Beam measurements from Structural Engineers drawings?

4 years ago

Planning our kitchen. There will be 3 beams, 2 will be connected.

Trying to work out the thickness of these beams. and how far from the ceiling they will come down as this could affect kitchen unit height.

In drawing 254 X 146 X 43 do any of these numbers indicate thickness of beam, so how much ceiling height I will lose?

Many thanks!

Featured Answer

Gabby Wong

4 years ago

Other thing is that they might be able to put it up into or partly into your current ceiling so you lose less ceiling height.

Our builder just did that as we don’t have high ceilings to start with.

Other idea is speak to the structural engineer to see other options, ours initially had a 300mm tall beam but changing some of the other factors he managed to reduce it to I think 203mm which was really important for us!

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Comments (10)

Ellie
Original Author
4 years ago
sorry pic upside down
Ellie
Original Author
4 years ago
Done some googling think I found it....

http://www.rainhamsteel.co.uk/products/universal-beams

So the 254 X 146 X 43 is 26 cm in height if I'm reading correct. And the one that connects with it is approx 21cm deep. I assume they do join instead of one sitting above the other?

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PRO
Verity & Beverley Ltd
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Hi,

254 is the height though in reality it would be 259.6mm

https://www.southcoaststeel.co.uk/index.php/universal-beams/254-x-146-x-ub43-universal-beam

Unless you are leaving these exposed and painted with intumescent paint you will also have to allow for any boxing out and plasterboard lining below this.
PRO
Brandler London
4 years ago
Ellie, the structural engineer does not appear to have given design heights to the underside of the new beams. This may well be intentional as he may not be sure what is above your existing ceiling unless he cut out a small test hole to carry out an inspection.

He should however be able to give you an approximate height to the underside of the beams which would include the plasterboard cladding, which as Verity * Beverley rightly pointed out will almost certainly be required.

It will then be up to you to ensure that the builder does not go below this height as it may affect the heights of your kitchen wall units. Not a big problem for standard wall units but a nightmare for a floor to ceiling unit. Make sure that your builder is aware that this is a "critical" dimension.

In conclusion speak to your structural engineer and he will give you an approximate floor height dimension that you can work to allowing you to design your kitchen.

Best of luck with you project!
PRO
Tiziana Meciani Interior Design
4 years ago
The section’s height is 259.6mm. This is a UB series though, so if height is critical your engineer can swap the beam for a UC series which is shallower but wider. Also there are options about how to set the beam, which can be pushed higher to take the joists within the flanges, like Gabby said.
Gabby Wong
4 years ago
Other thing to double check - the beam that joins onto it perpendicularly - make sure it's being attached into the side of it, not hung below it as initially ours had been planned to hang below and we changed it again to avoid reducing the ceiling height.
Ellie
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks Gabby, I see this pic on the drawings so it appears to be connected in line...
Gabby Wong
4 years ago
Looks like it to me as well! (but I'm definitely not an expert!)
PRO
Roger Connolly
4 years ago
The connection detail shows the smaller beam centred on the larger beam, so you will have two different heights. The builder will usually pack this out to hide the discrepancy.

As others above have said, a 203 x 203 column section can be used as an alternative but your engineer needs to specify this and provide revised calculations for Building Control.

Beam measurements from Structural Engineers drawings?

Gabby Wong

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Ellie
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Beam measurements from Structural Engineers drawings?

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