Any Residential Structural Engineers?

[Roosterstraw]

I have a question about the main beam in a house. Specifically the spacing of support columns. Is there a program I can run numbers through to determine the spacing?

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I’m not an engineer, but I can tell you that the local building inspector will have thoughts on that. When my parents rebuilt an old - 1870s - log cabin (they bought the cabin off the forestry service, numbered the logs, took it down, moved it across the mountain, and rebuilt it on our farm), the building inspector made them put in additional support columns.

 

[eshunt]

I use a variety of programs for beam designs. One of the easiest, free ones is WebStructural.com. You do need to know some loading criteria and member types in order to run the correct calculations though.

Is this a roof beam? Floor beam? Size? Type of material? Span between columns? Live loads (snow, etc.)? Dead loads? Span of rafters or joists that beam is supporting?

I wouldn't rely on what a building inspector has to say around here. They know how to read plans and understand construction process, but they are not engineers.

 

[Roosterstraw]

I use a variety of programs for beam designs. One of the easiest, free ones is WebStructural.com. You do need to know some loading criteria and member types in order to run the correct calculations though.

Is this a roof beam? Floor beam? Size? Type of material? Span between columns? Live loads (snow, etc.)? Dead loads? Span of rafters or joists that beam is supporting?

I wouldn't rely on what a building inspector has to say around here. They know how to read plans and understand construction process, but they are not engineers.

Floor beams. I’m wanting to figure out the distance between support columns.

 

[Weldor]

Local Library is a good resource too.

 

[mt terry d]

Span tables. easy.

Personally I use 1 1/8" subfloor instead of the usual 3/4 I don't like to
feel when other people are walking.

I just pulled this one up. There are several.

How to Calculate Joist and Beam Load Correctly for Proper Sizing

Obtain exact sizing suggestions for the joists and beams in your construction, avoid structural problems, and stay code-compliant.

www.lumber-takeoff.com

 

[IDVortex]

You can look up standard 2x header span tables to get you an idea, if its a glulam, you can look at Boise or other glulam manufacturers specs of the size of beam. But you still need to know the load that is being applied to the beam. If you're looking at moving posts under the beam. Make sure the footers are correct for the load point. If its a concrete basement. Dont just move a post to another spot on the slab and think that is okay.

 

[Roosterstraw]

You can look up standard 2x header span tables to get you an idea, if its a glulam, you can look at Boise or other glulam manufacturers specs of the size of beam. But you still need to know the load that is being applied to the beam. If you're looking at moving posts under the beam. Make sure the footers are correct for the load point. If its a concrete basement. Dont just move a post to another spot on the slab and think that is okay.

So does a span table determine how long the floor beam can be without support or does it factor the column support into the length?

 

[IDVortex]

So does a span table determine how long the floor beam can be without support or does it factor the column support into the length?

The span table will show the 'open span' from one supporting member to the other. So if one is reading a table and it says '16ft span' that is 16ft clear span between posts, walls, etc.