I-Beam selection???

[theshedman]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could help me on selecting the right I-beam for the job. I am wanting to be able to lift storage sheds using I-beams and jacks. There will be two I-beams spanning the width of the shed, one towards front, one towards back. The width of the sheds are 8' and 10', so the I beam will be 11'. The jacks will be 10' apart so the actual span of the i-beam is 10'. The weight of my sheds will be a maximum of 2,250 lbs.
I am wanting to get beams that are light enough to move around...
Hoping maybe a w6-9
Any help is greatly appreciated. Even any ideas on what kind of jacks or other means of lifting. I am considering using transmission jacks. Qualifications of jacks are as follows: lift height 35", weight 2,250 lbs., stable base, easy to set up, portable, light enough for one man to move...

Thanks

 

[kbs2244]

To do it right we really need to know the weight of the sheds.
But if they are empty and frame construction, you should be OK
I have done it with wood 4 x 6's.
Only a foot on each side is cutting it a little close.
2 feet will give you more choice as to the ground to put the jacks on.
I would go with old style screw jacks if you need hand powered.
They lift high and with surprising ease.
Make sure you have some 24 inch pieces of 2x10 around to use as pads.

 

[theshedman]

The weight of sheds is there, up to 2,250 lbs. Really you did it with 4x6 (doug fir?)? What size were the sheds? How sturdy are screw jacks? The reason I was only going out 1 foot out is so that the jacks would be closer to the building, hoping that would help to carry the load.

 

[PAToyota]

Why are you lifting the sheds?

If this is only temporary - such as to load them on a trailer to move them or to put a foundation under them then I'd go KBS's route of wood beams.

If the sheds are going to be up there for awhile (can't figure out why) you'd want something more substantial because the wood will likely bow over time.

Another consideration is how the shed is put together. Does it have a floor with floor joists? I could see the bigger problem being that if it is just walls sitting directly on a pad that you'll have to tie the bottom together so that the walls don't spread out.

 

[theshedman]

The sheds will only be lifted and put on a trailer. Yes there is a floor with floor joists, but the only point of contact are the 4x4 skidders that run the length of the sheds. These 4x4's are about 4' apart.

 

[PAToyota]

Then I'd just go with 4x4s (or 4x6s if you really want), jack it up, get the trailer under it, and set it back down.

 

[theshedman]

The problem is also getting a stable jack system...
That will go 3' high

 

[PAToyota]

Cribbing...

 

[car99r]

We have moved many sheds around here using a lowboy roll back car hauler. Just back up to it and the drill a 2" hole through each of the runners and run a 1.5" piece of black pipe through them. Hook a tow chain to the pipe and winch on to rollback...

IMO...I would suggest trying to find someone with a rollback truck before attempting to lift 3' high on jacks...

 

[PAToyota]

Thinking about it some more, I'd be inclined to follow car99r's advice. Even if you use a trailer rather than a rollback, I'd just use those skids on the bottom and winch/pull/drag/tow the shed onto the trailer.

 

[car99r]

Whatever you do though, do not try to just pull it up with one runner in the middle. If it is very old at all it will put it out...lol Don't ask!

 

[Iron-Iceberg]

use those camper jacks one on each corner. They lift pretty high.