Embarrassing but necessary post. Our glulam beam hasn't ended up perfectly horizontal. There's a slight slope of 17mm. We've already attached it with sturdy nail plates (and many nails) to the vertical glulam column.
Is our only chance to fix this by removing the nail plates and starting over? Or can we cut 17mm from the underside at the other end of the beam, the one resting against the existing roof? Or can this be adjusted when laying the top frames, without changing the slope of the top frames?
Sigh. Everything has turned out so straight and nice so far, but everything goes wrong because for a second you trust the crane truck guy. I'm so sad. It would be really nice if someone has a good solution up their sleeve.
Just to clarify, we're building an extension of 30 square meters where the roof goes over the existing roof, at an angle to each other. The glulam beam is about 10 meters long and is supported at one end by a glulam column, and at the other end, it rests against the old roof.
Very grateful for help and ideas!
Is our only chance to fix this by removing the nail plates and starting over? Or can we cut 17mm from the underside at the other end of the beam, the one resting against the existing roof? Or can this be adjusted when laying the top frames, without changing the slope of the top frames?
Sigh. Everything has turned out so straight and nice so far, but everything goes wrong because for a second you trust the crane truck guy. I'm so sad. It would be really nice if someone has a good solution up their sleeve.
Just to clarify, we're building an extension of 30 square meters where the roof goes over the existing roof, at an angle to each other. The glulam beam is about 10 meters long and is supported at one end by a glulam column, and at the other end, it rests against the old roof.
Very grateful for help and ideas!
Perhaps;
1. If you can't access and pull out the nails directly, cut off the nail heads with an angle grinder.
2. Remove brackets and hammer in the nails, or pull them out if possible.
3. Start measuring again.
All bad decisions are made under stress after something has gone wrong. Step back, take it easy, and think about the best solution in peace. Cutting at the other end to adjust everything sounds like a decision made under stress.
Everything can be solved.
Good luck
/PC
1. If you can't access and pull out the nails directly, cut off the nail heads with an angle grinder.
2. Remove brackets and hammer in the nails, or pull them out if possible.
3. Start measuring again.
All bad decisions are made under stress after something has gone wrong. Step back, take it easy, and think about the best solution in peace. Cutting at the other end to adjust everything sounds like a decision made under stress.
Everything can be solved.
Good luck
/PC
Right or wrong, but I would notch the free end to lower it the 17 mm needed. From a strength perspective, it is negligible. At least in practice, unless you do something extremely foolish. Letting the beam be crooked and compensating in another way will only cause trouble, and tackling joist hangers and anchor nails is quite a substantial job unless you do as PCLarsson suggests.
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Thanks PC, quick response, you're wonderful!
Yes, we've thought about using the angle grinder to cut off the nail heads. But the rest of the nails would then remain in the beam, and they would be in the way when trying to nail the cleat back with new nails.
Each cleat is anchored with eight nails into the beam (one cleat on each side). But I guess you'd have to move the cleat a bit to have space for new nail holes. The tricky part with that is that we would then have to detach the cleat from the glulam post as well.
You don't believe in shortening the other end at all then?
Or can't we attach a smaller board along the entire top side of the beam? Where that board is cut to the correct size.
Yes, we've thought about using the angle grinder to cut off the nail heads. But the rest of the nails would then remain in the beam, and they would be in the way when trying to nail the cleat back with new nails.
Each cleat is anchored with eight nails into the beam (one cleat on each side). But I guess you'd have to move the cleat a bit to have space for new nail holes. The tricky part with that is that we would then have to detach the cleat from the glulam post as well.
You don't believe in shortening the other end at all then?
Or can't we attach a smaller board along the entire top side of the beam? Where that board is cut to the correct size.
Nicole,
read your first post again and you write that you've attached the beam "to the column." I guess it's resting on the column, right?
The side you have attached for the moment is too low and if the beam is resting on the column, then the column is too short, right?
A wondering
/PC
read your first post again and you write that you've attached the beam "to the column." I guess it's resting on the column, right?
The side you have attached for the moment is too low and if the beam is resting on the column, then the column is too short, right?
A wondering
/PC
I see two alternatives to the angle grinder.
A good chisel should be able to remove the heads of the nails. Possibly, it might work with a reciprocating saw with a good metal blade, which could be an alternative to the angle grinder to avoid spark formation.
Then, take the package with anchor nails and throw it away, use anchor screws instead, they have the advantage that you can unscrew them if needed
A good chisel should be able to remove the heads of the nails. Possibly, it might work with a reciprocating saw with a good metal blade, which could be an alternative to the angle grinder to avoid spark formation.
Then, take the package with anchor nails and throw it away, use anchor screws instead, they have the advantage that you can unscrew them if needed
alternatively, you give away the anchor nails you have left to those less fortunate
otherwise, it's probably easiest to remove the nails with the angle grinder if there's no risk of the sparks landing where it can catch fire
otherwise, it's probably easiest to remove the nails with the angle grinder if there's no risk of the sparks landing where it can catch fire
Now it's done! We used the angle grinder and cut off the tops and adjusted the beam to the right place. Now everything is straight and nice.
However, I was thinking about something, several of you mention anchor nails. How important is it to use those specifically? We have attached two sturdy brackets on each side with 10 cm long nails. 16 in each bracket. Then on the underside of the beam, we have attached sturdy angle irons to the pillar and there we have used both long screws and anchor nails (though relatively short). Does this work just as well?
However, I was thinking about something, several of you mention anchor nails. How important is it to use those specifically? We have attached two sturdy brackets on each side with 10 cm long nails. 16 in each bracket. Then on the underside of the beam, we have attached sturdy angle irons to the pillar and there we have used both long screws and anchor nails (though relatively short). Does this work just as well?