support beam repair/replace

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jaustin

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I have a 120+ year old home that has a 6x6 timber for the main support holding up the 2x8 floor joists. The beam is made up of two 16' lengths that are supported every 8 feet with a 4 inch steel pole. Have a bow in one of the 8 foot spans that has a crack in the middle. Looking for ideas on a repair. I contemplated replacing the whole 32' with either new 6x6 Douglas fir or possibly upgrading to an LVL. I also am not against just replacing the 6x6's with a 2x6 wall since there is an odd lay out for the space to begin with.View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1420691010.764950.jpg
 
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Welcome to the site.
Building a wall to replace the beam is not a good idea as it woukld be a bearing wall that requires a footing so it would likely just break the floor.
Depending on the weight from above lvls or 2x10s would likely do the job, but they are not going to fit on your post or wall without modififation and you do not want to cut notches in any beam.
Your best bet would be a steel I beam that is close to or slightly smaller than what you have now.
 
Thanks for the response. Would replacing the one broken 6x6, leaving the steel poles holding the load and then putting a 2x6 frame under that be a better option. Looking for a cost effective fix, but not afraid to spend a little extra money for a better option. I am looking at the framed wall idea because it would also close off the open crawl space that makes up the other 1/3 of the basement.
 
This photo is of the footings under a foundation the squares down the middle are for the posts like you have. The floor is above the footing and the floor itself is not designed to carry the weight.
So you might get away with building a wall but you are taking a big chance of breaking the floor over time.

6196473111_a195bff6a6_o.jpg
 
I had a similar situation in my old place also circa 1880. I had the row of lally columns and the old timber beam above just like yours. Like yours it was structurally most likely ok but I still didn’t like the look of it and I also had a desire to have a wall at that location.

My intention in the wall was “stability” not support and I added a very heavy bottom plate and normal 2x6 top plate and then cut each 2x6 stud about 1/16 long and tapped them in on 16 inch centers. I agree with Neal the strength of the floor is an unknown but then again what is a footing but a beam under the floor spreading out the load. Something like a 6x6 PT as a bottom plate I saw as a way to put whatever load the studs saw over more area. I’m sure it wasn’t kosher but it’s all I could afford to do and the house did fine without it for over 100 years so I figured I was just adding more to an already proven design. Not to say the lally columns were original to the house it looked like the beam at one time set on stone or brick piers.
At least yours are stacked construction mine were 12x12 hand hewn beams with mortises cut into them to hold the joists. All those cuts made the cracks I didn’t like.

I’m not a builder just a homeowner and take all information you get considering the sources and do the best job you can do that makes you and your family feel safe.

I was wondering about the half height block wall and the big crack I see at the end of the area? Could that wall be framed on up to help also?
 
That half wall is a later addition that isn't correctly fastened to the exterior foundation walls. That's also on the list of things to fix. Scary that this house was owned and remodeled by a "contractor" back in the 80s. I was going to leave the half wall open for storage after I put down a vapor barrier.
 
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The foundation looks like it might have been part of the 1980 remodel and the foundation on the other side of the half wall is more like original and not as deep. Eithor way it was likely hand dug and the footing would likely be right below the floor and support the ends of the wall so you could use 3 2x10s and put triple stud under each end of the beam. Then you would have both. Remember you need a moisture break between wood and concrete floor and wall.
We use a 2x10 under the temp walls that you build to remove the beem to spread the load on the floor. One house I helped do this the temp wall went thru the floor and that was a mess.
 
Plan (C) As Bud said , that beam isa carrying the load and will for a long time. Why not remove the nails from the joist to the beam Jack the floor up to level and nail a 2x10 to each side of the beam.
That will level the floor and strengthen the beam. There should be no need to notch the 2x10s at the ends. three nails or screws every 12 to 16 inches.
 
I would just leave the existing, level if you have to, and get some long steel mending plates and either lag them or through bolt them in place on either side of your girder.
 

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