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Posted by Robert Allison on April 24, 2008, 11:30 am
Bill wrote:
> Before I go and hire an architect, get building permit, etc. I would like to
> get a ballpark on what this might look like...
>
> I have a bearing wall (2x4 studs) which is 13 ft. long in my living room
> which I am thinking of tearing out and replacing with a beam. (2 story
> house - living room first floor.)
>
> But looking at "span tables", this is looking like it would need a solid
> wood beam like 4 x 10? Well a 10" beam would come down a bit far and not
> look so good...
>
> So how about a steel I-beam? I looked at span tables for I-beams and it
> looks like a "W6x9" would do the trick? This would come down less and look
> better.
>
> Anyway I don't know a thing about steel I-beams. Does "W6x9" mean 6 inches
> wide and 9 inches high?
No, W6x9 means that it is 6 lbs per foot and nine inches tall.
> Is there a smaller I-beam which would work for this span?
An engineered wood beam multiplied may do it, but you would have
to check with the span tables for them.
> And I have 2x4 walls that this I-beam would connect to on each side. Would
> the I-beam just rest on say 4 x 6 wood posts? Or have holes drilled in the
> bottom of the I-beam and lag screw it to the wood posts?
Typically, a metal beam on a wood post would have clips welded
onto it to fasten to the support posts. There are various ways
of attachment.
> And how would I fasten the joists resting on the top of the I-beam to the
> I -beam?
This would again entail clips either welded or bolted to the beam
and fastened to the joists.
As other posters have pointed out, you must make sure to transfer
the load to your foundation appropriately. It does not sound
like you have the experience to judge all the possible
configurations for doing this properly. An engineer can well
make this project doable and keep within a budget for doing so.
When I do things like this on my own, I always overengineer,
because I cannot properly do the calculations, so I overbuild to
compensate. The engineer can save you money by specifying
enough, without overdoing it. The cost of the engineer can often
be saved by the savings from less material and less work. YMMV.
As far as what it will cost, if you do the legwork (make accurate
drawings, take a lot of photos of both the foundation under the
support posts and the floor above and the situation itself) then
the engineer can design a system for you without having to do all
of that himself. Design costs; probably 300 to 500 bucks if it
is simple. Build costs; depends, but if it is simple and the
foundation can support everything as it is, then 1,000 bucks or so.
Well worth the piece of mind to hire the engineer. He sees
things that you can't.
--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX
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