# Will a 4x6 span 12' on my porch?



## 6n165 (Dec 28, 2007)

We had our patio floor repoured. The 4x4 upright post are currently every 6'. We had to take them out to pout the floor. The beam they hold up is a 40' long homemade lvl 4x4. We would like to replace this with a 4x6 beam put the vertical posts back only every 12 feet. Right now it is temporarily supported that way and we like it. The joists for the patio are about 14' long 2x4s and are tied in to the roof about 3 to 4 feet up the roof. The roof is a 4/12 pitch. We are in the south so there is no snow worries or anything. I know the joists should be 2x6s but what is done is done. We will support the 4x6s with 4x4s at the seam. I do not know live leads or anything like that. The beam will have to be pt if that matters. I do not want to go thicker than a 6" because then the beam starts to get in the line of sight. Does anyone know if I can span the 12' with a 4x6?


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## hmbuilder (Mar 15, 2008)

code requires a post every six feet, but i would check with the building inspector just to make sure.

chris
http://www.homebuildingclinic.com


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## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

hmbuilder said:


> code requires a post every six feet, but i would check with the building inspector just to make sure.
> 
> chris
> http://www.homebuildingclinic.com


What code would that be? I have never heard of such a thing:no: . As long as the beam is strong enough for the span, and the foundation under the posts are strong enough for the point loads, you could have any distance you want between posts.

Not only is that too much of a span for a 4 x 6... 14' long 2 x4 "joists"; do you mean rafters? Either one, that is scarry.


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## so-elitecrete (Oct 27, 2007)

*wonder'd about the ' code ',,,*

reference, too,,, have done some in sc that wouldn't meet but they're still up & MUCH more solid than before we repair'd 'em,,, overbuilding was never an issue which held us up :wink:


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

hmbuilder said:


> code requires a post every six feet, but i would check with the building inspector just to make sure.
> chris


As Troubleseeker stated. There is no such code. Where did you get this from?


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