Glued laminated timber post for relieving load-bearing wall.

[Plupp 181687]

I will be installing a glue-laminated column as part of the support for a wall (420 cm). The distance from the floor to the timber that the column will support is 200 cm. How long should the column be cut to? I know it should be longer than the distance from floor to ceiling, but how much longer?

Then I also wonder if anyone knows how many screws are appropriate to use in each timber log in the metal plates I have that will be attached to increase the load-bearing capacity of the two timber logs running in the ceiling. The span is 420 cm.

 

[klaskarlsson]

I am going to put in place a glulam column that will be part of unloading a wall (420 cm). The distance from the floor to the timber that the column is supposed to support is 200 cm. How long should the column be cut? Longer than the distance from the floor to the ceiling, I know, but how much longer?

Then I also wonder if anyone knows how many screws it is appropriate to use in each log of the plate brackets I have that are supposed to be attached to increase the load-bearing capacity in the two logs that run in the ceiling. The span is 420 cm.

Hmm, now I'm puzzled...
"How long should the column be cut? Longer than the distance from the floor to the ceiling, I know, but how much longer?"
You can't get a post in that is taller than you have space for, can you!?

You might be able to "force a few millimeters in place," but not much more than that, what do you mean?
If you cut it so that it fits exactly, then it should sit exactly (to the mm then). If it is important to the millimeters, I would prop up the structure a couple of mm, cut the post a little too large, and then lower the horizontal beam into place and measure to ensure everything is okay. Then you can adjust if something needs to be planed off by a mm or so.
But "if you hammer it in place" - it will probably stay there, or at least risk being damaged if you have to pull it out again, and getting an exact measurement on a 2 m long beam is probably impossible from a "distance" - that you/the carpenter must measure on-site, I would say. And even then it can be difficult to get it exact, but such wooden constructions are rarely exact to the mm either...

 

[Plupp 181687]

I was told that I have to cut the post a little larger than the opening (mm I assumed) to ensure it is long enough to support the timber that will rest on it.

 

[klaskarlsson]

I was told that I need to cut the post slightly larger than the opening (I've assumed mm) to ensure it's long enough to support the timber that will rest on it.

In general, it shouldn't be too short, of course, as the beam might then rest on something else or fall down (and not stay straight).

But "just right" is the answer, and you have to determine that with measuring and experience on site. There's no right formula for it, I would say.