Reply With QuoteWould a cheap security camera make more sense?
OK, this seems simple enough, I think most builders could make a pretty good conservative guess, but I'm stuck. Had a carport added on to our retirement home last year. Not only did it make the back of the house dark, but we used to could see from our front porch thru the house and out the back door when someone was on the driveway to our house, now the carport blocks more than half the view.
The present wood beam is treated pine; an actual 4" wide by 16" tall by 18' between 2 8" posts. It supports 3/4" wood, metal roofing, with 2"(1.5")X6"(5.5") support ?trusses at 16" centers. The carport attaches to the fascia of the house and is 16' X 20' with the 2 8"X8" posts being the only other support.
My hope is to have the wood beam trimmed up to only 4" tall and install 2 4" aluminum I-beams, one on each side of what remains of the wood beam. Along with painting the underside of the carport white. I'm looking at 2 4" X 4.00" 0.313" @4.76lbs per linear foot aluminum beams. Any general guideline of subbing aluminum for wood or what's needed to support 30 to 40 lbs per linear foot could guide me. Some sag, less than 1/2" in the center is acceptable.
I'm not engineering saavy and doubt my home builder has the technical aspect of aluminum beam support handy.
Would a cheap security camera make more sense?
No other way to do it than to sum up the loads and run the math. Guesstimating what you'll need either leads to the member under performing or being too big for the job and costing you more than it should.
No security camera, I'll just do it. The carport's not so big and double I-beams ought to at least get close.
As long as the combined Ixx is not less than 1125 cm4, it should be ok but if always prudent to check with a structural engineer in your area to verify that it can carry the dead and environmental loadings. Advice from the internet isn't worth the paper it's printed on.
Forgot to add 1125 cm4 is approximately equal to 443 in4, for those of you still working in old money
Posting Permissions