Beam between internal walls?

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by CrawfW, Jul 7, 2015.

  1. CrawfW

    CrawfW Member

    Hi,

    I am renovating a cob cottage, and would like to increase the head-height over the first part of the main staircase. Removing the plaster has revealed a beam, which crosses between two internal walls, which is the problem.

    The first question is why is the beam there?

    The second question is can i replace it with a similar beam higher up - or remove it completely?

    It's pretty hard to explain the layout properly, so I've attached an illustration i made, and a couple of photos. Apologies they are such poor quality - damaged camera lens working on the house!

    Comments hugely appreciated!

    Crawf
     

    Attached Files:

  2. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    The beam looks like it's holding part of your upstairs floor up. It's hard to tell as the dimensions you have written don't match your drawing and the picture quality is so poor.
     
  3. CrawfW

    CrawfW Member

    Thanks for commenting! Will try and get a better photo this evening. I think the dimensions are right though......

    Crawf

    (P.S - The drawing is a side-view...... So, the three timbers from above are all vertical, etc.)
     
  4. CrawfW

    CrawfW Member

    Also, any why the beam is there? It seems like it might be to prevent the two internal walls moving apart from each other, but i can't see where there would be any force causing this to happen.....

    Crawf
     
  5. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    By dimensions I meant to scale, you have written dimensions for square timber but drawn rectangular.
     
  6. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    Having now looked at this on 2 screens I think I haver a better idea what you are talking about although if the beam in question is 4 metres off the ground I don't know why you want to raise it.
    Are the upper vertical beams resting on the horizontal beam and are any other horizontal beams tied into it?
     
  7. CrawfW

    CrawfW Member

    Hi,

    Thanks for looking again! Especially given how crappy my pictures and information has been.

    Agree that scale would have been better - numbers are length x height x width - so, 1000mm long, 200mm high, 50mm wide.

    The two squares at the bottom of the picture represent beams that run perpendicular to the "problem beam". They are each about 4000mm long, span between two external walls, and are also supported by 4 equally spaced vertical beams (not shown). The 4000mm beams are about 2000mm from the ground - which isn't much after going up a step or two!

    Hope that makes a bit more sense!
     

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