Can I remove this post in my shop???
 

This past winter my wife bought a 2009 Dodge Charger. Now that she has that car and drives it year round, she's planning on selling her 97 Camaro RS. When the Camaro is gone, this will mean I get the entire shop to myself. One thing that I have always found really annoying in the shop is a post in the middle of the shop. I know it is a load bearing post, but is there anything I can do (that won't cost me a fortune) to get rid of the post. Why do I want to get rid of it....I think that's obvious :unibrow:

Here's a pic of the shop and the post I'm talking about. The beam above the post runs the length of the shop. That beam is two 2x10's screwed together to make one beam.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/PICT0090.jpg

Here's a couple pics of the attic. I was wondering if I would be able to add more 2x4's to support the roof enough to remove the post.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000406.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000409.jpg

Anyone have any thoughts?? Thanks in advance.

Looks kind of important. :unibrow:

Whats the span and is that beam directly under the ridge? Adding more 2x4's wont do anythig. That beam is more than likely just holding up the cieling joist by looking at the pics. You could or should of had some collar ties on those rafters. You can put a larger beam in to handle the span and load, but lots of work.It would be better to have the bottom of the beam flush with the cieling and burry the rest in the attic if that makes sense. Of course I dont know if the existing footings are large enough or what your roofing or snow loads are in that area. You would need an engineer, maybe from a truss plant, to calc that for you,... or hang a naked girl calander on the post and call it a day.
Also, I think it's time to cash in the cans.

Bring the beer cans to Washington they're worth a nickel a piece - then hire a proper contractor. :rofl:

Seriously - that span would have to have one heck of a beam without the post... You're carrying the roof load - and you have to calculate for a snow load etc.

I put up a "mezzanine" in the shed -- it has a single beam to carry the floor - no roof load - and it runs 16 feet - and it's 8" wide by 19 1/2" thick!

That beam isn't holding any roof load at all. Its holding the celing joists like WAR noted. First off a double 2x10 beam isnt much at all so the load isnt that great regardless of span. What is the total span of the double 2x10 beam ? The live load in clg joists arent as much as a live load in a floor joist. The clg joist dead load may not even be a factor either due to the small overall span. A beam only takes half the span. the other half is supported on the exterior walls. You can definetly get away with creating a "flitch plate" beam and eliminate the column all together. A flitch plate is the combination of conventional wooden lumber and steel plate sandwiched and thru bolted together. The splice joists overlap creating a solid beam mass. PM me ALL the dimensions of the garage including the overall span of the beam and clg joists above and the directions of each. I'll run a calculation and provide you with what size steel plate and how many additional 2x10 joists you'll need.
I have an architectural degree and its my day job if it helps reassure you... LOL.

Now that's what this site is all about!!

EEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Yah what he said :wow:

Thanks guys. The beer cans have been in there for probably 12 years or longer. We've never gotten around to cleaning out the attic.

War....when I said adding 2x4's, I meant adding them in a way like a collar tie. Just wasn't sure what they were called.

HRBS...thanks a lot. I'll get those measurements but likely won't be until early next week now as go back to work tomorrow and am not off until Tuesday morning.

Keep in mind that the double 2x10 is either butted to or on top of the garage header and with the extra weight added to the 2x10, the garage header may also have to be replaced. The beam is playing a part in supporting the ridge as you can see in the photos.

It looks like you are running 2x4 rafters at 16" o.c. with a 2x6 ridge. Its hard to tell much from the photos about the ceiling joists. Can you provide more detail about the ceiling joist. If the inside of garage picture is any indication that those are the ceiling joist I wouldn't plan on storing anything but aluminum cans up there.

I've been building homes since 1988 and have an engineer just a phone call away. If you get me photo, size, and span of garage door header along with the span of the double 2x10 I will give my engineer a call.