Load-bearing construction?

[Johan byggare]

I have a bunch of heavy beams in several rooms in the summer cabin. They go across the entire room but don't extend all the way into the wall structure; instead, they are attached with heavy bolts up in the attic, see pictures.


Are these beams part of any load-bearing structure, or what is their function? Just for show? Do they support the ceiling?
I would like to remove all the beams but need to know why they are there first. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

 

[justusandersson]

I'm completely sure that they are purely decorative. The ceiling panel is mounted first and the beams are fastened with bolts into another beam. Go up to the attic and see how it looks there.

 

[Anna_H]

If you unscrew the bolts, do they fall down then? No mounting against the wall and no posts holding them up?
And the ceiling panel has hidden mounting and lies straight across the room on top of the beams, thus installed before these?
What could they possibly support then?

 

[Johan byggare]

I am quite sure they are purely decorative. The ceiling panel is mounted first and the beams are attached with bolts to another beam. Get up to the attic and see how it looks there.

The ceiling panel is actually mounted between the beams but a layer of plywood is set above the beams and panel. I also suspect that it is purely decorative, but they are so sturdy and heavy (I have taken one down) that it makes you a bit doubtful...

 

[Johan byggare]

If you unscrew the bolts, do they just fall down? No attachment to the wall and no posts holding them up? And the roof panel has hidden attachment and lies straight across the room on top of the beams, thus installed before them? What could they possibly be supporting then?

Yes, the beams fall down, one has already been removed: That's exactly my thought too, what could they be supporting. It's just that the construction is so robust and over-dimensioned to be just decorative. Sturdy bolts with nuts and beams that are very large and heavy...

 

[petterovski]

Strange solution. Could it be that the ceiling panel is nailed down into these beams? That this was done because the previous attic floor began to sag and they wanted a flat ceiling.

It could also be that it's a reinforcement of the previous construction and that the screws are shear force connectors, but then it's strange that the ceiling panel is in between.

 

[topmount]

It is not that these beams are the lower part of the trusses and the threaded rods go up into the trusses. That is, the beams resist outward forces.

 

[petterovski]

You should probably go up and check the attic to see how it looks, if you haven't already done so.

 

[Johan byggare]

You should probably go up and check the attic to see what it looks like, if you haven't already done so.

But it's an unpleasant place full of spiders and junk!
You are, of course, right, I'll get back to you.

 

[Johan byggare]

Been up and looked at the attic now. The bolts go up through the ceiling and are attached to beams that run across between the roof joists.

These beams are completely loose and are not attached to the joists or anything else in any way.
In other words, I conclude that the purpose of my beams is purely decorative and that I can remove them without any problem.
I hope no one has a different opinion?
Thanks for the help everyone who has been involved.

 

[Anna_H]

I think it looks like an old dull ceiling behind the beam, i.e. the ceiling panel definitely CANNOT be nailed from the attic.

Remove the junk!

 

[Staffans2000]

Decoration.
But a very well-made one. A tip is to sandblast the bjälkarna, glaze them, and reassemble everything.
In summary: Nice bjälkar. Ugly color.

 

[Johan byggare]

Decoration.
But a very well-made one. A tip is to sandblast the beams, glaze them, and reinstall them all.
Summa sumarum: Nice beams. Ugly color.

Thanks for the tip but the room feels way too cramped and low-ceilinged with the beams in place. They have to go.