Beam Specs

ophnurse

I am adding on to gable end of my house and I am looking for help with a beam to support second floor joists and roof above for an addition 17' wide and 34' long. The clear span will be 19'.

I ran the numbers I came up with through a beam calculator and came up with a beam 5.25"x 16". Does this sound correct? Anyone with another calculator come up with something different?

I have consulted an architect, but the plans I got back friday had a support post in the middle of the span (not wanted) and he spec'd 2x12's. I will talk with him again but I would like some idea of the correct beam in case he comes back with something off the wall.

I would like to do LVL's or something similar that I can carry around to the back of the house and assemble in place (no access for heavy equipment).

Also, I need column sizes for ends of the beam.

Thanks

KentWhitten

In addition to your architect, you could also contact your lumber supplier. At least where I live, this is a freebie. If you already paid him for the work, then I would go bug him and tell him you didn't want a post in the middle. And then, do you have support for this all the way to your footing? Is there a pad down there? etc, etc.

While your calculations sound like you have everything there alright, it would be unwise to accept an answer from someone here unless they were well educated in your specific home and is an engineer to boot. Not to mention no info about snow loads, etc.

You are on the right path with the architect. Though I personally would have bypassed him and gone to an engineer or my lumberyard.

Your column size needs full support in the width, so I'd say a 6x6, (3)2x6, or an lvl post specifically for this.

ophnurse

Thanks for the help, I am planning on going back to the architect on Tuesday (He was out of the office on Friday when I picked up the plans).

I'll talk with the lumber yard and see what the manufacturer says for the beam.

Yes, I do have footings in place for the beam ends, 3' x 3' an 3' deep. (concrete contractor got carried away).

Thanks again!!

jmic

Wow, did he think you were doing a hi rise ? Or maybe he's charging by the yd.

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ophnurse

Poor contractor (didn't get paid for extra concrete). He also miss-formed a wall and the stem wall is out of alignment by 6" Now of course he won't return calls.

dvon104

Go to your lumber supplier...We have an "engineered lumber expert" on staff...you should be able to take prints to them and they can size it for you if they have the software or I have Fed-Ex'ed prints to Weyerhauser and gotten the beam size back within 24-48 hrs..prints back normally 72-96 hours...again that is normally..but "stuff happens"...so keep that in mind ..

mighty anvil

You haven't given enough information for anyone to determine the load on the beam. The most critical issues are how the roof is supported and possible snow loading.

In most states an LVL beam would have to be stamped by an engineer so that might be why the architect didn't use one. The LVL manufacturer can supply the stamp if you supply a drawing of the framing.

ophnurse

Sorry about trying to re-open this post but I'm so confused now.

I got revised plans back from architect and he is spec'ing a triple 14 inch beam. (No local engineer but says he called a friend and ran the numbers by him and seemed OK) I took my plans to the local lumber yard and they called supplier and they spec'ed triple 11 7/8" beam. The beam calculator I got from this website comes up with a triple 16!! HELP!!!

I am so confused about what to do. I don't want to drastically over build (use 16 when 11 /78 is what is needed) but also don't want to use a 14 when a 16 is needed. My gut feeling is go with triple 16 and not have to worry but seems awfully massive. At this point I am out several hundred dollars for architect and would just like 2 calculations to agree.

I would like to have anyone out there run numbers through their calculators and see what they come up with. I know I haven't given enough dimensions but if you can tell me what you need I'll do what I can to provide what is needed.

Thanks

gregj

First thing would be to check to see if you are all using the same input data and talking about the same type of beam.

The manufacturer of the beam would certainly know what it can handle but be sure the manufacturer has the right input data.

mighty anvil

You need to describe the location of the beam in the floor plan (center girder, garage door header, etc.) and say how it supports any other additional load like the roof (point load, bearing wall, etc.). You also need to say what the Modulous of Elasticity (E) of the LVL's are (1.8, 1.9 or 2.0 Ksi) The calculation is simple if you know the load and the material that will be used. I'm curious why would a second floor beam would support the roof? If this is a conventional structure the beam might well be 14" deep.

atlas06

You should never go to architect for anything that involves engineering. Rumors go that they became architects because they could not make it to engineering school.

Go to GURU.com and hire a licenced structural engineer in your area, these are real engineers moonlighting.
They should size your beam for a few hundred dollars and give you stamped and sealed drawings.

But please, no architect, we define an architect as "someone that is not macho enough to be an engineer and not fag*** to be a hairdresser", and you expect'em to size a beam for you?

mighty anvil

It appears I'm in the wrong forum.

Tom R

Don't know what you have (obviously personal) against architects, - - but putting a whole profession down like that sure does tend to put you in a negative light, - - at least with me . . .

Joe Carola

Maybe where you're from they can't , but any Architect here can and do size wood beams with no problems at all.

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Joe Carola

Tmrrptr

You don't need an architect, YOU are the architect.

You want an engineer.
r

mighty anvil

There is nothing the Original Poster has said that indicates the architect was necessarily wrong; they are just coming up with different beam sizes and we can't know who is right because we don't know the loading of the beam or the strength of the LVL's.

So why would we assume the OP and not the architect has determined these values correctly? If the uniform loading happened to be 300 lbs./ft., an LVL beam with an E of 2.0 KSI would need to be double 1 3/4" x11 7/8" and with an E of 1.8 KSI it would need to be double 1 3/4" x 14". Why can't they both be right?

Using a member's lack of training and experience as a springboard to slam and insult all architects indicates a mean spirited personal agenda which has no place in this forum.

By the way, there is no structural engineering category offered on Guru.com so I doubt it will be of much help to anyone.

shed-n-deck

When in doubt, use the biggest beam that has been called...In your case, a triple 16" LVL....the extra cost will offset the stress that you'll endure trying to save a few bucks. IMHO.

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Shed

Tom R

Very well put, m.a.

72chevy4x4

doesn't seem like original poster is still around, by my local lumber yard sends the data to the manufacturer (i.e. Georgia Pacific) whose engineer sizes the joist/beam, and yes it is free :-)

mighty anvil

What beam calculator was he referring to for LVL's? He said he got it from this site.