Adding load bearing beam to exterior wall
I’ve done several beam and flitch plate installs over the years with great success. This one has me a little stumped since I don’t know the best approach. I hope there is a framing expert somewhere out there with the answer or better yet I hope I am overthinking it.
We have a load bearing wall on the rear side of our house that is carrying the bottom end of our rear rafters as well as our ceiling joists below our attic. The house was built with an addition off the back which is our kitchen. We are currently planning a full Reno with the intention of putting a beam in the attic to have a flat ceiling between these rooms.
My dilemma is if I in theory cut the rafter and ceiling joist flush with the interior side of the top plate to make space for a beam I now have two issues.
1. There is minimal overlap between the rafter and ceiling joist.
2. The rafter would not be flat at its mounting point where it would sit in a hanger.
I have thought through a few scenarios but I don’t want to taint the water with my ideas. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I can also add a few photos if that helps to describe the situation.
Replies
I think photos would help. I'm thinking one concern might be the height of the beam protruding up into the valley.
The kitchen is raftered also? (not trussed)
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If you do not have an overhang, and this is a complete to the studs renovation, consider moving the beam away from the original house roof by the width of the wall framing there.
Plan to place each combined rafter (which is assumed to have a birds-mouth cut to sit flat on the top plate) and joist into a joist hanger (selected to match the combined width of rafter and joist).
Of course, the beam loads at the ends need to be carried to the foundation.
You could probably get away without a temporary wall if you cut the top plate between each combination (rafter/joist), cut the rafter/joist ends square (vertical), place the beam, then knock the wall out and replace with the hangers one at a time.