Adding steel beam to remove a load bearing wall detail 3

[DoubleStud]

Hello gentlemen. I am not sure what would be the best detail. Lets say you remove a wall between kitchen and living room and replace it with a W10 beam. The beam will be placed right below the existing joists (and blocking between joists). How would you typically connect the beam to the existing joists? This beam will not be collecting lateral load and will be purely vertical load. Is it possible to just put the steel directly below the joists without nailer? What would be the cleanest or easiest way to do this if you have 2 scenarios. First scenario the steel beam will be covered with drywall. Second scenario the beam will be exposed.

 

[XR250]

1) Bolt a 2x nailer to the top

2) add flat blocking between the joists and some 3/4" plywood or 1x material on the top of the beam about 1" less in width than the flange. This allows you to tuck the sheetrock under and makes it look super clean. Can add bolts or lags into the flat blocking.

 

[DoubleStud]

Thanks XR.

1) So you think 2x nailer is the easiest? Wouldn't it be easier to just drill holes to top flange and screw to joists every few feet? This will add 1.5" more head room?
2) Interesting, how do you secure the 1/2" ply on top of beam? Just glue it to top flange? still not following how to fasten the existing joists to the 1/2" ply.

 

[XR250]

1) You can do that if head room is an issue - just have to be accurate. Can be easier to add flat 2x blocking between the joists and fasten to that as it is a bigger target.

2) The plywood is just a spacer. The beam is fastened to the flat blocking between the joists.

 

[DoubleStud]

gotcha. Option 2 will be messy though because you will see the screw below the top flange because the steel beam is epxposed.

 

[DoubleStud]

XR, another question. If we use a 2x nailer on top of steel beam, how do they secure the joists to the nailer? My first thought was toe nails, but it is an existing condition so we already have plywood on the top of the joist. How would they nail the joists to the 2X nailer?

 

[Tomfh]

Nailer is easier. Skew nails thru the side of the nailer up into the joists, or vice versa.

Exposed steel beam sounds a bit industrial in a kitchen setting. I’ve only ever seen them dressed in plasterboard or similar.

 

[XR250]

Here is one I did recently in my shop with the plywood spacer idea. Installed Simpson SDS screws into the blocking between the joists.

(note sliding bike rack - KootK)

 

[SWComposites]

Seems like a grossly over designed bike rack.

 

[BridgeSmith]

If there's blocking between the joists, I don't see the need for a connection between the beam and joists, unless it needs to be braced for LTB. If the beam is going to be trimmed out, bracing for LTB can be accomplished with clip angles into the joists beside the flange.

Rod Smith, P.E., The artist formerly known as HotRod10

 

[KootK]

(note sliding bike rack - KootK)

Oh... baby! N+1 4 evuh.

Installed Simpson SDS screws into the blocking between the joists.

That does look great. I'm stealing it. I'm confused though. I only see one screw over a considerable length of beam. Do you not need at least two screws per blocking segment? My confusion on this makes me feel as though I don't truly understand the setup.

 

[XR250]

The screws are staggered @ 16" O.C. or 24" IIRC. I drilled it myself so I was being as lazy as humanly possible given all the other tasks required of being your own contractor! (gotta love the Craftsman portable drill press adapter) It is a W8x18 so pretty stable on its own without screws.

"Oh... baby! N+1 4 evuh." For sure!

 

[SWComposites]

re N+1, I can relate; currently have 7 bikes stuffed into the garage.