Adding 3/4" plywood to triple lvl beam

[Jmeng1026]

I am working on a basement renovation plan where the owner would like to remove a column and install an lvl beam in place of the existing four ply 2x10.

There are joist hangers on each side of the four ply 2x10 beam.

The problem is a triple lvl is not as wide as a four ply 2x10. It is 3/4" less.

Can a piece of 3/4" plywood be added to the lvl beam to make it match the width?

If a top mount joist hanger was used would that be ok? The top flange could be 2 7/16" wide (according to a hanger I found on the simpson website) so more than 1.5" would be on top of the lvl with the rest on top of the plywood.

If the plywood is sandwiched between the 2nd and 3rd lvl that basically make it a double lvl instead of a triple lvl correct?

Anyone have a good solution and thanks for the help.

 

[DoubleStud]

Just follow the load. Look at the load from each joist. I would fasten each layer to another layer with nails with more capacity that that. Or just bolt them all together.

 

[Jmeng1026]

would you put the plywood on the end or in between members?

 

[jerseyshore]

If it's a flush beam, I would just use a 4 ply LVL. Usually when replacing older flush beams the joist cuts can be a mess so it's better to put a wider beam back in and have them snap a line and trim the joists to fit. Also, top flange hangers wouldn't work in this condition unless you had the floor off.

 

[EngDM]

If it's a flush beam, I would just use a 4 ply LVL. Usually when replacing older flush beams the joist cuts can be a mess so it's better to put a wider beam back in and have them snap a line and trim the joists to fit. Also, top flange hangers wouldn't work in this condition unless you had the floor off.

Second this, you're likely replacing hangers in your case, so just 4ply it, trim the ends of the joists nice (this will get you new nail holes as well into the joist) and go from there.

 

[Greenalleycat]

If you're going to go with the plywood option then I would put the plywood inbetween the beams, not on the outside
I wouldn't want the joists to be bearing against the plywood
I'd use long screws or bolts to tie through all 3 LVL beams + the plywood layer too
I wouldn't consider the plywood in my design either, just the LVL beams and keep the plywood as a 'nice to have'