[Shop-talk] looking for wooden beam suggestions

[Pat Horne]

List,

I have an 8' roof overhang on my shop building that is starting to bow 
from the load. It is supported by a 5-1/2"x3-1/2" wood beam across two 
posts, 14' apart. The roof is standard 7/16 ply with one layer of 
shingles on it; the framing is 2x4. The beam that is in there now is a 
double 2x6 with a plywood filler to bring it out to 3-1/2". I can grab 
the center of the beam and move it up and down over one inch. The 
existing beam is standard yellow pine and is less than a year old. I 
know the rule of thumb is 1/2" if beam height for every foot of span, so 
this beam is too small for the 14' span.

The problem is that I can't put in a taller beam because of other 
clearances, so I will have to go to a different type of beam that will 
still be 5-1/2" tall by 3-1/12" thick. I am considering an LVL 
(laminated beam) - $100, steel Channel (8.5 lbs/ft.) - $230, but  I 
would like to keep the price down.

We are located in central Texas, so snow load is not a consideration. We 
do get fairly high winds here, but nothing that has caused the overhang 
to lift off or collapse.

I have not been able to find any information on sandwiching a thin piece 
of  steel between the 2x4's to stiffen it. Anyone have any experience 
with this kind of beam? I figure that if the steel plate is kept flat it 
should have pretty good resistance to bending.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Peace,
Pat

-- 
Pat Horne, Owner, Horne Systems
(512) 797-7501 Voice		5026 FM 2001
Pat at HorneSystemsTx.com	Lockhart, TX 78644-4443
www.hornesystemstx.com
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