i beam question

i have an enclosed sunroom attached to the side of my house. i can enter the room through a standard size doorway but i would like to open the entrance considerably, about 10 feet or so.i guess the way to go would be to put in an i beam header to support the weight. what size i beam would i use? the i beam would be part of an exterior load bearing wall. thanks, cj

Reply to
cj
Loading thread data ...

Your project is certainly doable but you need to give a whole lot more information particularly what is the ovehead span going from the doorway to the house plus the load factor for your area (snow can be awfully heavy)

But a bigger deal will be getting by any local building authorities. They will have definate ideas of what standards you should be following and who should be resposible for those standards. Read: get a structural engineer to sign off on them.

You are not likely to get a def> i have an enclosed sunroom attached to the side of my house. i can enter

Reply to
RoyJ

A microlam header or 2x header/steel plate sandwich is usually adequate for short residential spans. Get some qualified help.

Reply to
ATP*

A GluLam or LVL engineered wood beam should be sufficient, sistered with 1/4" steel plate if necessary. However, you need a structural engineer to tell you what size and other specs. If it is not signed off correctly, it is illegal in most places. Most companies that sell the beams almost always need the exact specs signed off, they can't just go on oral instructions alone.

Reply to
woodworker88

Any of the W36 sections properly braced and supported should surely be enough for residential construction. I'm certain it can be made smaller; ask an architect or structural engineer to render a professional opinion as to how much smaller.

Reply to
Mike Young

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.