and landing sizes are checked before submission. Our post on steel stair and handrail shop drawings goes through a stair set sheet by sheet.
Railings and handrails. Each run is drawn as an elevation with post spacing, guard height, infill spacing, handrail extensions and returns, and post base details. On stairs, guard height is measured from the line through the tread nosings, so the rail geometry depends on the stair drawings being final.
Ladders. The ladder drawing shows height, rung spacing, clear width, side rail extensions, bracket locations and anchors, and the cage and rest platforms where the climb is high enough to need them. See steel ladder dimensions and specifications for the numbers and where they come from.
Steel handrail detailing has one extra trap: handrails and guards often get mounted to things built by other trades (drywall on studs, masonry, wood framing). The detail has to state what the bracket or post fastens into, and if blocking or embeds are needed, the drawings should say who supplies them.
Detailing lintels, embeds, frames and supports
- Loose lintels: the schedule lists each opening, its clear span, the lintel size, length and bearing at each end, and the finish. Masonry openings in exterior walls are normally galvanized. See loose steel lintels for typical details.
- Embed plates and anchors: plate size, stud or anchor layout, location and elevation, and which trade sets them in the forms. A missing embed means drilled anchors or a field fix later.
- Frames for openings: overhead door frames, roof hatch and opening frames, and floor opening frames, coordinated with the door or hatch supplier's dimensions.
- Equipment supports: framing for mechanical units, tanks and hoists, drawn from the equipment's actual weight and footprint, which often changes after the first submission.
- Bollards, pipe guards and corner guards: height, embedment or base plate, fill and finish.
What a misc steel detailer needs from you
The better the information up front, the fewer RFIs and resubmittals. A good starting package includes:
- The current issued-for-construction architectural, structural and mechanical drawings, plus the specification sections for metal fabrications
- Which items are delegated design, and which standard governs ladders and guards if the specification names one
- Finish and coating requirements for each item type, including colours
- Floor finish thicknesses at stairs and landings
- Equipment cut sheets for anything the steel supports
- Site access for site measuring, once slabs and walls are in place
- A clear split of scope between misc steel, structural steel, masonry and other trades for embeds and lintels
Common misc steel detailing problems
- Detailing from superseded drawings. Misc items change late. Track revisions and confirm which set governs before release.
- Missing field measurements. Stairs and rails detailed only from drawings often don't fit the built opening.
- Unassigned embeds and blocking. Items that two trades each assume the other is providing.
- Galvanizing details left out. Vent and drain holes, piece sizes that fit the kettle, and splice locations need to be on the drawings.
- Delegated design not flagged. Sealed drawings and calculations take time; plan for them in the schedule. Our post on whether shop drawings need an engineer's stamp in Ontario explains when they are needed.
Misc steel detailing and fabrication from Procut
We prepare shop drawings in-house for the miscellaneous steel we fabricate, including custom stairs, railings, gates, ladders and light supports, along with lintels, plates and posts. Engineering services are available for items that need to be designed, our shop welding is CWB certified, and we can prime or galvanize to suit. Installation of misc items is by your installer or contractor.
Send your drawings and specifications for a free take-off and quote, or see our services for how detailing, fabrication and delivery fit together.
Frequently asked questions
What is miscellaneous steel detailing?
It is the preparation of shop and setting drawings for the steel items outside the main frame: stairs, railings, ladders, loose lintels, embed plates, frames, supports and bollards. The drawings show each item's geometry, materials, connections, finish and location so it can be fabricated and installed.
How is misc steel detailing different from structural steel detailing?
Structural detailing works mainly from the structural drawings and the building grid. Misc steel detailing leans on the architectural drawings, site measurements and coordination with other trades, covers many small item types, and often includes items the fabricator's engineer designs under a delegated design specification.
What drawings are produced for miscellaneous steel?
Usually setting drawings for embeds and anchors, erection or location plans for each item type, assembly drawings for each piece, single-part drawings for plates and cut parts, and schedules for repetitive items such as lintels.
What information does a misc steel detailer need?
The current architectural, structural and specification documents, finish and coating requirements, equipment weights and dimensions for supports, and site measurements for anything that fits between built surfaces, such as stairs and railings.
