[Cambraupod]

My house is 20X24 with a single beam holding 12' joists on each side. I purchased a 15-1/8X5" engineered beam that will be about 18 feet long. I want to hang my floor joists for the second floor on that beam..

Can I hang one side completely and sheet it before doing the other side? These are 2X12X12' joists..

In my mind that's a lot of weight to put on just one side at a time. I really don't know if balancing the weight is an issue.

thanks

t

 

[Bud9051]

not following where an18' beam will be placed in a 20' x 24' house. Could you post a sketch.

Bud

 

[Nealtw]

Why would you not do both, you have to cut both to get the beam in.

Most beams don't care about one side or two sides.

Are you sure that beam is big enough?

 

[Cambraupod]

It's 20' .... supported 12' on each side...I 'm wondering if the weight of all the joists on one side will throw it out of plumb

 

[Cambraupod]

its a 20X24 house and the beam splits in in half allowing 12' joists to hang on each side.

 

[HotRodx10]

As long as the joist hangers are nailed to the joist as well as beam, it shouldn't be a problem. There'll be a little bit of twist on the beam, but nailing the joist hanger to the joists will hold it straight.

 

[carpdad]

If you must do half and half, that's fine as long as hanging the joists doesn't move the beam. So doing both sides makes sense although sometimes even pros push the beam into a curve.:smile: But sheathing is different. Sheathing adds bracing. I would always land the floor sheathing across the beam, not join them over the beam. Over the beam, less chance of a hump and better brace.

 

[huesmann]

You say you want to hang joists for a 2nd floor on that beam. Are those the floor joists for the 2nd floor you refer to? How will the beam itself be supported?

 

[Bud9051]

How will the beam itself be supported?

That is what I was looking for. With the house 20 x 24 an 18' beam doesn't span in either direction?

Bud

 

[huesmann]

Unless he's somehow figured he wants the 2nd floor to have a shorter run, which seems weird.

 

[dj3]

Listen to me, stay out of trouble, get an architect to draw a framing plan.
When you add a second floor, you need to support it somehow.
The existing one story structure you have is not designed to support a second floor.
That main beam you're talking about needs to be anchored into the ground, in a 24"x24"x24" concrete with rebar - on each end.
Get an architect, get a permit, do it to code. Compromise somewhere else.

 

[HotRodx10]

...get an architect to draw a framing plan.

I say get a structural engineer to design the framing and the foundation to support it.

 

[AllanJ]

Question:

If you hang all the joists and put down the subfloor, etc. all on one side first, would the beam twist slightly?

Then if you do a final remeasure of the joists etc. for the second side, by the time you install all that, the joist twists back to its original position and you have a slight bump in the second floor between the sides all along the beam?

 

[Nealtw]

With new construction, we put the beam in 1/4" low and the joists at the correct height.

As the joists can shrink and when they do the beam will be high.