Steel beam loft extension been held by timber.

[mrbg07546]

We are having a loft extension done. And had a family friend builder who came and visited.

The work is so far passed by Inspector. however our friend builder commented on something.

He said the steel beam at the top is held up by timber on one side. This should not happen and you need steel to hold it up(he says)the other side is held up by mortaring into wall.

Thoughts please?

 

[John D v2.0]

Depends on the load, there's every chance it's ok but check the se drawings and specification as he or she should have specified the bearings needed. Is it a 100*100 post? That should be plenty for most beams as it's basically only holding up a roof not a floor or walls.

 

[Doggit]

Is the wooden post holding the beam up, or has it been put in afterwards as part of the stud wall, and the beams in the wall behind it. The post may be able to take the loading, but what happens if it gets wood rot, or there's a fire.

Definite no no.

 

[John D v2.0]

Is the wooden post holding the beam up, or has it been put in afterwards as part of the stud wall, and the beams in the wall behind it. The post may be able to take the loading, but what happens if it gets wood rot, or there's a fire.

Definite no no.

Is fire really a big concern for timber? All our joists are timber. I thought steel was the one you had to worry about for fire (hence the rules about boxing in with plasterboard)
And rot is always a concern.
Our roof is made mostly of timber and the se approved it, well he designed it actually.

 

[Ian H]

Ours is designed to sit on 3 pieces of 4x2 glued and bolted together.

 

[Doggit]

If a building catches fire, then the beam can twist in the heat, and collapes. The timber support will burn in the event of a fire, and the beam will eventually collapse, so the need to protect the beam still applies.

 

[bobsuerita]

timber post is fine very rarely put steel in for posts
normally used where ridge steel cant be put in party wall due to chimley

we have even repaired them after fire one very twisted steel and a hardly touched timber post takes a long time for a decent post to burn though

 

[^woody^]

Has your builder friend ever built any timber framed buildings?

Thought not.

 

[tomfe]

There is a calculation for timber for fire resistance I think it's 1/5 the width extra.

 

[^woody^]

I'd be more concerned about the firemen having no floor to stand on to fight the fire in the first place. Or the roof crashing down on their heads.

 

[bobsuerita]

is there a wall going on that steel if not might be a bit of a trip hazard