Removing a wall

I want to remove a wall that seperates the kitchen and living room spanning 17ft. The house was built in 1963. I talked to a contractor and he asked me if the truses were stick built. I looked and based on what he told me to look for they appear to be stick built. Just need to know if a beam built out of 2 2x10's and 3/4 plywood would work for this project or should I loook into a lam beam?

 

It's not clear if you have an attic composed of trusses or joists/rafters. Your term "stick-built trusses" is confusing, as all trusses are usually built of "sticks." You need to determine whether the wall is load-bearing or not. Typically, if you actually have full-length trusses, they are usually designed to clear-span support the entire ceiling, meaning no interior walls are necessary for additional support. Rafters and joists, on the other hand, usually have at least one interior load-bearing wall parallel to the longest exterior walls (and which will be supporting joists in the attic). If the wall to be removed isn't load-bearing, don't waste your $$$ building a beam; just patch the long slot in the ceiling where the wall was using short 2 x 4 cross-pieces, laying flat, for nailing drywall to, in the attic between trusses (or joists--as a wall perpendicular to exterior walls will usually be non-load-bearing, even if joists/rafters are used instead of trusses).

 

Wha the contractor told me to look for was the metal plates that hold the trusses together at the joints. My truses have none. The wall I want to take out is running the same direction as the longest exterior walls. In the basement there is a strech of 2x6's running the length of the house and directly below the wall I want to tear out. hopefully this clarifies the my first post. If it is a load bearing wall what size lumber would be adequate for a 15- 17' strech? I plan on shortening it by butting in a pantry on one side of it.

 

You indeed have a load-bearing wall, which is unusual when trusses are used to support the roof-framing. Your trusses were probably built on-site, using plywood for the panel (connection) points, instead of factory-built steel nailer plates.

I am not licensed to practice engineering in Tennessee, meaning I can only tell you a few things to consider. You might want to consult a licensed engineer in your area to look at your situation and design an appropriate beam. That being said, a beam composed of properly constructed, doubled 2 x 10s will have a section modulus (S) of 42.78 cubic inches. Not know the loading on your 17' span, but making some assumptions, and using the bending moment formula, results in a required S of 50.75 cubic inches. The difference in S (required) and S (actual) is large enough to consider your proposed beam somewhat overstressed.

If your 2 x 10 lumber is lousy (weak), or you are supporting a second story and an attic with the beam, then it will be considerably overstressed. So again, I'd suggest you find a local engineer for some hard numbers.

Also, you should use 1/2" instead of 3/4" plywood, if you want the beam to fit in a 2 x 4 framed wall.

 

Do you think that will hold? Also I am going to be puttin in a door for a pantry, there will be additional 2x4's there to help support the beam. I think the total actual length that will be strechin is
15' taking into account the 2x4' that will be at the end opposite the pantry. Thanks for the advice.

 

As I said earlier--I cannot say, yes, it will support the loads you are placing on it, as I "can't engineer from a distance." I don't have enough information to determine those loads, and I'm not licensed to practice engineering in your state. The penalty for doing so can be as high as $2000, so I'm again suggesting you find a licensed engineer in your area to give you the final word.