Steel Beam in Central NJ

I am building an addition and my architectural drawings specify 8X31 steel beam. Where can I get it? Any building supplier I call does not carry or order steel beams.

Reply to
Sasha
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Building supplier won't but a steel supplier will. They will deliver but you may have to unload. Try the Yellow Pages.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

*I am in NJ and I just looked in my Verizon Yellow Pages under "Steel" and found a number steel distributors, steel erectors and steel fabricators.
Reply to
John Grabowski

There is more to the specification than height and width. There is also steel type, flange thickness, and web thickness. I hope you have full specs...

Sources: look for a steel fabrication company in your area. This is what they do, make and sell steel structural pieces. When you go see them, bring all your engineered plans and drawings. Their engineer will want to see what your plans say, mostly for liability reasons. Also, if this piece is more than about 50ft long, consider issues in transportation too--you may end up having to get a two piece beam that bolts together in the middle. A 50 ft piece (maybe a 60) will fit on a standard semi-flatbed.

Reply to
PeterD

Oh, and to add to Ed's reply, you can usually rent an off-road fork lift to unload the truck, or a crane without too much trouble. We often pay about $100 an hour for these jobs.

Is the beam going down or up in the air? Keep in mind that setting a beam that big can be very risky--make sure you have adaquate insurance.

Reply to
PeterD

Hint , there is something called the Yellow Pages. You are in charge of this project, and its the first time and you have no experiance?

Reply to
ransley

I have had steel delivered many times and they will unload it but that is just a "drop", wherever they can maneuver their truck without danger of getting stuck. You can set a 31# beam if you have a lot of people and some kind of staging so you can get it up in steps but it might be worth a $150-200 crane (YMMV) if your masonry contractor is not willing to mess with it. I try to get the masons to do this because they build the pockets and can make sure everything ends up level.

Reply to
gfretwell

Call a local steel supplier. Not a big deal 8" x 31lbs. per foot. Standard lengths are 20' and 40' they should be able to cut it to any length you want and possibly dump it right off the truck, if it's not to long.

Reply to
rustyjames

If you're in the vicinity of Trenton, Manco Steel Products has about the best prices (609) 394-1129. They only sell raw materials. If you need a beam that needs detailing then call Tri-Steel Fabricators (609)

392-8660.
Reply to
rustyjames

When I was a kid, my old man always bought the steel I-beam that went across the center of the basement 'in place'. His foundation guy always had the notches and posts waiting, and the steel company flew or slid it into place. There were usually carpenters standing around waiting to jump on building the floor, so they would help with the grunting if needed. (Small town, so you were likely to see the same guys again pretty quick, and they all did favors for each other.)

Does anybody use steel in basements any more? All the semi-modern basements I have seen around here have triple 2x, or laminate. Some of the old WWII or older houses have recycled railroad track.

-- aem sends...

Reply to
aemeijers

In my last house, a modular 2 piece, plans called for a post in the basement every 8'. The company selling and setting the house said that in there own house, after inspection they knocked out every other post. i didn't like that idea. I did some research on I beams and choose one heavier than needed. The basement steps were exactly in the middle of the basement. The company setting the house put 2 extra footers where I wanted the posts, one on each side of the steps about 5 foot apart but not in the way of much. They put footers were the plans called for them also in case the inspector actually caught the difference. I ordered the beam and they dropped it off. The day the crane came to set the house they first used it to set the I beam.

I miss that house. Between friends and family in the building trade, every one of them said that was the best built modular they had ever seen. Definitely better than a lot of on site built houses.

Reply to
Tony

I have two I-beams in my townhouse, built in 1979, about 21 or 22 feet long (I forget), about 1/3 of the way from the front and about 2/3rd of the way.

One was sheet-rocked and the other shows.

I'm sure the other 100 houses are the same way.

Reply to
mm

If you're in the vicinity of Trenton, Manco Steel Products has about the best prices (609) 394-1129. They only sell raw materials. If you need a beam that needs detailing then call Tri-Steel Fabricators (609)

392-8660.

To add to Rusty's answer, most fabricators can pre-camber the beam if you know the loads that will be applied and avoid center columns. This may require a heavier or deeper section to minimize flexing or bounce under live loads, speak to your A/E about this.

Tom

Reply to
Tom Cular

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