TECHNICAL C02 · COMPARISON
Welded or clamped: what the joint does to the price and the coating.
A welded frame is stiffer and needs hot-dip. A clamped frame ships flat, erects with a spanner and can use pre-galvanised. Both are correct for different projects.
A comparison is only useful if it names the trade-off. Below is the same table we use internally when a buyer asks which option is “better”.
| Criterion | Option A | Option B |
|---|---|---|
| Joint | Continuous weld | Clamp or bolt |
| Stiffness | Higher, moment connection | Pinned, relies on bracing |
| Coating | Must be hot-dip after welding | Pre-galvanised acceptable |
| Shipping | Bulky, less nesting | Nests flat, denser |
| Erection | Crane or lifting plan | Spanner and ladder |
| Repair on site | Needs a welder | Swap a clamp |
| Cost | Higher | Lower |
| Best for | Venlo, trusses, heavy snow | Multi-span, tunnels, export |
For export, the clamped frame usually wins: it nests, it ships denser, and the site needs no welder. For a glasshouse or a heavy truss, welding is the right answer and the coating moves to hot-dip.
No recommendation without a project
We will not tell you which is better in general. Send the crop, the climate and the budget, and the answer becomes specific.
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- 08.05Galvanising methodsPre-galvanised (Z275) versus hot-dip galvanising for greenhouse frames: process, protectio→
- 05.03Venlo glasshouseVenlo glass greenhouse steel frame: 9.6 and 12.8 m spans, galvanised columns, trusses, gut→
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- 08Technical libraryTechnical guides for greenhouse frame specification: span and bay, snow and wind load, gal→
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