Beam for joist seems to end too early

[NorthernLiving]

We have bought a house and now see that there are holes between the wallpaper/wall and the beam in the ceiling. How is this put together to support the floor for the upper floor? Should one guess that it is significantly thicker and just made a notch (quite large)? That it then rests on something higher up all the way into the wall. I can poke the measuring tape 12cm straight up into the hole.

Admittedly, it has held for over 18 years, so it's not likely to fall down. It just looked very odd.

 

[anis16]

Do you have a floor plan where you can point out the beam's placement?

 

[NorthernLiving]

Do you have a floor plan where you can point out the beam's location?

No unfortunately, but it is located in the middle of the living room towards the exterior wall
I will try to make a sketch

 

[Violina]

The beam is probably wrapped in something..

Can you insert the tape measure straight from underneath?

Because where you're poking now, you're probably just next to it..

 

[NorthernLiving]

The beam is probably covered in something..

Can you insert the folding rule directly from underneath?

Because where you're poking now, you're probably just next to it..

Directly from underneath is difficult as it is in line with the wall. But it can be slid in from the side and at an angle upwards.

 

[Thullen]

Sure it's a load-bearing beam then?
Some people do add fake beams just because "it looks nice," I mean...

 

[NorthernLiving]

Are you sure it's a load-bearing beam then?
Some people put fake beams there because "it looks nice" I mean..

No, not that.
In theory, if the floor joists run along the length of the house and not across the house, the beam doesn't have to be load-bearing at all.

 

[NorthernLiving]

If the intermediate floor goes in the direction of the red arrow instead of the blue, it doesn't have to be load-bearing, does it?

 

[Violina]

I imagine that it's an I-beam made of steel clad with wood, and then it's not strange at all that you can insert the folding rule as you do, because there's no material there anyway..

 

[tensiden]

I imagine it is an I-beam made of steel clad with wood, and in that case, it's not strange at all that you can insert the folding rule like that because there is no material there anyway..

Maybe it can be confirmed with a strong magnet?

 

[Alfredo]

Maybe confirm with a strong magnet?

Or by "test nailing" upwards against the beam in the gap. If it's steel, you should be able to feel it. Might be hard to do without leaving marks though.

 

[Violina]

Maybe it can be confirmed with a strong magnet?

I don't even think it needs to be very strong... either you feel it being attracted to the beam (even if it can't stick) or it doesn't...
Is the beam running along the ridge or perpendicular to it?

 

[NorthernLiving]

I don't even think it needs to be very strong.. either you feel it being attracted to the beam (even if it doesn't manage to stay attached) or it doesn't..
Is the beam running along the ridge of the roof or perpendicular to it?

along the ridge of the roof

 

[Violina]

along the roof ridge

So perpendicular to the rafters?

Then it could definitely have replaced a heart wall..

 

[NorthernLiving]

So perpendicular to the rafters?

Then it could definitely have replaced a heart wall..

Yes, perpendicular to the rafters.
It is solid wood, not an encased I-beam.
There is a similar wooden beam in the kitchen in a corresponding place. It is the same layout since the house was built.
I get the impression it rests on the wall plate, and the hole towards the wall I see is cut out of the beam when it goes down past the inner wall.