Deck beam span calculator

Deck beams and joists go hand-in-hand as the framing materials for your deck. While joists provide a horizontal support system for deck boards, beams provide support for the joists. Your beams will need to bear the load of not only your decking materials, but additional components of the frame deck beam span calculator.

Building a deck? Then you need to know how to compute the spans for it to be structurally sound. These tips and this information will help. Building a deck can create an outdoor oasis for entertaining , but the project must be safe and structurally sound, with proper decking beam spacing, so you can enjoy your deck for years to come. Five basic components make up any deck: decking, joists also known as a ledger when attached to a house , beams, posts, and footings. To ensure that a deck is safe and strong, local building departments have strict code requirements for these components. Before building a deck, take the time to look up your local codes.

Deck beam span calculator

Specify beam geometry and loads to get started analysing the beam. The beam calculator automatically uses ClearCalcs' powerful finite element analysis engine to determine moment, shear, and deflection as you work. Start your free ClearCalcs trial to unlock saving and export, as well as even more calculators for wood, steel, and concrete beams, columns, and footings. Experience the full power of ClearCalcs with a 14 day free trial and start being more productive. The ClearCalcs beam calculator allows the user to input the geometry and loading of a beam for analysis in a few simple steps. It then determines bending moment, shear and deflection diagrams, and maximum demands using a powerful finite element analysis engine. Signing up for a ClearCalcs account will unlock further advanced features for design and analysis of beams and a variety of other structural elements. Area of the Cross-Section is specific to the beam section selected, and is defaulted to the values for a common steel beam. Second Moment of Area or Moment of Inertia is also specific to the beam section selected, and again defaulted to the properties of a common steel beam. The properties E, A, and Ix for other beam sections can be obtained from the ClearCalcs section properties library. Alternately, you can create your own custom section using our free moment of inertia calculator. Position of Supports from Left allow the user to input any number of supports, and specify their position along the length of the beam.

It is commonly used in structures where a portion of the beam needs to project beyond its deck beam span calculator, such as balconies or canopies. Beam span refers to the length between two adjacent supports of a beam. The ClearCalcs Free Beam Calculator does not specify the weight of beams, however woodsteelcold-formed steel and concrete beam calculators do calculate the self-weight of the beam and take it into account in the load analysis.

Each joist is one of a series of long, horizontal structures that support the decking itself. While posts are vertical, joists lay horizontally on top of each beam to provide a sturdy, level surface to lay your decking materials across. Joists can be made from wood or steel. Use the joist span and spacing calculator below to plug in your desired type of wood, the size of your joists, and the required spacing between each joist. Do it with the brand that invented composite decking, backed by , and year limited warranties. As a rule, the larger the deck, the larger the joists.

A beam is a solid structural member that is supported by posts and footings that accepts and transfers the load from joists. Once you know the distance between support posts and the length of the joists that will be supported you can determine the required size by checking our beam-sizing chart. The size of a beam is a function of the amount of weight it must support and the distance it must span. A common beam is composed of the same size and type of lumber used for the joists by nailing 2 or 3 together side by side. Even if you are allowed to use a smaller beam, you should maintain the same depth of material as the joists to present a uniform appearance. The relationship between directly applied and fastened boards is what bonds the strength of a multiply beam. Occasionally a beam application may require spanning a long distance that exceeds the design limits for conventional beams. In these cases you may have to use an engineered beam to meet the required load capacities.

Deck beam span calculator

Deck beams and joists go hand-in-hand as the framing materials for your deck. While joists provide a horizontal support system for deck boards, beams provide support for the joists. Your beams will need to bear the load of not only your decking materials, but additional components of the frame itself. Use this calculator to find out the beam span and deck footing size for your project. Be sure to have your joist span calculations ready to enter for an accurate reading and check out our concrete calculator to determine the size of your footings. Three tiers of premium composite and aluminum deck and porch railing provide low-maintenance options for all tastes and budgets.

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Treated Hemlock or Pine may be a better solution. Trending Videos. ClearCalcs can design steel and concrete cantilevers helping engineers determine the maximum allowable length and size of a cantilever beam based on the applied loads and material properties. Skip to search Skip to main content. A minimum of one fixed support, or two pinned supports are required. Your local building department has regulations designed to ensure a solid and durable deck. Beam span refers to the length between two adjacent supports of a beam. Order A Sample Now. Decking with boards with a 2x4 or 2x6 span can be 24 inches. By helping a designer understand the locations where shear is critical, stiffeners can efficiently be added to beams where required. This information helps in designing appropriate beam supports and reinforcements to ensure the beam can withstand the applied loads. Using the cursor to hover over any point on the bending moment, shear force or deflection diagrams gives the specific values at that location along the beam. According to our beam span chart resource , the span of a beam is dependent on a few variables: the species of lumber, size of lumber, and the load it carries. It helps distribute the load from the structure above to the surrounding walls or columns.

Each joist is one of a series of long, horizontal structures that support the decking itself. While posts are vertical, joists lay horizontally on top of each beam to provide a sturdy, level surface to lay your decking materials across. Joists can be made from wood or steel.

You can always stain a particular type of wood to match your aesthetic. Input Key Properties. Beam: 4x8— Joists span up to 8': Beam span: 7'. Learn More About Joists. Experience the full power of ClearCalcs with a 14 day free trial and start being more productive. For example, joists spaced 16 inches from the center of the joist next to it can span 1. Then you need to know how to compute the spans for it to be structurally sound. A simply supported beam is the most straightforward type of beam configuration most commonly used for beam-to-beam, and beam-to-column connections. Beam span is typically dictated by the architect or site constraints and usually it is up to the engineer to find the appropriate beam size based on this requirement refer below section. While joists provide a horizontal support system for deck boards, beams provide support for the joists. These reaction forces are crucial for determining the stability and overall behavior of the beam within a structure. The support type can either be pinned fixed in translation, free in rotation or fixed fixed in both translation and rotation and is selected from the drop-down menu. Point Loads are specified in units of force, kN or kip, and area applied at discrete points along the beam. By inputting the loads, beam properties, and support conditions, the calculator determines the deflection at different points along the beam's span.