# header size for a 18 ft. span



## CplDevilDog (Mar 18, 2009)

It should be 18' long. :whistling2:


Sorry, I couldn't resist. Not sure if you're going to get an answer here. The guys who know aren't telling and if they were its too dangerous to do over the Internet.

Pay a local Engineer a few hundred bucks and sleep soundly at night.


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## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

I have never been to Hawaii, perhaps post some photos, I understand the scenery is great.


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## Beepster (Oct 19, 2009)

Nytzzz said:


> This is in Hawaii so no snow.


 Whatcha, bragging? We had some sloppy flakes this morning still.

Well, In Minnesota we don't have any tsunamis!:thumbup1:

B


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## cleveman (Dec 17, 2011)

You might want to tell what the beam will be supporting.


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## CplDevilDog (Mar 18, 2009)

> The guys who know aren't telling


After posting this I thought about how it sounded. 

I don't want to give the wrong impression about the regular members here. They are a great bunch of people and you won't find a nicer group anywhere.

Its not that they won't answer, rather they are reluctant to answer lest something is missed in the translation and someone gets hurt.


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## ninjahero (Apr 10, 2012)

Nytzzz said:


> I am removing a partial bearimg wall and putting in a full lenght beam instead over 18 ft. This is in Hawaii so no snow.


You can use 2 or 3 18' LVL (10"/12") whatever u like and put a good solid post on each end 3 2x6 nailed to each other should do just fine


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## itsnotrequired (Apr 30, 2010)

ninjahero said:


> You can use 2 or 3 18' LVL (10"/12") whatever u like and put a good solid post on each end 3 2x6 nailed to each other should do just fine


two 9.5" deep lvls on an 18' span seems light but i don't really know what's above it.


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## ninjahero (Apr 10, 2012)

itsnotrequired said:


> two 9.5" deep lvls on an 18' span seems light but i don't really know what's above it.


They will still work and thats a good question


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## itsnotrequired (Apr 30, 2010)

ninjahero said:


> They will still work and thats a good question


there is also the question of meeting code vs getting what you want. the floors may be bouncy as hell and still meet code but i would rather exceed code and minimize bounce than live in a romper room.


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## Ralph III (Oct 7, 2011)

NYTZZZ,
It's like others have pointed out. You really should consult an engineer for a definitive answer.

There are still snow load consideration from what I came across with Hawaii. 

*You can visit *THIS* site for some snow load considerations and some other good details. 

*You can visit *THIS* IBC tables, as the above references, in getting an idea of what might be required for a header. That page is possibly dated though, so you would need to verify whether it is still applicable for you.

**THIS* is an alternative to the IRC table and again just in giving an idea of what is considered. An engineer can give proper requirements and/or alternatives.

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This is just FYI in possibly getting you in the right direction....

Good luck


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## mae-ling (Dec 9, 2011)

MY local Lumber yard will size the necessary LVL or GlueLam for me. They get the truss manufacturer to do it. I just tell them what it is for and what it supports.


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## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

Maeling, how do you get a truss manufacturer to size a Glulam or LVL? Neither of these are trusses, and it would be a coincidence if a truss manufacturer also happened to manufacture Glulams or LVLs.


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## mae-ling (Dec 9, 2011)

The lumber yard gets these and I joists through the Truss manufacturer and as such their engineers do the calculations.


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## ninjahero (Apr 10, 2012)

itsnotrequired said:


> there is also the question of meeting code vs getting what you want. the floors may be bouncy as hell and still meet code but i would rather exceed code and minimize bounce than live in a romper room.


Totally agree with u me personally I always try to exceed code in watever I do


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