Trying to avoid the more expensive route of trusses and use a Glulam or LVL as a ridge beam. Here’s my question, by using ridge beam on a 32’L span, how can I span my 22’w for the loft floor without using a support post in the lower part of the garage?
32’ Span
1 - 16 of 16 Posts
Joined
·
30,077 Posts
You have a set of plans or architect? They would be the persons responsible for beam specifications.
Re: 32’ Span
You can do it with 14" TJI's. I would go to a supplier with your question.
You can do it with 14" TJI's. I would go to a supplier with your question.
Joined
·
8,164 Posts
Not sure I understand. A ridge beam and attic floor joists are two different things. If rafters are opposing each other on the ridge beam, you can use a 1x or a 2x as a ridge board, it is not supporting weight.
Joined
·
1 Posts
Hi everyone, I am a new member of this forum. I feel this place is a very perfect place I have found a lot of great interesting things. Everyone is very friendly to each other. Hope everybody help, please.
In general, Ridge BOARD weight is transmtted down Rafters to outside walls all the way along. ridge BEAM supports the rafters and sends weight to the gable ends. If you are building a garage, you can easily run the 22’ floor joist span with engineered stuff as suggested. Then if you insist on not using trusses, you would likely end up with something like 2x10 rafters and 2x8 ceiling joists sitting on the wide walls. If it were me, I’d call a real lumberyard and have them come up and give you a design and materials list for the loft floor and roof. Might be less expensive to go all non-dimensional than you think. Ron
Joined
·
8,164 Posts
If the attic floor joists tie the outside walls together in the same direction as the rafters, you can use a ridge board. If the outside walls are not tied together, you need a ridge beam that will support the rafters so the walls don’t bow out.
Re: 32’ Span
but I could be wrong.
It's not very clear, but I *think* that the op means they are building a 32" long and 22 foot wide garage, and are building the roof with a glu-lam ridge beam and rafters, and also want to put in a loft, with joist which will span the 22 foot width without intermediate support.
but I could be wrong.
Re: 32’ Span
I'd find out first what kind of lvl can be used as a 32' ridge beam and the kind of foundation needed to support that beam. How to get it to the top? 22' floor joist materials? I was looking at that length and the I joist needs to be 14", 2x4 flanges and I thought (assumption on this) I would need the deflection rate of 420L. None of these would be cheap. I joist also can't be cut too much at the ends where they meet the rafters.
I'd find out first what kind of lvl can be used as a 32' ridge beam and the kind of foundation needed to support that beam. How to get it to the top? 22' floor joist materials? I was looking at that length and the I joist needs to be 14", 2x4 flanges and I thought (assumption on this) I would need the deflection rate of 420L. None of these would be cheap. I joist also can't be cut too much at the ends where they meet the rafters.
Joined
·
8,164 Posts
Re: 32’ Span
If that is correct and the loft/attic floor will tie the walls together a ridge beam is not needed, a ridge board will do.
Re: 32’ Span
True, assuming that the TJIs can be used as rafter ties (I'd expect that they could, just not 100% sure) There might be other reasons the OP wants a ridge beam. They might not be planning to put in a floor for the entire attic. they used the word "loft" which to me suggests a partial floor, with the rest open, but I may be trying to read too much into an ambiguous post.
1 - 16 of 16 Posts
