Building maths

Anyone in here a structural engineer? Been wanting to remove a (1) pole from my basement to allow a 90° rotation of my theater room for better EVERYTHING. I need to span approx 20'. Currently there are 4, 10' 2x8 rough cut beams between each pole through the length of the house. I'd love to replace 2 sections with a single span, I just don't know how to calculate the I beam dimensions to support the load. H3ll I don't know how to estimate the load. :#

Comments

  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
    Couple LVLs sandwiched will easily make a 16' span...BUT dealing with your 8" actual may be difficult. That actual 2x8 quad is pretty substantial.
    You could support the floor, cut back the joists, install taller LVLs and use flanged Simpson hangers to reattach the joists. This suggestion is made knowing virtually nothing about the structure above besides it has 4 walls and a roof.

    Not a structural engineer...just an overpaid general contractor. :D

    I will not be held responsible for any modifications based on above comment. ;)
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,033
    mrbiron wrote: »
    Couple LVLs sandwiched will easily make a 16' span...BUT dealing with your 8" actual may be difficult. That actual 2x8 quad is pretty substantial.
    You could support the floor, cut back the joists, install taller LVLs and use flanged Simpson hangers to reattach the joists. This suggestion is made knowing virtually nothing about the structure above besides it has 4 walls and a roof.

    Not a structural engineer...But I did sleep at a Holiday Inn last night

    Fixed...
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
    nbrowser wrote: »
    Hire engineer, pull permit, do not guess.

    Engineer..........................yes
    Permits...........................pfffft :D
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
  • westmassguy
    westmassguy Posts: 6,850
    nbrowser wrote: »
    Hire engineer, pull permit, do not guess.

    This.
    Home Theater/2 Channel:
    Front: SDA-2ATL forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/143984/my-2as-finally-finished-almost/p1
    Center: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/150760/my-center-channel-project/p1
    Surrounds & Rears: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/151647/my-surround-project/p1
    Sonicaps, Mills, RDO-194s-198s, Dynamat, Hurricane Nuts, Blackhole5
    Pioneer Elite VSX-72TXV, Carver PM-600, SVS PB2-Plus Subwoofer

    dhsspeakerservice.com/
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    Not about to guess @nbrowser, but I do want to be somewhat prepared
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    And almost dead... Nope! A very less than stellar idea
  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
    Sorry...missed the " :p " after my previous comment.
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    I figured... :) There needs to be a sarcasm emoji, the tongue works but I always thought there could be something better.
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,474
    edited October 2017
    FestYboy wrote: »
    I figured... :) There needs to be a sarcasm emoji, the tongue works but I always thought there could be something better.

    Agree vanilla is so emoji illiterate.


    Send a letter to ask this old house, never know ya might get lucky.
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,033
    Holmes on Homes will have the answer.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
    nbrowser wrote: »
    Holmes on Homes will have the answer.

    No he won't, he doesn't know American building codes as he's Canadian and when he does do structural work, he hires a qualified engineer.

    They have building codes for igloos?

    Dave's back to his old self again......
    :D
    Glad you're getting better, buddy.
  • ZLTFUL
    ZLTFUL Posts: 5,640
    Don't listen to Russ...his idea of "building" involves potatoes and 9 volt batteries.
    "Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."

    "Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip
  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
    I like potatoes.
  • westmassguy
    westmassguy Posts: 6,850
    lightman1 wrote: »
    nbrowser wrote: »
    Holmes on Homes will have the answer.

    No he won't, he doesn't know American building codes as he's Canadian and when he does do structural work, he hires a qualified engineer.

    They have building codes for igloos?

    Dave's back to his old self again......
    :D
    Glad you're getting better, buddy.

    >:)
    Home Theater/2 Channel:
    Front: SDA-2ATL forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/143984/my-2as-finally-finished-almost/p1
    Center: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/150760/my-center-channel-project/p1
    Surrounds & Rears: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/151647/my-surround-project/p1
    Sonicaps, Mills, RDO-194s-198s, Dynamat, Hurricane Nuts, Blackhole5
    Pioneer Elite VSX-72TXV, Carver PM-600, SVS PB2-Plus Subwoofer

    dhsspeakerservice.com/
  • soundfreak1
    soundfreak1 Posts: 3,374
    Structural Engineers cost a lot less than surgeons
    Main Rig:
    Krell KAV 250a biamped to mid/highs
    Parasound HCA1500A biamped to lows
    Nakamichi EC100 Active xover
    MIT exp 1 ic's
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    OPPO 83 CDP
    Lehmann audio black cube SE phono pre, Audioquest phono wire (ITA1/1)
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    Monster HTS 3600 power conditioner
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    MIT exps2 speaker cable
  • cortico
    cortico Posts: 587
    I am an architect, I will be able to give you some technical advice, feel free to PM
  • Viking64
    Viking64 Posts: 6,646
    Structural Engineers cost a lot less than surgeons

    And undertakers. :p
  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,009
    I've worked around home construction most of my life. I've seen some crazy DIY load bearing wall butchering. Doorways and such are the most I think I've seen. Now I don't believe I've ever seen a post removed and longer same size boards replcing the shorter boards.

    The advice above is spot on. That kind of restructuring absolutely should require an Architect, as above or an engineer from your local lumber yard or city. I liked the Idea from above about cutting into the floor joists and installing a taller sandwiched LVL of code acceptance. You get your head room that way but man will it be a job even for a licensed contractor. Make sure the contractor has INSURANCE that will cover your house falling in on itself and possibly a man/woman or two or three.

    I've seen ALOT of remodeling jobs done by professional carpenters working for up and up company owners. Just like the tree surgeons we just hired. We went right to the best and didn't even shop around. I'm sure they weren't going to be the cheapest but I knew if somebody got hurt, our homeowners Ins. would not be the policy paying for a claim.

    Good luck with your Idea.
    A lot of people don't even THINK about changing things to SUIT what could be a better layout.

    Some people sit and ask why.
    Others like myself and you too ask why not.
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    edited November 2017
    Oh believe me, I'm not about to go and do this myself. Professionals would definitely come into play.

    I guess the reason I'm asking the question is to see if it's even feasible now or wait to lift the house and do it then... Obviously when I lift, I get the much needed headroom for a LVL, but I'm not sure if and when that will happen, so in the meantime, I'd like to enjoy the theater to it's potential. Then again, I might rethink the whole thing when I tear out the reload room (aka the speaker closet) and put up a new wall... :/ too many flipping ideas.
  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
    Its feasible. Even more so if your going to lift your house. A metal beam will could be slid in with a decent amount of effort and may eliminate columns all together. If that's what you're looking for.

    Depends on how much money you want to spend. The easier route is to sell and buy something that better suites your needs. ;)

    Or you can take a stab at post #2.

    Queue "panties in a wad" comments...3...2...1... :D
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
  • kharp1
    kharp1 Posts: 3,453
    When removing a load bearing post and trying to span a length you need to have an engineer. Important to figure out where the new load is going to be dis-placed and if the spot to which it's being displaced can support said load, as in outside concrete walls. Too much load in one spot can damage the structural integrity of a load bearing point.
  • warren
    warren Posts: 756
    They have building codes for igloos? 1. Common sense..and history.
    Some final words,
    "If you keep banging your head against the wall,
    you're going to have headaches."
    Warren
  • teekay0007
    teekay0007 Posts: 2,289
    FestYboy wrote: »
    I figured... :) ...the tongue works but I always thought there could be something better.

    That's what she said... :p





    Yeah (sorry), but I'll be here all week!

    G'night, fellas.