Any Structural Engineers out there?

[007sevens]

He's my question. I'm going to install Egress windows in my basement. The window openings are 63"x31.5". The wall above is 8ft 2x4 construction and is the supporting wall for the trusses. The floor system is 2x10 Fir, 16" on centre and is 13' from the main beam in the basement and the cement I'm cutting is supporting the floor joists and the wall above. To carry the load of the floor above my inspector has requested cutting the complete slab out to the bottom of the floor joists and putting in a 4 ply 2x6 beam to carry the load.
Not a big deal however if I could keep the window up closer to the floor joists it will work better with my elevation or ground level and I won't need window wells.

Could I replace the 2x6" beam requested with say 2- 1.5"x4"x .250wall rectangle tubes welded together to make a flat lintel. so the beam would be 1.5" high x 8"wide x 63"long.


Thanks in advance for any info provided.

 

[niner]

I'm no engineer but I don't think the steel is a good idea. Would not be strong enough. Another option would be to cut your floor joist back and do a 2x10 header above the conc and use joice hangers to tie your floor to the header. Would be a lot stronger than your 4 ply 2x6 also. Not sure if I explained that right but could draw a pic of your interested in that idea.

 

[007sevens]

I'm no engineer but I don't think the steel is a good idea. Would not be strong enough. Another option would be to cut your floor joist back and do a 2x10 header above the conc and use joice hangers to tie your floor to the header. Would be a lot stronger than your 4 ply 2x6 also. Not sure if I explained that right but could draw a pic of your interested in that idea.

I understand what your saying. Its in a reno so might be hard to get up in there unless I pull the siding. Cast in floor joist as well but its easy to remove. The steel will have some strength, I was using calculators on the net but I'm no engineer ether.

 

[niner]

Another option is to put a header on the main floor roof trusses to carry the load to take stress off the floor. Depending on the extent of your Reno. That would require a lot of work but does relieve stress.

 

[007sevens]

Another option is to put a header on the main floor roof trusses to carry the load to take stress off the floor. Depending on the extent of your Reno. That would require a lot of work but does relieve stress.

This is not an option for this project.

 

[gates559]

steel tubing wont do it, but I bet steel I-beam will. Call a truss manufacturer, they can tell you what size steel beam will replace the 2x6's

 

[007sevens]

Problem solved. Steel tubing will support the load. one 2x2 .250 wall weld to a 2x4 .250 wall to make a 2x6 beam. Building Inspector said that this is more than needed.

 

[snochuk]

So what did the inspector say about cold transfer through the tubing, be very careful on your vapor seal so there is no sweating inside the wall.
Rotten stinky moldy if it sweats.

Spray foam the tubing wit high density.

 

[007sevens]

So what did the inspector say about cold transfer through the tubing, be very careful on your vapor seal so there is no sweating inside the wall.
Rotten stinky moldy if it sweats.

Spray foam the tubing wit high density.

He didn't say

 

[snochuk]

Personally I would be putting in a glue/microlam beam header in there if it was my house.

 

[gates559]

Its probably just me but there is no way I'd take advice from a building inspector. They really have no idea, and are not qualified in any way to tell you what he did. They look at the plans that are provided by an engineer and make sure the work meets the specs provided by the engineer. 90% of them dont even know the building code little own the load rating for iron.

Chances are you can hack that out of there and nothing would even move, I have seen homeowners hack up there homes pretty good and they stay standing. However if your gonna do it you may as well be safe rather than sorry.

 

[007sevens]

Its probably just me but there is no way I'd take advice from a building inspector. They really have no idea, and are not qualified in any way to tell you what he did. They look at the plans that are provided by an engineer and make sure the work meets the specs provided by the engineer. 90% of them dont even know the building code little own the load rating for iron.

Chances are you can hack that out of there and nothing would even move, I have seen homeowners hack up there homes pretty good and they stay standing. However if your gonna do it you may as well be safe rather than sorry.

I gonna be honest and I think your right. I'm not sure this guy is the smartest. Thats why I asked the intelligent people on the internet .

You guys have to remember that this will only affect three floor joists in each rough opening. two of which are on the edge of the opening. Each window will be supported by a 2x4 wall inside the cement foundation. The 2x4 wall will have a header above it. What's being supported here is the rough opening over the window the sill will be 12" by the time is framed out.

 

[gates559]

let me ask you this, are you planning to ever sell the house? If you use square tubing it looks like a do it yourself job. New construction homes have plam or steel i-beams. Well the ones around here anyways. I have never seen a floor plan with steel tube and I think it will throw up red flags to any contractor or inspector that looks at your home when you go to sell it.

Just out of curiosity is this a county building inspector?

 

[007sevens]

let me ask you this, are you planning to ever sell the house? If you use square tubing it looks like a do it yourself job. New construction homes have plam or steel i-beams. Well the ones around here anyways. I have never seen a floor plan with steel tube and I think it will throw up red flags to any contractor or inspector that looks at your home when you go to sell it.

Just out of curiosity is this a county building inspector?

Nope never selling the house. I got a engineer on it. Find the best possible solution to the problem. May just open the side of the house up an add in 2x10 and joist hangers. Makes more sense to me. Not sure about this building inspector. Never met him.

 

[IamCanadian_eh]

007 if you are from lloyd, Nelson lumber sells them (glulam beams) out in their yard. They even did the calculations for me...this is years back. I do know an engineer that may help you. I will ask him if he is interested in helping you.

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