Beam simply sitting on padstone!!!

[Alakazam]

Hello

We are extending our house to the side and to the front. Part of the construction involves the installation of a new beam to support the walls on the 1st floor.

My concern/alarm is that my builder and architect says that the steel beam would just sit on the padstones during installation. In other words, it is just placed on top of the padstones. Is it normal that the beam is not tied down to the walls? I would have expected the beam to be joined in some way (by use of brackets, bolts or some other means) to a part of the house which is strong enough and anchored to the ground (eg: walls).

UK is usually risk averse in general terms. So I was surprised to learn this.

Thanks
Best regards
Alakazam

 

[RandomGrinch]

Don't worry!
It is usual for the beams to just sit on the padstones. It's the architects and builders who have the qualifications (...and insurance, and post-nominals!) Along with building control to determine whether this is an appropriate solution.
However, the beam must be properly sized and this includes the breadth of the beam in relation to the wall thickness supported.
If the wall above is significantly wider than the breadth of the beam, that could lead to a turning force that could topple the beam. Otherwise the loads will be designed to go straight down into the padstones. No need for any mechanical fixings!

 

[Notch7]

Hello

We are extending our house to the side and to the front. Part of the construction involves the installation of a new beam to support the walls on the 1st floor.

My concern/alarm is that my builder and architect says that the steel beam would just sit on the padstones during installation. In other words, it is just placed on top of the padstones. Is it normal that the beam is not tied down to the walls? I would have expected the beam to be joined in some way (by use of brackets, bolts or some other means) to a part of the house which is strong enough and anchored to the ground (eg: walls).

UK is usually risk averse in general terms. So I was surprised to learn this.

Thanks
Best regards
Alakazam

It’s not normal practice to bolt down beams in the UK - assuming there is no rotational force. Once in place beams usually get locked in position by floor joists etc.

if connected to a steel column the a beam would be bolted.


I would guess different specifications apply in countries with earthquakes.

 

[tony1851]

The number of times you see on drawings "steel beams to be bolted to padstones".................

 

[Nakajo]

It's the architects and builders who have the qualifications

Knowing if and when a beam should be tied down to a padstone is a prerequisite of neither an architect nor a builder.

 

[^woody^]

 

[cdbe]

I spent most of a day manhandling - hoisting, jacking and levering a 300kg steel beam up onto the walls of my extension. I then spent most of the night watching it and completely irrationally, waiting for it to somehow fall off - it didn't.