I am going to open up a load-bearing wall, or rather reduce an already opened wall where the previous "carpenter" did not properly reinforce. They just put up a 90x90 wooden pillar in a "suitable" place, we suspect a slight settlement but no collapse at least.
I did a calculation for glulam beam/pillar using Moelven's program, found out that I could use a 90x270 beam and 90x90 pillar. The calculation was based on: beam beneath a floor structure.
Can this be translated to "regular" timber instead? And if so, what would the dimensions be then?
Which is cheaper, regular timber or glulam?
My measurements are:
b1=b2=3850mm (width of the interior measurement in the house)
L1=3180mm (Span of the beam). I am sending a document with info from the program.
I did a calculation for glulam beam/pillar using Moelven's program, found out that I could use a 90x270 beam and 90x90 pillar. The calculation was based on: beam beneath a floor structure.
Can this be translated to "regular" timber instead? And if so, what would the dimensions be then?
Which is cheaper, regular timber or glulam?
My measurements are:
b1=b2=3850mm (width of the interior measurement in the house)
L1=3180mm (Span of the beam). I am sending a document with info from the program.
After consulting my brother-in-law, who has done similar (and their house is still standing 
), it will be as follows:
two 45x170 screw-glued as a beam and two 45x90 as columns. There is a clear price difference compared to glulam. We might go with 45x220, but we'll see what it ends up being.
It can be added that after tearing down a bit, it seems they used a 45x170 beam supported by one/two 90x90 columns, but the beam did not go flush against the joists. With this knowledge, we decided on the above solution.
), it will be as follows:two 45x170 screw-glued as a beam and two 45x90 as columns. There is a clear price difference compared to glulam. We might go with 45x220, but we'll see what it ends up being.
It can be added that after tearing down a bit, it seems they used a 45x170 beam supported by one/two 90x90 columns, but the beam did not go flush against the joists. With this knowledge, we decided on the above solution.
NOTICE! NOTICE! NOTICE!
Replacing a glulam beam of 90x270 (L40) with a beam of two 45x170 (K12) results in a strength reduction of about 80% and a deflection impairment of about 85%!!!
The proposed glulam beam can support 26kNm, and a 90x170 can support 4kNm (if you use K24, it supports 6kNm).
The proposed glulam beam results in a deflection of 8mm, while a 90x170 results in about 52mm.
A quick estimate of your floor indicates that your beam must withstand 23kNm, so your chosen 90x170 DOES NOT HOLD! Use glulam L40 90x270 or choose a steel beam HEA140.
However, the column can be made from two nailed together 45x95 instead of glulam 90x90.
/The Engineer
Replacing a glulam beam of 90x270 (L40) with a beam of two 45x170 (K12) results in a strength reduction of about 80% and a deflection impairment of about 85%!!!
The proposed glulam beam can support 26kNm, and a 90x170 can support 4kNm (if you use K24, it supports 6kNm).
The proposed glulam beam results in a deflection of 8mm, while a 90x170 results in about 52mm.
A quick estimate of your floor indicates that your beam must withstand 23kNm, so your chosen 90x170 DOES NOT HOLD! Use glulam L40 90x270 or choose a steel beam HEA140.
However, the column can be made from two nailed together 45x95 instead of glulam 90x90.
/The Engineer
I recently installed an I-beam in steel that was 180 mm over the flanges and 172 mm high with a span of just over 4 meters. Really heavy to lift, but incredibly stiff. I don't think the columns are anything to worry about as long as it's end grain and they stand on something solid and strong. I screwed and glued three 145x45 as columns on each side, but it felt excessive.
I was never keen on laminated beams; steel felt solid, especially when I hammered in the wedges (oak) to lift the beams slightly from the beam.
I was never keen on laminated beams; steel felt solid, especially when I hammered in the wedges (oak) to lift the beams slightly from the beam.