Building Wood Shed - Need Help Calculating Beam Size That Holds Roof Up

   / Building Wood Shed - Need Help Calculating Beam Size That Holds Roof Up #11  
I thought this was a wood shed.

Span is a span. All we care about is the distance that the wood has to carry a load between the posts or walls.

The size of the material used to span a garage door opening where he lives will tell him what to use for his wood shed. But if the label of wood shed is an issue, we can pretend that in the future, it might become a garage.
 
   / Building Wood Shed - Need Help Calculating Beam Size That Holds Roof Up #12  
Span is a span. All we care about is the distance that the wood has to carry a load between the posts or walls.

The size of the material used to span a garage door opening where he lives will tell him what to use for his wood shed. But if the label of wood shed is an issue, we can pretend that in the future, it might become a garage.

Ok, got it :thumbsup:
 
   / Building Wood Shed - Need Help Calculating Beam Size That Holds Roof Up #13  
Construction tip...When assembling multi-member beams in place on top of posts etc...it's handy to have a quick grip type bar clamp or two and some deep throat c-clamps to draw the members (including plywood flitch plates) tight together with the adhesive for fastening with nails or screws...especially helpful if working alone...

General rule of thumb for typical loads is no more than 25% of the span for joints in beam members away from posts...If material lengths allow scarf joints work well in place of butt joints...
 
   / Building Wood Shed - Need Help Calculating Beam Size That Holds Roof Up #14  
Beams are not that complicated, but it's a little harder to find sizing tables because the configurations are more varied than rafters and joists. I could run through the equations, but Marks Handbook for Mechanical Engineers has an easy to use table (Table 8 in Section 12 on building structural design, Chapter 12 in my 1967 Edition). You only need to design the 10 foot span between posts, since it's uniform. The weight on that section will be 120 square feet of roof (10 x 12) at design load of 30 psf = 3600 lbs. Actually it will be a good bit less because something less than 50% of the load will be picked up by the ledger plate on the building, but let's be conservative and say 3000 lbs.

The table provides maximum safe load on a 1 foot span, so we have to find a value that is 10 times the actual load or 30,000 lbs. From the table, we find that a single 2 x 12 will take 23,900 lbs, so 2 will be way more than we need. A single 2 x 10 will take 16,290, so a doubled 2 x 10 will be more than enough. A 2 x 8 is only 10,200, so it would have to be tripled.

How would I do it? If you are willing to handle a 200 plus pound beam, I would build a beam with two 2x10s with 1/2 inch plywood sandwiched. I would splice the 2 x 10s, just because it's takes some effort for find lumber longer than 16 feet. I would notch the top of your 6 x 6 posts and forget about hangers, just through bolt with a couple of bolts at each post. If you can't handle something that heavy, you would form the beam with one 2x10 layer and the plywood and then add the second 2x10 in place. I like to build beams on flat concrete whenever I can.

Note: This assumes wood fiber stress of 1000 psi, which is not bad, It varies by wood species and quality but this is a conservative design anyway. My edition of the handbook thinks a 2 x 10 is 1-5/8 by 9-1/2 inches but again, close enough for this design.
 
   / Building Wood Shed - Need Help Calculating Beam Size That Holds Roof Up #15  
I just had another thought. There really isn't any need for the beam to be continuous in this application. You could build a pair of 11 - 1/2 foot long beams and butt them up on the center post. Attach each one with two or three through bolts and all will be good. The beams are independent on each side of the center support because they are simply supported at each end.
 
   / Building Wood Shed - Need Help Calculating Beam Size That Holds Roof Up #16  
Just thought I would mention these malleable iron timber washers. I've used them with through bolts to hold 3 2x12's etc together tightly. Instead of nails or screws. It is really easy to get a nice tight beam. Also good for beam to post connections. They come in different sizes.
 

Attachments

  • malleable washer.jpg
    malleable washer.jpg
    38.9 KB · Views: 104
   / Building Wood Shed - Need Help Calculating Beam Size That Holds Roof Up #17  
I just had another thought. There really isn't any need for the beam to be continuous in this application. You could build a pair of 11 - 1/2 foot long beams and butt them up on the center post. Attach each one with two or three through bolts and all will be good. The beams are independent on each side of the center support because they are simply supported at each end.

I am not a builder like many on here but a continuous beam seems to me would stiffen up the structure.
 
   / Building Wood Shed - Need Help Calculating Beam Size That Holds Roof Up #18  
I am not a builder like many on here but a continuous beam seems to me would stiffen up the structure.

I know it seems that way, but a beam, like the top plate on a stud wall, provides no lateral stability. On a post frame structure, the post in the ground makes it rigid and on a stud wall, the sheathing or bracing makes it rigid. The beam only transfers the vertical load from the rafters to the posts. The beam is never going to be tall enough for the fasteners to provide enough triangulation to stiffen the wall. For that matter, if the shorter beams are bolted to the posts the same way as a long beam, they will provide essentially the same rigidity.
 
   / Building Wood Shed - Need Help Calculating Beam Size That Holds Roof Up
  • Thread Starter
#19  
Thank you everyone, lots of good info and ideas. KennyG, your calculations are what I was looking for. I just ordered an E Book of the newest version of Mark's Handbook so I have the tables for next project. I think I will go with the 2x10's and notch the 6x6 posts so I have a solid connection and am not just relying on a metal bracket. Plus the 3 metal brackets were going to cost $50 or so and would have to be ordered.

I like the idea of a single beam rather than 2 beams, so I will call around and see if I can find 24' 2x10's at a reasonable cost. I plan to build the beam in the garage and then use the tractor to lift it into place.

I will post pics as the build progresses. I've been on a construction kick lately. Just had a new roof put on the house and garage, my wife and I put a new metal roof on our 12x16 chicken coop, the woodshed is next, and then I demolish my 40x50 barn to make room for a new 30x40 pole barn kit being delivered in mid-November. Busy time on the farm!

Here's the chicken coop with the new metal roof.

Coop Roof Old.jpeg

Coop Roof 1.jpeg

Coop Roof 2.jpeg
 
   / Building Wood Shed - Need Help Calculating Beam Size That Holds Roof Up #20  
I know it seems that way, but a beam, like the top plate on a stud wall, provides no lateral stability. On a post frame structure, the post in the ground makes it rigid and on a stud wall, the sheathing or bracing makes it rigid. The beam only transfers the vertical load from the rafters to the posts. The beam is never going to be tall enough for the fasteners to provide enough triangulation to stiffen the wall. For that matter, if the shorter beams are bolted to the posts the same way as a long beam, they will provide essentially the same rigidity.
I would not put sheathing on a woodshed, you need airflow to dry the wood which is why one beam makes sense to me, at least it is something. Y bracing to the beam, I would do.
 

Tractor & Equipment Auctions

More info coming soon! (A44571)
More info coming...
2018 FREIGHTLINER M2 26FT BOX TRUCK (A43004)
2018 FREIGHTLINER...
2024 Harper SB1300 Straw Blower (A44391)
2024 Harper SB1300...
New/Unused 20ft x 40ft Container Shelter (A44391)
New/Unused 20ft x...
More info coming soon! (A44572)
More info coming...
2023 New Holland C332 Compact Track Loader Skid Steer (A45336)
2023 New Holland...
 
Top