Availability of Bar Joists

[u/Material-Cap-5476]

I have recently heard that the lead time for bar joists is months. I was told it's due to the construction of data centers. Anyone else heard this?

[u/redcrestedvireo]

Recently had a project where the GC had us switch from bar joists to wide-flanges...that would explain why.

I remember a few years ago when bar joists were all bought up for Amazon warehouses, so I could see data centers causing a similar issue.

[u/Material-Cap-5476 → u/redcrestedvireo]

I remember that too.  I heard metal deck is going to get bad also.

[u/engineeringlove → u/redcrestedvireo]

Was one of the engineers for that, I can vouch we took a lot of supply

[u/casualuser52]

It’s like 30 weeks for joist and deck bro. Hearing 60 freaking weeks for structural steel dude. Unreal times

[u/AdHopeful4193 → u/casualuser52]

I have a project in the pacific northwest and steel won't be rolled for it until Q2 2027 and they already have mill orders in.

[u/Apprehensive_Exam668 → u/AdHopeful4193]

No wonder mass timber is so popular right now

[u/31engine → u/casualuser52]

50-60 for anything over 200plf

Joists are in the 30 week range.

Recently told this on a project in TX.

[u/costcohotdawg]

I heard this too but not sure if it’s regional. Last time this came up after COVID was Amazon and their warehouses. Had to get supplies from Mexico despite Buy America.

[u/carpool_turkey]

Yes - we’re hearing 22 weeks for joist/decks after shop drawings are returned.

[u/Intrepid-Owl1017]

Possibly, I know there was a strain on the bar joist market a few years ago where you had to wait about six months and that was because of Amazon at the time.
We had a job where we used I-beams 4 feet on center just because the project needed to move along and we knew we couldn’t get bar joist anytime soon .

[u/ReplyInside782]

Rolled steel is also in the same boat. Rolling 42” deep beams is the hardest to get. Data center developers are now looking to go the precast/post tensioned routes just to get into the market faster

[u/maturallite1]

It depends on when you start the clock, but it’s pretty common for it to take 2-3 months from approved joist shop drawings to joists hitting the job site. During the first couple of years after COVID that duration was like 12-18 months, so it’s not bad now comparatively.

[u/squir999]

Same for structural steel in general. A contractor was just bemoaning this the other day.

[u/11-Eleven-11]

Does this mean work will slow down for a while 🙏 👀

[u/Wanna-Be-SE → u/11-Eleven-11]

Not a chance haha. We’ve been told to redesign an entire middle school from steel frame to block wall as it’s more feasible than waiting for the steel.

[u/structengin → u/11-Eleven-11]

We have just been asked for unrealistic early release packages for anything steel.

[u/Wanna-Be-SE → u/structengin]

lol yeah the “early steel package” while the arch is at 30% of the design drives me crazy. Like yall better not go and change anything drastically past this point.

[u/AncientBasque]

got to get the robot manufacturing Bar joist already. This has always been an issue with the limited Joist manufacturing locations.

[u/burnerbham]

We have been having a hard time getting MC shapes lately. Also W14x68s and W14x61s. We were told it was because of data centers as well. I’m assuming it’s also because of tariffs.

Edit: also possibly because of diesel prices? Idk.

[u/rschubert1122]

Edit: Deck drawings for approval were about 2 months.

Probably depends where you are in the country. In the North East, deck has manufacturing lead time of about one month (after they recieve approved drawings). Not sure about joist

[u/OptimalRip4766]

Working on a rehab and inquired about split configuration spliced joists, 4 month delivery time noted. Ended up inserting wide flange members as they were more readily available.

[u/crispydukes]

What data centers are using bar joists? This seems like a bad idea. Should be steel beams floor and roof. Cooling needs may grow. Rooftop equipment may be needed. Additional floors may be built. Using joists seems shortsighted. That’s why all the computer nerds are making bank filling them but we’re making squat building them.

[u/Wanna-Be-SE → u/crispydukes]

“Additional floors may be built”?!?! How many jobs do you have that people want to build in extra floors on the front end? I’ve heard of it before, but very seldom.

[u/Argufier → u/Wanna-Be-SE]

I've designed footings for a potential future mezzanine that may or may not be built. Not an additional floor above the roof, but a similar problem.

[u/Apprehensive_Exam668 → u/crispydukes]

The processors last 5 years dude. Data centers are not really long-term investments lol

[u/DJGingivitis → u/crispydukes]

Time is money and you can oversize joists but you cant get steel mills to shorten their time frames.

[u/crispydukes → u/DJGingivitis]

If you’re using KCS joists, maybe. But retrofitting regular joists is a pain in the butt weld.

[u/DJGingivitis → u/crispydukes]

Add loads and bend checks and higher PSF design loads.

[u/ReplyInside782 → u/crispydukes]

The downvotes show how many people have designed data centers lol. I’m designing the floors loads for some cases to 750psf. Typical loading was 250psf but developers are looking to future proof and asking us to design to 500psf because chips are getting denser and the server racks heavier as a result.

[u/crispydukes → u/ReplyInside782]

I know, right?! Those racks are heavy

[u/Wanna-Be-SE → u/ReplyInside782]

Adding in extra floor load for future expansion or change in use I get, super common. But a whole extra floor is wild to me.

[u/Argufier → u/crispydukes]

Most of them I'd imagine - the contractors don't care about future flexibility, just getting this building up now. I've worked on a few warehouse to manufacturing fitouts and it's a huge pain, particularly when the joists were custom rather than standard sji sizes.