Flitchplates

Flitchplates (sometimes mistakenly called fish plates, or flinch plates) are steel plates sandwiched between wooden members to provide increased strength or stiffness. Flitchplates are primarily used in header assemblies when common framing lumber is not strong enough or stiff enough to carry the loads. In such cases, steel beams, laminated veneer lumber (such as Microlams), or glue-laminated beams can also be considered. But in some situations, flitchplates can offer some advantages over these materials: • Because the steel in a flitch beam is sandwiched between wood framing lumber, the beam can be readily connected to other wood framing with nails and lag screws. • As headers over multiple doors, wide sliders, or window assemblies, flitchplates are pretty much free of “creep,” or the