Install LVL Beam in second story
#1
08-29-13, 11:17 AM
Install LVL Beam in second story
Can you remove a roof load bearing wall in the second story of a home and install a LVL beam with no support beams underneath in the first floor? The area directly below where the two point loads would come down is a large open living room and having support beams in the middle of the room wouldn't be very attractive. The wall that needs to come out is approx. 10 ft. On one end is a possibility that the point load may come right on top of a wall downstairs but the other end is smack dab in the middle of nothing except wide open ceiling just waiting to come crashing down.
#2
08-29-13, 04:57 PM
Group Moderator
The short answer is no. You need to transfer load points to the foundation by means of beams within the floor or doubled/tripled/quadrupled floor joists.
If you wanted specific information... it's something a structural engineer would have to look at since we can't see have no way of calculating areas of roof, snow loads, live loads, etc... without being there.
If you wanted specific information... it's something a structural engineer would have to look at since we can't see have no way of calculating areas of roof, snow loads, live loads, etc... without being there.
#3
08-30-13, 06:47 AM
XSleeper, instead of taking down the whole wall there is a possible solution to only removing two of the studs and working around the wall. If you remove two studs out of approximately 9 that are currently supporting the load, do you have to worry about weight distribution and headers?
#4
08-30-13, 07:32 AM
Group Moderator
How old is this house? Is it balloon or platform framed?
You can't just remove two studs without putting in a beam or header. Removing two studs might be done if you framed it like a window with a header, trimmer & king studs.
You can't just remove two studs without putting in a beam or header. Removing two studs might be done if you framed it like a window with a header, trimmer & king studs.
#5
08-30-13, 07:49 AM
Pilot, it was built in 1982 so my assumption is platform. The wall is almost 11 ft and I am estimating 9 studs at 16 inches apart. The two studs I want to pull out are not next to each other, though. My plan (without the walls being opened and seeing what's truly there) is to keep 3 studs, remove one for an opening, leave 3 studs, remove 1 for another opening, and a final stud. So both the studs removed would be leaving pretty small gaps that could easily have headers carry the weight, right? Here is a design image of what I mean.
#6
08-30-13, 11:00 AM
Group Moderator
If framed properly it would be just like having a window. Will removing one stud give you a wide enough opening? If your studs are 16" on center then you'll end up with an opening of about 26 1/2" by the time you subtract out the stud thicknesses and sheetrock on each side of the opening. Doable but tight.
#7
08-30-13, 04:59 PM
Group Moderator
Interior walls aren't usually load bearing, so I think we would need more info on the structure of the house to make any definite conclusions. How did you conclude that this is a "roof load bearing wall" in the first place? Do your ceiling joists overlap on this wall? Is your roof made of engineered trusses or is it stick framed with rafters and a ridge beam? More pictures would be helpful. Can't really reply without additional information.
