Right in the middle of Holladay Utah stands a home owned by a dad who simply wanted to help his son. He had a plan to remove the two-story chimney and knock down two basement walls to open up the living space and enhance the home’s appearance. While the basement walls looked similar, they each bore very different amounts of weight. One wall has a 30.5/2 tributary, while the other supports nothing at all.
The old-school dad assumed that he would need a beam on each side, with pillars underneath, to support the load. We suggested installing a single massive beam solely for the weight-bearing wall, spanning 19 feet. To make it work, we’d also need to sister 2x10s on the opposite side of the basement across from the beam. The idea of a single beam holding all the weight from above surprised the dad.
We provided two material and size options for a beam that could bear the load. We made some calculations later that same day and presented the two options. If he chooses a lumber beam, the dimensions would be two 5-1/4×14 Versa lam. If he chooses a steel I-beam, the beam would be W10x33. The father was satisfied and grateful for the help.