Hello all,
First I would like to say that I am ignorant when it comes to proper “terminology” with some of this stuff, so please bear with me, I will describe as best as I know how.
I am wanting to build a add on to the front of my garage, in a lean-to fashion. Our house/garage is 48×96′ long, we have built it ourselves. It is a pole barn style, split down the middle to create two 48×48 sections, half house, half garage.
I want to add on to the front side where the garage is, a 48′ long section running the entire length of the face of the garage, and come out off the building about 24-28′ so I can park stuff under it without pulling into the garage. The issue is, I would LOVE to have that 48′ span open, so I could park however I wanted without worrying about poles. I understand there will be poles at the 48′ ends obviously. And I am even ok with poles at 8 or 12′ coming out away from the building.
I am in Southeastern Ohio, 43725.
I can use 8×8″ posts on cookies for support, or even just do some bigger sonotubes and make piers, or use larger pipe. I have a good steel place not too far from me (Knowlton Steel).
I found bar trusses that can go up to 30′ for a lean-to, so I just need the “header” or girder joist? to be figured out for that 48′ span so they can sit on it. The roof will be tin/metal, uninsulated. I will probably end up putting metal or something on the bottom side as well for a more finished look, and I don’t want birds nesting and pooping all over my awesome cars, lol. So not a lot of weight.
The other option would be to run two of these I-Beams at like 12 and 24′ out from the building and use a wooden 2×8 on edge to attach the metal to that. Maybe that would reduce the size beam needed for the 48′ span, but at the same time it would probably not save much for money, but I really don’t know. I’d rather just run a single.
I am a heavy equipment mechanic by trade, and I have access to equiopment that can pick up to 15k lbs, so I think I’m covered for setting this beam.
can anyone help size this beam?
Thank you,
Mike
Replies
You really need an engineer to evaluate your current structure and do the design.
The steel place may have a local recommendation.
Well I contacted one here, but have not heard back yet. There are some I-Beams that keep popping up on Marketplace at a really good price, so I want to purchase, I just don't know what.
I get the liability and everything how people are leary to help. I guess I have never really done things "professionally", and it has always worked out. Like on our floor joists in the house, I used 2x10's everywhere, even onjust 8' spans. Later on, in just general conversations with real construction guys, they are like "oh yea, that's way to big, we use 2x10's for 22' spans all the time". I'm thinking wow, that's crazy, I would have used a 2x12 and probably stopped at 20'. On our drywall, we used screws every 6". Sinks and drains is all sch40 pvc, not the thin stuff. I don't have the knowledge to sift through all the technical jargon to try and figure it all out, so I just do it.
I'm sure some will say "your wasting money", but I'm comfortable with it.
I guess I'm saying I don't really know all that stuff, so I usually just go overkill and call it good.