wfd

I want to span 26' using a 10'' I-beam already in existence. The I -beams presently in place are 2 pieces, 13' each with a 3'' gap in between. I would like to remove a center post which supports both beams. I would like to know if I can plate the beam on both sides and if you could tell me what thickness of the plating should be that would support a 2-story house above the steel beams. The house does not have a trussed roof.

genecarp

Who wants to start

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thom

Those will work just fine. They will work better if you put a very heavy masonry load on top of them to minimize the bounce effect. Personally, I'd tack weld the beams together and do with no posts. You should be able to super glue the beams to the foundation walls and eliminate the posts.

As for the plating, just use the normal plates you find at Dennys. If you eat your breakfast there regularly, you should be able to smuggle enough out to do the whole job in a few weeks.

Don't forget to take a place setting of silverware. If the glue doesn't hold you'll be forked.

joasis

Before the boys smell blood in the water, tell us you are not serious?

So you understand clearly, no one with the experience to answer this question would do so, on an internet forum. Next is this: What you are describing would require an engineer, on site, before to spec it, and after to inspect it, or you couldn't buy enough liability insurance to cover your ass.

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genecarp

[quote=joasis;543893]Before the boys smell blood in the water,


Might be to late

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thom

Come on guys. 1st post, trade: construction. Obviously the guys a homeowner not a builder. That means he walks on water and floats on air. He can hang the moon from a sky hook and piss the pacific ocean all before lunch. Of course those beams will work, why engineer it when you can ask someone on the internet?

SLSTech

Hey, I spent last night in a Holiday Express, so I am perfectly qualified to answer this - of course you can, just don't cheap out - Gold Plating all the way

Do it wrong though & it will be a real expensive headache

Hire a Structural Engineer or a contractor smart enough to hire a SE - PERIOD

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neolitic

no!


Happy Thanksgiving

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(Sorry....it seems there really are dumb questions)

Aggie67

Man, as a PE, this my bread and butter. I do calcs for this sort of thing daily. But I get paid a lot of money to push my pencil and tap my calculator.

Whether you should eliminate the column and leave the beams alone or not should be obvious. The answer is don't even think about it. "Plating both sides" and doing nothing for the flanges isn't a sufficient splice, even if the beam was big enough to span 26 feet (and there's no way to tell with the info you provided). A vertical-only splice only offers strength in shear, not moment.

I've eliminated columns before, and I've properly spliced beams, boxed beams out, etc, but again, my license is my license, and I'm insured and I know what I'm doing. Please call a local PE.

enforcer

i love I-Beam for vinyl window frames.

bwalley

Get some 2x6's, put them on each side of the beam and on the top and bottom of it and wrap it with duct tape, I like the Gorilla brand myself.

on the first wrap make sure you overlap the tape 50% and go clockwise, then when you get to the end, start there and go counter clockwise, then keep going back and forth, the more plies, the stronegr it will be.

You could also use JB Weld 1st, although code doesn't require it.

Then when you are done call the building inspector for your final, he should be impressed if you do it properly.