The previous owners opened up the space between the kitchen and living room in our townhouse. They left 2 posts, and the opening is about 3 meters.
Before this, it was a wall (load-bearing). From what I can see, the beam is bent—you can clearly see it when standing on a chair and looking up at the ceiling. It's been like this since 2009, and I bought it in 2014. (Can't say if the beam was bent from 2009)
The question is whether I should/need to do something about it? It's survived for many years, but sometimes you think a little extra and get anxious. How dangerous is a bent beam?
My only option for addressing it is to frame and build a wall. Other solutions like a new beam, etc., unfortunately won't look nice (low ceiling height) and require major interventions. A wall is the easiest but ruins the open plan.
The deflection does not have to be a fault even if it is visible to the naked eye. Measure how much you have and measure the exact span, then the forum can help determine if it is within tolerances.
Steel profile doesn't need to have a greater height. It can be covered if it becomes visible
Absolutely.
The problem is that the entire lower and upper floors have been renovated, so I would prefer not to start tearing down to replace the beam/change to a steel profile.
The considerations are,
1// Let it be as it is.
2// Build a wall (as it was originally)
Option 2 affects the overall concept, i.e., the open floor plan disappears and we have the only townhouse in the area with an open floor plan.
Most likely, they haven't replaced the beam but only opened up the wall and removed the studs for the open floor plan.
I assume there is a beam in there - but as I said, I haven't broken it open to look. When you knock, you can clearly hear that there is wood behind the drywall, it's also noticeable when screwing.
Total opening between wall/pole 240cm.
In the middle, the beam is about 7mm lower in height than on the sides.
When sizing joists and other building components, the rule of thumb is that the maximum allowable deflection is the span/400. You are pretty much at the upper limit. If this is done purposefully, I don't see a bigger problem than the aesthetic one if it is visible to the naked eye.
The next step would be to check that the sizing looks reasonable and that the beam's attachment looks solid. Can you take a picture from above?
I don't understand the whole picture. It's just a short wall, what happens where you took the picture from? Is it the staircase or does the room continue there without a wall?
I guess they have torn down the wall and put up a 75x75 beam against the ceiling, which was far too weak. It looks like it is covered with a couple of boards on each side.
I would probably have put supports on both sides, removed the junk, and cut open the ceiling if that hasn't been done. Then you could easily insert a 90x225 glued laminated beam after lifting the ceiling to the correct level.
You wouldn't lose any ceiling height at the passage considering the junk that's there today probably builds almost as much, and the ceiling height increases if you push up the ceiling.
I don't understand the whole picture. It's just a short wall, what happens where you took the picture from? Is it the staircase or does the room continue there without a wall?
Previous wall leaned at the poles/studs.
The picture is taken from the staircase.
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