Thread: End bearing requirements

Is this acceptable or is three inches required for end bearing support.

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1-1/2 inches on wood for the ends joists, beams and girders, and not less than 3 inches on masonry or concrete. IRC 2006 502.6 (I think?)

1 1/2 inches is what I recall.

Matt,

Not sure if that strap is OK. Looks like it might be homemade.

3 inches wouldn't be possible with wood framing unless you were using an 8x8 post. Well, I guess you would be able to use 2 4x4 posts, but you get the idea.

It's hard to evaluate from one photo but I don't like what I see there.

It looks like you have two glu-lams that are end-butted together over a 4x4 post, with a piece of plywood sandwiched between them. Why the plywood is there, I don't know, but it probably serves no structural purpose in that joint; it's taking up space that would be better used to provide more bearing for the beams on the top of the post.

The beams are being held together over the post by toenails from the left one into the right one and by only one nail through a home-made connector plate. The beams were either never installed tightly butted to each other or they have pulled apart. Perhaps the home-made connector plate was added later in an attempt to stop the movement?

The whole joint is sloppy, slip-shod work on what may be a key structural element of the home. Assuming the post was adequate to support the load, the plywood should not be there, the beams should be tightly butted to each other with the joint over the center of the post, and the whole thing should be tied together with connectors and fasteners that are designed for this purpose.

Assuming the 4x4 post is adequate is a big assumption here. The choice of using glu-lams for the girders vs girders built-up from 2x lumber on edge suggest there is either a larger than normal span between support posts or a greater than normal load on the girders from above. Either condition means there is more than normal load being carried by the post.

Joist require 3" overlap where they join over that girder but 1 1/2 inches is correct for end rest.

I concur with Brandon. Those glulam girders need a serious plywood or metal gusset. What you have is reportable nonsense.

Originally Posted by Jerry McCarthy

I concur with Brandon. Those glulam girders need a serious plywood or metal gusset. What you have is reportable nonsense.

Brandon?!? I said it first!!

sheesh!

I agree with Gunnar.

Well... Umm... then I agree with Brandon.

and I agree with both Gunner and Brandon.

I'll throw my hat into that ring too ...

I agree with Gunnar (who was first on first), Brandon (who explained it in better detail and advanced Gunnar to second), and with Jerry M. (who advanced Gunnar to third), so I'll drive one down the first base line into the right field to bring Gunnar home.

It looks like they have a connector plate on both sides and they put the plywood in the gap as a filler. Hmmmmmmmmmm. need to fill this void, I know let's slide this in there and nail the **** out of it.

By the way Brandon hit the home run, Gunnar fouled out and West coast Jerry Bunt the ball and east coast Jerry played the bat boy.

Yesssss. That IS an ugly connection, I would like to point out that having made connections such as that, I would have to assume that a LTP plate or gussetting (more likely hardware) would have been required there.

That being said the min. bearing req's appear that they MAY not be met on the GluLam on the right. Framer slipped some sheathing in there to make void less noticeable to Inspector. Hard to tell from pic but it looks like glu lam on left is bearing close to center and GluLam on right was cut short and only bearing about 1". OOPS

Tim

You're tough Mike!

Looks like there may even be another post on top of the glue-lams that might be carrying even more load...and it doesn't appear to have any clips or brackets on it at all.

The vacuum system in the back appears to be okay! Maybe they decided that if it sucks then everything else should suck also...and it does.

This really should have the eyes of a licensed Structural Engineer. Easy to report, hard to swallow (at least for the Seller). Just cover yourself when reporting.

MPT