adding free standing second floor

[minytrker]

Made by Anthony Forest Products. 30F Power GluLam 30F 2.1 is what the sheet says.
Got this off their website: 3000Fb - 2.1E - 300Fv

 

[matt_i]

I think the glulams are up to the job, after all its basically oriented wood fibers filling up the same cross-section.

I would check pricing & availability. In my area, the glulams were more expensive to the point where I did not want to use them, also were special-order non-returnable whereas the LVLs were just stocked items in the most popular sizes.

 

[minytrker]

They are both special order here. The glulams are almost $100 cheaper and wont need to be bolted together.

 

[Chris705]

Minytrker - if you can lift and place a single member then go with it....but sometimes when working alone it is much easier to use smaller / multiple pieces. When fastened together (as specified by manuf. website) they will act as one larger single unit giving you the full capacity of the larger beam. So it depends on your situation...I find fastening multiple pieces together simpler and also you can cut the thinner LVL easier.
Also should point out that I mean full length pieces....

 

[minytrker]

Re: adding free standing second floor UPDATE

Second floor is done! Went with Anthony Forest Products 30F Power GluLam 30F 2.1 24ft beams that were 14in thick and set them on 4-6x6 post. Second floor is 10x24. I used 2x6's on 16" center and 3/4" tongue and groove plywood on the floor and the wall on the edge is 3ft tall. I built the stairs from scratch also out of 2x12's and 2x10s. My youngest brother and I did the whole project, turned out pretty good for neither of us ever building anything like this before.

 

[jetnow1]

I joists would also be able to span the 24 foot width without posts, just another way to do
it.

 

[IPACA9]

I'm getting there with mine. I've had so much going on I work on it when I can.

 

[kwb]

Re: adding free standing second floor UPDATE

Second floor is done! Went with Anthony Forest Products 30F Power GluLam 30F 2.1 24ft beams that were 14in thick and set them on 4-6x6 post. Second floor is 10x24. I used 2x6's on 16" center and 3/4" tongue and groove plywood on the floor and the wall on the edge is 3ft tall. I built the stairs from scratch also out of 2x12's and 2x10s. My youngest brother and I did the whole project, turned out pretty good for neither of us ever building anything like this before.

you basically did everything for a box beam here but then put it on top of a glue lam. That wall could have been your beam.

 

[minytrker]

Re: adding free standing second floor UPDATE

you basically did everything for a box beam here but then put it on top of a glue lam. That wall could have been your beam.

The walls are OSB screwed to 1x2's, wouldnt trust them to hold alot of weight. I figured it was safer to over build it vs under and have to redo it or have something break.