Basement Main Beam Replacement

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We just installed a twenty foot beam across a garage to hold up the corner of the house, it is 7" thick and 19" high. The engineer looks at the total weight load on the beam and tells us how big it needs to be. The shorter the beam is the smaller it can be. That is why I suggested shortening the span with well placed posts.
I think Joe as suggested sistering a few times here, and I agree with him, we do that with three 3" nails 16" on center.
 
I have been looking to the right tools to cut the nails when removing the Beam and was wanting to get ideas from you guys. I have a sawzall but they are big and hard to handle in tight spaces. I was wondering about one of these Variable Speed Oscillating Multifunction Power Tools like this one Oscillating Multifunction Power Tool w/ Variable Speed
or this one FEIN | MultiMaster From what I have read, the blades are pretty expensive if you get good ones but it would see the best tool for the job of cutting through the nails both for the Joists and to cut nails from above.
 
Not going to happen, I own three Rockwell and one cheapo Dremal ossilating tool and they do not sell blades hard enought to cut through big nails.
Also it's just going to stay stuck and shake the heck out of you because there's little kuft to the blades tooth set..
A saws all will go through the nails like there not even there.
I almost never put the blade in so the teeth face the handle, flip the blade over and you can get closer to the sub floor.
 
Thanks Joe, Guess I can take that off my christmas wish list then...
 
Not so fast, an ossilating tool is a must have for dozens of other jobs, cutting out sheetrock for repairs, outlet and switch hole, under cutting door jams, a grout saw. sander for tight places, cutting louon, cutting out a section of hardwood flooring in the middle of a floor, ect. ect.
Do not waiste your money on a cheap Dramel brand one.
 
johnbaum said:
Hello, I am a new member here but am a long time reviewer of the advice given here and it has helped me out several times. I have what may or may not be a unique situation that I need help with. I just recently purchased a home in West Virginia that was built sometime in the 30's. This home has a basement that was dug inside the homes border foundation. There is a concrete foundation poured about 2 feet beyond the basement walls and the basement walls were not mortered to the top, only to the ground level. There is a sistered 2x10 (Actually measures 2x10 as do all the floor Joists) center beam that is supported by 3 jack posts. The three jack posts are the only center support in the basement.

This area still has no building codes or building inspections. That being said, the work that went into the house, especially the center beam and the joists are not what would be considered acceptable by todays standards. The Center beam that holds the weight of the home was peiced together and fortunately was staggered however in 2 locations the floor joists are hung at one of the intersections of staggared joints. Many of the floorjoists have plywood spacer plates between the joist and the center beam and toenailed in and some were simply toenailed with an inch gap between the joist and center beam. The house is sagging in the middle with doors that won't close and sheetrock that has cracked and pushed out above most of the doors and windows. The Center beam as well as some of the joists have been attacked by termites (Appears to be an old infestation and no live termites found.

I need to know the best way to replace the center beam and rotted floor joists. The support jacks are actually receeding into the centerbeam by as much as an inch on some of them, others seem to be supporting fine.

Is this a job for a pro or can someone with carpentry knowledge make these repairs? What type of center beam would be recommended to make the repair. How would the center beam be removed? I believe that more jacks would be required to support on each side of the center beam with a 4x4 and 2x4's attached to each joist to prevent them from twisting while the center beam is out, Right? I am thinking that to get the center beam out, I would use a sawz all to cut the nails connecting them to the joists and pull it down away from any flooring nails from above. I'm sorry I have no measurements of the length of the beam but it is a small 1000sf or smaller home.

Any advise would be appreciated.[/QUOTE

you will need to support bough side of the main beam and cut out 6 to 8 foot section and move down section at a time leveling as you go over lapin one broad at a time.
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My husband did this on our house, the only difference being that a previous owner, not us, had thought it was a good idea to remove the central beam and not replace it. He cut the nails with a one-handed Ridgid recipro-saw, but since then he has seen a hand-held black and decker tree trimmer that uses recipro blades that he thinks would have worked better. The ridgid fit between 16" centers, but just barely (the cord sticks out the back, making it hard to jam in there). Theblack and decker is smaller, so would probably work better if you can find it. He tried an oscillator for flush cuts on smaller nails, but the blades are expensive and wear out too fast.

We consulted Menards as well as the good folks here for information on sizing the LVLs. Based on his experience, the Mr. recommends just cutting your joists back (in a straight/laser line) to get rid of all the mess with the old nails and to make room for your 3 LVLs (Chainsaws work for this). There are online guides for how nail LVLs together properly to create a beam. Unless you have an opening from the outside, make sure your LVLs are in place before you build your temp walls on either side of your beam, then just drop your old beam and lift your new one in place.

http://www.gp.com/build/DocumentViewer.aspx?repository=BP&elementid=8873

Good luck!
 
Oh - to clarify, an electric chainsaw, since it is an enclosed space :) The first set of joists with the recipro saw took him about 5 - 10 times as long as the second set he did with the chainsaw. A smidge too big is better than a smidge too small of a space for the beam to fit into. The joist hangers made up for any little bobbles in the cutting line.
 
Jackguy and Dionysia, Thanks for the great advice, I appreciate it.
 
I agree with using LVL, also known as Microlam..

This stuff is super strong, I'm using it also to support a second story.. proper footing a must as well..

Lolly / Lally columns.. They make them in a wide variety now, also known as Adjustable Columns... even Simpson is starting to get into this game..

joecaption said:
Georgia-Pacific GP Lam Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)
An LVL is 50 times stonger then milled lumber and can run longer spans with less support from below, but your going to have to do some research to figure that out.
You would use the hangers made for LVL's (there wider) to reattach the old floor joist, and reguler ones to attach any sistered joist if there's room for them, sometimes I've used HD L brackets with the larger holes for lag screws when a hanger will not work.
The new beam will never come out the exact width as the old beam and LVL's only come in two widths. I suggest using the 1-3/4 ones, for one thing there lighter, and it's simpler to lift into place with the small gap you have to work with between the old floor joist.
Before any post are sat in place check for any floor sag, now's the perfect time to use the beam once the floor joist are reattached to lift the floors up before putting the coloums in.
Use lolly coloums or soild steel post with 1/2" steel plates welded to the ends with holes drilled in the plates in 4 places for nails or screws.
Anyplace there's going to be a post there has to be a footing. 24" X 24" X 24" deep. You can not just have them sitting on a 4" thick slab!
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