For Home Depot Purchase info:
BEAM SPAN CHART FOR LVLs
LAMINATED VENEER LUMBER (LVL)
Laminated veneer lumber (LVL), is a type of structural composite lumber commonly used in wood construction for both residential and commercial buildings. LVLs consist of many thin (less than a quarter inch) wood veneers adhered with high-strength adhesives. The veneers are cut to beam-shaped sizes, and they have great flexural strength. Its strength allows for smaller beams to be used in similar applications.
LVL is a versatile wood-based product. Together with plywood, lumber, or oriented strand board (OSB), LVL can be used for many structural applications. Some of the most popular uses of LVL include I-joists, headers, rim boards, truck bed decking, roadway signposts, beams, trusses, special applications such as skateboards, and custom-made panels for marine uses.
HOW TO ORDER LVLs
We get LVLs (Laminated Veneer Lumber) from BLUE GRASS TRUSS COMPANY
ORDERING PROCESS:
The project manager should make a To-Do in CoConstruct and coordinate with the draftsmen regarding the order.
Upon confirmation, the LVL design will be submitted to Larry Watson (859.619.9477) of Blue Grass Truss Company courtesy of "the draftsmen" via CoConstruct.
After validation with Larry, he will have the LVLs made upon payment.
System of Payment: Preferably by Company Check to avoid additional charges (e.g.Credit Card processing fee.) *We are advised to pay by Credit Card only if the purchase needs to be made immediately, which should be a rare case.
Larry will let us know via CoConstruct when they will be delivered.
Make sure to coordinate with the assigned PM to ensure that the LVLs will be received and kept safe.
BEAMS: FOR P.O. CREATION
Note that for invoice purposes, a beam that is 3 2x10s WIDE counts as a single beam for billing purposes, not 3 beams, however, if it has multiple pieces for the length, that would constitute a new beam.
INSTALLATION OF BEAM
Identify the load-bearing wall.
Identifying a load-bearing wall starts with the direction of the bearing joist, watch the video to know more about it.
All beams should be secured with hurricane ties to hold them in place while you are jacking the house up and after the work is completed.
JACKING UP HOUSES
Jacking up a house is a process of temporarily lifting a house off its foundation using hydraulic jacks. This is often done to repair or replace the foundation, to add a new level to the house, or to move the house to a new location.
Here are the steps involved in jacking up a house:
Prepare the foundation. The foundation must be strong enough to support the weight of the house after it has been jacked up. If the foundation is weak, it may need to be repaired or reinforced before the house can be jacked up.
Install temporary supports. Once the foundation is prepared, temporary supports must be installed under the house to prevent it from collapsing. The supports should be placed under the joists or beams that run perpendicular to the foundation.
Jack up the house. The hydraulic jacks are then used to lift the house off the foundation. The jacks should be placed under the temporary supports and slowly raised until the house is a few inches off the foundation.
Repair or replace the foundation. Once the house is jacked up, the foundation can be repaired or replaced. If the foundation is being replaced, the old foundation must be demolished and a new foundation must be built.
Lower the house. Once the foundation has been repaired or replaced, the house can be lowered back onto the foundation. The hydraulic jacks are then slowly lowered until the house is resting on the foundation.
Jacking up a house is a complex and dangerous process that should only be done by experienced professionals. If you are considering jacking up your house, be sure to hire a qualified contractor.
Here are some of the risks associated with jacking up a house:
The house could collapse if the foundation is not strong enough.
The house could shift or tilt if the jacks are not properly installed.
The house could be damaged if the jacks are not properly operated.
If you are considering jacking up your house, be sure to weigh the risks and benefits carefully.
INSTRUCTIONS ON TEMPORARY WALLS TO SUPPORT LOAD WHILE INSTALLING BEAM
We begin by tearing down 4 different walls making up the kitchen, living room, dining room, and entrance hallway in order to add a 24 feet long engineered beam in their place! Creating an open concept floor plan.
But it is not just about taking the walls down and then adding a big beam underneath the ceiling rafters. It takes a lot of thought and a specific process to ensure the ceiling does not come down when taking load bearing walls out.
Watch the video above to learn more about installing a recessed beam.
A recessed beam typically refers to a structural beam that is installed in a way that it is set back or positioned within the framing of a structure, creating a recess or indentation. This is often done for aesthetic or functional reasons. In the context of construction, the previous passage described the process of creating a slot or cut in the rafters to accommodate the beam, allowing it to be positioned within the structure rather than protruding. This type of installation is common in various building projects, especially when architects or builders want to conceal structural elements for design purposes or to create a smoother ceiling surface.
YOU MUST pour a footer for ANY post that you install.
They should be 2' x 2' in diameter, and at least 2' deep. Rebar is NOT required but is encouraged. You can drive the rebar into the soild around the post.
When putting a footer in a slab, install rebar in the slab, by drilling holes, filling IT with epoxy, and then installing rebar in a grid pattern. Tie together the rebar and cover IT with epoxy
When pouring a post, use rebar to support it. You can drive the rebar into the surrounding soil to hold IT in place. this will help keep the concrete in good shape.
Use a vibrator to get the air bubble out of the concrete- you MUST DO THIS ON ALL footers because air bubbles, while not visible, will destroy concrete over time and weaken it. You can use a hammer drill in a pinch, but a concrete vibrator is preferred.
This picture shows good documentation for footers
Here's a Video on Vibrating concrete worktop in a mould to release air pockets with a Dewalt SDS Plus hammer drill
RETROFITTING IN A RIDGE BEAM
BEAMS SITTING ON POST
Joining beams over posts can be done by either cutting a notch out of the post and splicing the beams together over the notch or by butting the ends of each beam together on top of the post and joining them using galvanized metal post caps
This photo is a example of beam underneath a span of floor joists
Removing a Load Bearing Wall
This video will show you how to remove a load-bearing wall, first thing to do is to turn off the power of the home and we have to check what the load-bearing wall looks it, watch the whole video to know more about it.
HOW TO INSTALL A POST ON A FOOTER
These hardware and fastener options are as much about lateral loads and uplift as they are about solid bearing surfaces.
Watch the video below to know more how to install a post on a footer.
HOW TO ATTACH A POST TO THE MAIN BEAM
Get an overview of post-to-beam hardware choices for single, double, and triple beams.
When installing a post, we prefer Metal Adjustable posts. They come in different sizes, but must always be bolted into the concrete footer, and the beam. We prefer these, because they are adjustable.
You MAY ALSO transfer loads DIRECTLY to a main beam in the house- see the pics for reference. They must be tied together with Simpson Stong Ties and the appropirate fasteners.
Additionally, you CAN NOT set a post on the subfloor or a floor joist.
It must be directly on a footer or a bream. A CONCRETE SLAB does not work.
Adjustable posts can be found in the Home Depot Strong Tie List (link). Please note that they adjust in height, and can come in heights of 1 foot, to as much as 12 feet. You will need to order accordingly.
Use a plumb bob from the beam you are supporting to see the center of where your post goes.
CREATING FOOTER POST WITH AN EXISTING BLOCKS
This is a one way of creating a footer post if there's an existing block on it. If there was an concrete blocks already with mortar instead of removing them we can dig down in the side of it and make more deeper and wider; pour concrete on it to make it more stronger.
In this way we don’t waste time in doing demo and re-doing it.
HOW FRAMING HEADERS WORKS
Without the header the weight above will eventually cause the wall to sag. Watch the video below the know more about it.
Properly Transferred Load
The video shows an example of what a properly transferred load looks like by checking the side of the framing and the foundation.
USING RATCHET STRAP TO PULL DOWN BEAM
If you need to move framing or pull it together- use a ratchet strap where normal mechanical manipulation is not possible.