Frame Type Explorer: Interactive 3D Comparison of All Six Frames

Frame type is the most important — and least understood — decision in a steel building purchase. An interactive 3D explorer makes the structural options tangible and helps buyers arrive at a quote request already knowing what they need.

The Frame Type Explorer at /frame-types covers all six standard steel building frame types with individual 3D models, specs, and a side-by-side comparison table.

Six frame types

• Modular Rigid: Interior columns at regular bay spacing — the most cost-efficient structure for wide buildings where columns are acceptable
• Clearspan Rigid: No interior columns — the choice for warehouses, hangars, and any space where clear floor area is critical
• Single Slope: Roof slopes in one direction — typically used for lean-tos, retail, or buildings that drain to one side
• Lean-To: Attached to an existing wall — adds covered space without a full structural frame
• Tapered Beam: Lighter structure for spans up to 60 feet — cost-effective for smaller commercial or agricultural buildings
• Non-Symmetrical: Two different slopes on the same building — useful for combining a tall main bay with a lower storage wing

Interactive 3D models

Each frame type has its own Three.js wireframe model with OrbitControls — drag to rotate, scroll to zoom. The models show the structural skeleton so buyers can understand how the load path works, not just what the outside looks like.

Browsers without WebGL support fall back to SVG diagrams automatically.

Comparison table

A comparison table shows all six frame types side by side: span range, interior column requirements, and best use case. Visual span range bars show each type's range relative to the 300-foot maximum so the differences in scale are immediately apparent.