Drilling into Center Beam

leted_82

I am currently finishing my basement. I am trying to build a wall following the center beam of my house. The center beam consists of three 2x12s together, resting on several 5x6 inch posts.

Can I build the wall within the posts (under the center beam)? Hope that isn't too confusing. I would have to drill and attach a top plate to the underside of the center beam. I am wondering if that will lessen the beams structural integrity.

I would also attach drywall to this framing, so the top portion of the drywall would be screwed into the 12 inch side of the center beam. Will any of this drilling or screwing be struturally damaging? Thanks for any help you can provide!

jproffer

Anything you would lose, structurally, by nailing, drilling, etc. you would more than gain by the fact that you just put a wall under the beam.

AtlanticWBConst.

If you plan on using a nail gun...don't turn into a 'gun slinger' (swiss cheesing the top plate to the main carrying beam structure)....and you should be alright...

As mentioned already by Jproffer, you should have zero problems...it's done all the time in basement remodels. You could use 2 x 6's to build that wall in order to hide the posts inside the walls, just take into consideration the thickness of your carrying beam as well. What I mean is that you may want to build that out also, in order to meet the same 5 1/2" depth of your framed wall. That is usually how we tie them all in together.

Example of the concept: Lally column mounting plates usually extend 'past' the underside depth of carrying beams. We usually build the sides and undersides of the beam itself out with strapping, so that the upper mounting plates do not protrude out,. They are hidden in order to get a 'seamless' look to the 'finished' beam. (no multiple corners or edges - just straight clean lines)
Example:






Good Luck..

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