Hi all
Does anyone have any sample calculations or links for timber beams please? This will be built into wall at each end - supported on internal leaf. It will take the weight of ceiling and joists only, with whatever imposed load is applicable for a loft space. I am particularly interested in the timber grade selection. Not sure what variety of wood is generally used and therefore allowable stresses etc
Thanks in anticipation
Phil
Building control will want to see proper calculations for which you will probably need a structural engineer to do for you.
Peter Crosland
Another option is:
Peter Scott
Thanks Peter
Yes I understand this, but having done a HNC in civil/structural engineering I was going to do them myself. If I get enough pointers or references and insist that BC checks them carefully (ie earn their money) then I may just save myself a few squids and excercise the little grey cells into the bargain.
Phil
Fair comment Phil. Good luck with the project. I am sure there must be some free/shareware software out there to ease the effort.
Peter Crosland
Somone here posted this when I needed it a while back ......
The only thimng they worry about is acceptable deflection, and there are tables of spans/weights/sizes somewhere about that are 'to spec' fo the sort of cardboard-on-steroids that is called structural timber at the BM's.
actual breaking strain is never an issue - its well over the size where the thing has sagged unacceptably.
Since the cost of beams is way below the price of a chippie to install them, things tend to be remarkably over-engineered anyway.
out on the beams I have tried with it.
I would recommend Superbeam (demo here
The usual guide is:
max deflection = 0.003 * Length
(IIRC there is a cutoff limit of 14mm max deflection as well)
I find this book is stuffed full of handy data that can often give you a clue as to an appropriate starting point:
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