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28’ Span Questions

4.6K views 21 replies 12 participants last post by  brhokel606  
#1 ·
Have a customer that wants a patio cover. The kicker is he only wants two post for a 28’ span. My trouble is what’s really the minimum post size and LVL beam size needed. 2 8x8 post with 2 2x12x28 LVL sufficient?
 
#8 · (Edited)
Go box steel if you can get 28'.

Can you cantilever the beam 2' both sides to reduce span to 24'?

Check out Steel Deck Framing

We used their 2x6 box steel joists to span 8' with their doubled up 2x11 actual dimensions box beam for a total span of around 19' with two posts. We hangered the joists to increase overall presentation and head height.

I don't think Fortress has what you need, but gives you an idea what steel can do.

Pretty much assembled with black self tapping tech screws.
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#19 ·
With or without pergola style rafters to brace the tarp?

Campers and some homes have wind forecast automatic roll up.... lot smaller beam and posts.

brace cables to posts/ beams , a tension cable on the cross beam could zero out most of the deflection of the dead loads

Cantilevering the beam's post mounts, 4-6 foot at each end would cheapen it up Quite a bit. Thus only a 16-20 clear span.

If there is a roof overhang, a gap at the house end of the tarp would lower wind uplift a little.....
 
#20 ·
A couple of years ago I did a garage that previous home over took out the middle 4”x4” support on 2 - 2x12 sandwiched boards 26 feet long. This was the main middle beam supporting the garage ceiling and roof. New owner called me in and at that time it had 2 1/2” of deflection in the middle!!! New owner did not want a post installed in the middle of the floor. I replaced with 4 - 1 3/4” x 11 1/2” x 26 foot long LVL beams. I bolted all 4 together with 2 bolts every 2 feet . After raising roof and installing the 4 beams, I had 1/4 to 1/8 inch of deflection. Hind sight being 20/20, I wish I would have just used a steel I beam.