Nov 18, 2003 Beam to support ceiling joists Beam to support ceiling joists starck (Computer) (OP) 16 Nov 03 21:48. I am remodeling a home and need to remove a bearing wall that is supporting the 2x6, 16oc spacing ceiling joists. The span will be 16'. The house is a single story and the roof is stick framed with the weight of the roof on the exterior walls.
Beam to support ceiling joists
Beam to support ceiling joists
I am remodeling a home and need to remove a bearing wall that is supporting the 2x6, 16oc spacing ceiling joists. The span will be 16'. The house is a single story and the roof is stick framed with the weight of the roof on the exterior walls. The walls I want to remove run down the middle of the house.
I talked briefly with the structural engineer I had used before about my plan for supporting the ceiling, which is to lay a beam on the top of the ceiling joists supported by posts that sit on top of the main support beam for the floor.
He said that it would work and mentioned using a 4'x12' D.Fir beam.
After thinking about it I would like to use a Glued Laminate beam instead (it smaller and easier to get up there above the ceiling.
Q: Is there a coversion table I can use that would allow me to go from a D.Fir beam to a GL?
Q: The ceiling joist would lap a 10 inches away from this new beam for approx 5' (or ~4 joists). Should I also add angled 2x6 supports from the lap joint to the rafters to support this area?
Thanks in advance,
Dave
I talked briefly with the structural engineer I had used before about my plan for supporting the ceiling, which is to lay a beam on the top of the ceiling joists supported by posts that sit on top of the main support beam for the floor.
He said that it would work and mentioned using a 4'x12' D.Fir beam.
After thinking about it I would like to use a Glued Laminate beam instead (it smaller and easier to get up there above the ceiling.
Q: Is there a coversion table I can use that would allow me to go from a D.Fir beam to a GL?
Q: The ceiling joist would lap a 10 inches away from this new beam for approx 5' (or ~4 joists). Should I also add angled 2x6 supports from the lap joint to the rafters to support this area?
Thanks in advance,
Dave
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Residential homes with vaulted ceilings use exposed beams for aesthetics only. Despite what you might think or how they appear, the beams are actually three-sided boxes. Ceilings of this type will not support solid wood beams. The faux beams are installed on the ceiling via a ledger board attached to the ceiling. The hollow beam fits over the ledger. It's a basic procedure and simple enough for almost anyone to accomplish using a ladder and screw gun.
1
Run a stud finder along the ceiling to locate the joists, which run in the same direction as the beams. Select individual joists according to beam placement. Mark the locations of the beams at the wall and at the peak of the ceiling.
2
Stretch a chalk line from the two marked points and snap a line to indicate the run of the joist. Measure the length of the line and cut one 1 1/2-by-6-by-120-inch piece of fir to the measurement with a miter saw.
3
Measure the width on the inside of the hollow beam and subtract 1/8 inch. Rip the fir to the measurement with a table saw.
4
Center the fir piece on the chalk line. Screw it to the joist using 3 1/2-inch screws with a drill or screwdriver.
5
Place a bevel square on the wall where it meets the ceiling and set the angle. Transfer the angle to the end of the beam. Trim the end of the beam off at the angle using a miter saw.
6
Measure from the short point of the miter and mark the needed length on the beam. Cut the beam at the angle using the long point of the miter as the measurement.
7
Fit the hollow side of the beam over the ledger board. Screw the beam to the ledger using 3-inch screws on both sides, spacing the screws 18 inches apart. Repeat the steps for additional beams.
Things You Will Need
- Stud finder
- Chalk line
- Fir lumber, 1 1/2-by-6-by-120 inches
- Miter saw
- Table saw
- 3 1/2-inch screws
- Drill/screwdriver
- Bevel square
- 3-inch screws
Tip
- Enlist the help of an assistant to install beams. The example is for beams no longer than 120 inches. If yours are longer, butt ledgers together to get the needed length.
Warning
- Wear eye protection when working with wood or woodworking tools.
About the Author
Specializing in hardwood furniture, trim carpentry, cabinets, home improvement and architectural millwork, Wade Shaddy has worked in homebuilding since 1972. Shaddy has also worked as a newspaper reporter and writer, and as a contributing writer for Bicycling Magazine. Shaddy began publishing in various magazines in 1992, and published a novel, “Dark Canyon,” in 2008.
Cite this Article Choose Citation Style
Shaddy, Wade. 'How to Install Exposed Wood Beams on a Residential Vaulted Wood Ceiling.' Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/install-exposed-wood-beams-residential-vaulted-wood-ceiling-97678.html. Accessed 11 September 2019.
Shaddy, Wade. (n.d.). How to Install Exposed Wood Beams on a Residential Vaulted Wood Ceiling. Home Guides | SF Gate. Retrieved from http://homeguides.sfgate.com/install-exposed-wood-beams-residential-vaulted-wood-ceiling-97678.html
Shaddy, Wade. 'How to Install Exposed Wood Beams on a Residential Vaulted Wood Ceiling' accessed September 11, 2019. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/install-exposed-wood-beams-residential-vaulted-wood-ceiling-97678.html
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