Header Supporting Ridge Beam

jesuscowboy

How can this be correct. Was told by GC that I could support a ridge beam (3 2x10's) directly over a standard 2x8 door header.

Joe Carola

First of all, is that what's on the plans? If so, maybe it's a mistake and worth calling the Architect on. I did one time and I suggested putting another header above that one sitting on the top plate and the post sat on top of that header. Now you have two headers that are strong enough.

There's nothing wrong with questioning a set of plans. I do it all the time from my experience of framing for all these years. I get a set of plans and something like your saying just doesn't look right because I've framed that same situation before using a bigger beam. I say to myself that it could be a mistake, I will call the Architect up and they did make a mistake.

If a framer just takes the attitude that, "it's on the plans and that's the way I framed it" then they're ignorant and just don't give a sh!t. If your a good framer, you should know if something doesn't look right. I'm not saying that I should be able to figure out what size beams, headers.............etc go there, but I should be smart enough or just use common sense.

For example, when I see a 3-1/2 x 9-1/2" lvl span 20' on one set of plans and I framed another job with the exact same situation with a 3-1/2" x 16" lvl, I will question that plan with the 3-1/2 x 9-1/2", because it could be a mistake. I've questioned Architects quite a few times and they have made mistakes (only human) and they've told me that there wasn't any mistakes.

The few times I was told the beam was the right size makes me think that maybe the beam another Architect spec'd could've big over kill. Who knows. but go with your gut and ask the question anyway, you could be right.

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Joe Carola

jesuscowboy

no plans; just told by GC to put back like was (this is a burn job). When I questioned and said I didn't feel it was right we got fired b/c GC said me and my carpenters were incompetent and his super and carpenters could do the job.