Domestic housing construction has long been focused on the use of large and heavy frame elements, thanks to which strong and reliable structures with high bearing capacity are built. However, in the conditions of the modern market, taking into account the desire of consumers to reduce financial resources during construction, the situation has changed in the opposite direction. This process, in particular, illustrates the spread of I-beams for floors, which are used in Canada and North America for the construction of prefabricated houses.
Concept
Replacement of permanent solid and endurance structures provides many benefits, including increased topside construction capabilitiesstructures. These functions are provided by the I-beam system, which combines the rigidity of monolithic beams and the functionality of lightweight construction trusses. It is irrational to use classic solid logs on the top floor, as they overload the basic supporting frame. In turn, I-beams for floors form sufficient structural support, but do not reduce the quality of the performance of primary tasks. An analogy when comparing reinforced concrete or monolithic wooden structures with elements of modular frame structures can be taken from the example of reinforcing bars. Ordinary thick metal rods are successfully replaced with thin, lightweight fiberglass products that retain the same strength characteristics.
Like a floor element
First you need to deal with the technical features of the floor in private homes. This is a structure, which is a horizontally located element of a tiled form, which performs an enclosing or holding bearing function. In ordinary one-story houses or cottages, the ceiling acts as a kind of partition, separating the first floor from the attic or attic according to the height level. Therefore, it is worth initially considering wooden I-beams in ceilings and truss systems as an element with two-sided functionality. Depending on the arrangement of the roof, I-beams may also be subjected to pressure from the support posts from the roofing. As for the design of the floor itself, its basic skeleton will be stiffeners,which will be guided along the Mauerlat from one wall to the opposite. That is, I-beams will form a load-bearing frame already for the installation of less critical and mostly decorative structural elements, for example, sheathing made of wood-shaving materials.
Device
It should be noted right away that the principles and technology of manufacturing a construction I-beam have been formed for a long time, and in the middle of the 20th century, the assembly was carried out on the basis of the same monolithic bars and an intermediate separating bar. However, the layout method has not fundamentally changed. This is the same system that consists of a central wall and two power bars. Today, an I-beam wooden crossbar for flooring is made from oriented strand OSB-panel and LVL-bars (glued laminated timber). On the one hand, the high technical and operational qualities of the I-beam are provided by a unique combination of the physical properties of two modern materials, and on the other hand, by the layout itself, in which the bearing capacity is optimized while maintaining optimal dimensional and weight indicators, which also eliminates overloads relative to the building frame.
Operational features of overlap
The practice of moving from solid measured beams and floor structures to optimized I-beam technology demonstrates the following structural features of the structure:
- There are practically no restrictions on fastening the already mentioned skin to the ribsI-beam. By means of mechanical rigid fasteners or by gluing to the supporting skeleton, chipboard, MDF, plywood and even laminated panels can be fixed if necessary.
- Beams at a height, even without additional support, due to the complex and heterogeneous structure, provide the necessary rigidity of the floor, sufficient to eliminate the possibility of deflection.
- Using floor rough coatings with a thickness of at least 2 cm can significantly increase the rigidity of I-beams. For interfloor floors or when separating the attic, this is especially important, since higher loads will be placed on the upper level.
- Much will still be determined by the method of installation and, in particular, the type of fasteners. But in this part, it is worth emphasizing that manufacturers are expanding the range of modified beams with locking joints and groove fasteners, which, in principle, allow you to do without building glue, staples, lintels and hardware during installation.
- The use of auxiliary struts and blocking when laying ceilings without power strapping minimizes floor vibrations, also reducing the risk of squeaks.
Varieties
Wooden beams of this type are mainly divided according to size. But there are both certain unified release formats and products that are calculated individually for specific conditions of use. In both cases, dimensionalranges in which the following types of I-beams for floors are conventionally distinguished:
- Models for short spans. The height of the beam is 240-300 mm, and the maximum width reaches 38-40 mm. Suitable as a modular element in ceilings for small suburban buildings.
- Multipurpose beams for commercial and residential applications. In this case, the height can reach 400 mm, and the thickness - 64 mm. Expanding the installation area by increasing the size of the beams gives more opportunities for laying rough coatings.
- Massive beams for heavily loaded frames. The height reaches 450 mm, and the thickness is 90 mm. Such elements are mainly used in industrial and commercial buildings, where, in principle, the use of wood in load-bearing structures is allowed. As for the private sector, in such projects, such beams can be used as roof truss rods or power plates.
Determining the load on floor beams
The main task of the designer at the stage of development of the floor scheme is to assess the potential load on the bearing elements. It should be repelled from it when selecting I-beams for floors in size. It is also important to determine the step in the arrangement of the stiffeners. For example, a permanent static load that is assumed in the attic is 50 kg. For dynamic load margin, the base value is multiplied by a factor from 1.3 to 1.5 depending ontype of loads. So, the output can be 75 kg. This indicator takes into account the floor's own load, but depending on the objects that will be placed in the attic, this value can increase several times. It is worth adding to it the weight from auxiliary reinforcing and heat-insulating materials.
Calculation of I-beams for flooring
First of all, it should be emphasized that each beam receives a kind of passport at the release, which indicates all the main physical and technical characteristics with an allowable weight load. Even if these parameters correspond to different elements, the load power may be different, since it is also influenced by other factors - from wood species to manufacturing technology. The standard calculation of I-beams for flooring is made in height and width - indicators that vary from 100 to 450 mm and from 30 to 90 mm, respectively. In this case, the height is selected on the basis of the proposed insulation layer and the planned laying of communication channels. Even a minimum value of 100-200 mm is enough for a group of stiffeners to withstand a load of 200-250 kg. If necessary, the lack of beam power can be compensated for by the frequency of its location - the offsets vary from 0.5 to 1.5 m.
Self-made
There is nothing complicated in making an I-beam. Materials such as OSB board and glued laminated lumber are available on the market today in various formats. What is required ofperformer during installation? Only skillful handling of the tool and a verified calculation of the geometry of the elements. A slab of suitable width is installed on both sides in the prepared grooves of two bars along the entire length. Actually, the main task is to form these grooves. This can be done with a jigsaw and a chisel of a suitable format. In terms of fastening, I-beams for floors are held and pressed by their own weight during operation, so special physical fastening is not required. Enough glue to fix the OSB-board in the grooves for the duration of the installation activities.
Installation technology
There may be different mounting configurations that differ in base material, connection method and load requirements. So, brick walls, wooden elements, concrete slabs and metal structures can serve as the basis. In each case, the installation of wooden I-beams for ceilings is carried out using the appropriate mounting hardware:
- A galvanized corner will help you tie with the elements of the truss system.
- The adjunction of the beam to brick or concrete is made out with a metal clamp.
- Elongated lines of bows, regardless of the base material (including transitional sections from brick to wood) are made using mounting metal tapes.
- Responsible nodes-connections of the floor to the walls are provided with tie-down collars.
Benefitstechnology
According to experts, the advantages of an I-beam include the following operational factors:
- Almost perfect geometry, making subsequent roughing work easier.
- High strength. The rigidity of the glulam beams virtually eliminates bending moments and structural deformation.
- Wide possibilities of combination with other materials. Having chosen the optimal dimensions of an I-beam for overlapping, you can organically fit a heat insulator into their niche - even a small format with a height of 250 mm and a bar width of 30 mm will allow you to integrate small expanded polystyrene panels or mineral wool slabs.
- High sound insulation. Again, the unique combination of beam components minimizes vibration and noise effects through a dampening effect.
Functionality
According to reviews, one of the key advantages of an I-beam is that it forms free space due to the grooves between the stiffeners. In them, with the help of closing devices, it is convenient to lay engineering networks - pipelines, electrical wiring and other lines that require hidden wiring. In this sense, the advantages of I-beams for floors over conventional monolithic structures will lie in two points. Firstly, this is the presence of niches for easy installation of the track. Secondly, there are no restrictions associated with the contact connection of the same electric cable or pipe with a hot coolant to the beam surfaces. And OSB board,and glued laminated timber in an I-beam are subjected to special processing, which makes such a pairing possible.
Conclusion
This technology is beneficial as a universal structural solution in modular-block construction of houses with different characteristics. This is also confirmed by reviews of I-beams for floors, in which both ease of installation and technical and operational advantages of the material are noted. As for the economic factor, as consumers note, an I-beam in some modifications really costs more than ordinary beams. But the difference is made up for by reduced transportation and handling costs, as well as a long service life of a low-maintenance design.
