The main benefit of using steel flitch beams is that they are lighter and cheaper than pure steel, while also still allowing the builder to fix in surrounding timber framework using either nails or screws. ... Flitch beams can also be made stronger, by adding more timber and steel layers into the design.

Where would you use a flitch beam?

A flitch beam (or flitched beam) is a compound beam used in the construction of houses, decks, and other primarily wood-frame structures.

What are the advantages of flitched beam?

The benefit of using flitch beams is that they are lighter and cheaper than using only steel, and allow fixing of the surrounding timber framework using nails or screws. As they are significantly stronger than timber beams they require less depth than a timber-only beam of the same strength.