Rsj ridge beam installation

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I'm about to install a ridge beam with one side into a 600mm stone wall and the other into a block wall. I was wondering if it's worth protecting the end of the rsj thats going into the stone wall? A friend has advised to cover the end of the rsj in dpm- or bitumen before installing it.

Any thoughts?
 
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It does not need protecting. Its not timber and it will not rot.

Wrapping it with an impermeable material is incorrect in principle, as there will be condensation moisture develop on the cold steel and this will not then be permitted to escape. Ok this wont be an issue in practice, buts its just to illustrate why the concept of wrapping it is wrong.

Painting is the the thing to do if you wanted to.
 
Thanks for the replies, I had a feeling it would trap moisture in the dpm.

I'll go and stick it in the hole in the wall then, the hole that's 6m high :$
 
Loz7 said
[/QUOTE] will the dpm protect the rsj from the cement mortar?[/QUOTE]


Other way round, alkaline in mortar protects the steel until it carbonates.
Round here we usually paint the end with red oxide/bitumen paint in a solid stone wall, as they tend to get a bit damp in exposed positions.
 
The steel supplier delivered the slightly more resistant S355 instead of the usual S275 and
I have painted it with synthetic (enamel) primer.
 
The steel supplier delivered the slightly more resistant S355 instead of the usual S275 and
I have painted it with synthetic (enamel) primer.
Thank goodness! It will now last 1000 years instead of a measly 960 years.
 
Anybody else red lead their steels? I've always been taught to give it a good couple of coats, is that just a belt and braces approach?
 
the rsj is in place and level, the Padstone it's sitting on is level, but I can get a trowel in between it and the rsj quite a bit in some places, is this normal or should I put a very thin layer of mortar under the rsj?
 

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