Trusting Hollow Beams

AbeBarker

I got this job...


Exterior front porch, 18ft. wide by 7 ft. deep. Above it is a room in the house that extends over the porch. So that means it comes 7 ft. out from the gable wall of the house and rest over the support columns of the porch ceiling.

Now those joists for the floor of the room most certainly canterlever so they are framed hopefully fourteen feet back into the house.

Now for the false beam facades built under the room floor are hollow. I drilled holes through and found them hollow. The support columns are also hollow. 3/4 inch fluted casing boxed square.

I am definately replaceing the deck floor below and the support coulmns. My question is should I replace all the false ceiling beam supports. They are in good question and I want to think the floor joist of the above room run back into the house. Would you guys replace everything anyway or try to save what you can?

I'm sure your going to ask for a picture. I'll get one if you want.

lgoode

Let's see those pictures!
I don't think anyone's going to recommend saving the materials, as we are not the ones on the jobsite, just for safety's sake. No reason something hollow can't be strong/stronger than something solid, but that sounds like a lot of force/load, and if the joists do not run back into the house as you hope, there also could be a lateral load that wants to tear the room off the house. So a little overdesign might be a good thing.
What are you using for porch flooring?

AbeBarker

For Porch flooring I'm using P.T 2x10s. You are right. It's good ornate trimwork over the hollow beam wraps that are still in good condition. A picture might win you over in saving the hollow beam work. Because it's a foundation issue as why the porch is sagging. What I'm thinking is to get into the hollow beam work and post directly under the floor frame of the room above the porch.

AbeBarker

Oh yeah sorry, for porch flooring I'm going composite.



Sell the world on composite

BreyerConstruct

Composites = Good. Now, which brand?


~Matt


(I'm just tired enough to actually try & start up that old war!)

Mods, feel free to put my post to bed.

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