Removing/replacing the center pole

[TC911e]

Who's got any experience removing/replacing the middle of the garage, center pole support in a garage with a regular rafter structure (as opposed to trusses)? I moved into a '60s era house with a double garage with a support pole right in the middle. I seems like I could replace it with a steel structural beam supported by poles/posts at the walls if I know what the loading was.

Has anyone got experience with this mod?
Tim

 

[SPDMETL]

What's above the ceiling? Is there, for instance, a steeel beam being held up by that pole? I've heard of getting 2 bent plates of steel made up and sandwiching (squeezing, drawing together) the I beam to eliminate the pole. It's not a drainpipe, is it?

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

That looks like a very small diameter pole/pipe for a support structure. Usually, that type of support is a 4" molly column.

I have had a few successes with removal- but it depends on what is being supported (load).
It could be as easy as adding a flitch plate, adding a I-beam with packed wall pockets, to as hard as replacing the current beam(s) with LVL's or a packed I-beam for flush mounting.
I did a basement garage with an oversized I-beam one time so the guy could use it with a gantry type chain hoist for car work.

 

[Zeke]

That looks like a very small diameter pole/pipe for a support structure. Usually, that type of support is a 4" molly column.

I've never heard of a "Molly column." You sure it's not a Lally Column?

 

[rlitman]

I've never heard of a "Molly column." You sure it's not a Lally Column?

I haven't either, but I'm pretty sure what's in the picture isn't a Lally Column. That looks way to small to my eye too.

 

[Zeke]

Lally columns can be 3" or larger. They can be temporary screw jack types designed to be bolted in place and prevent uplift. I believe most are filled with concrete.

Edit: Let me add to this. Lally refers to the inventor of an adjustable column system that can be used in new construction or remodel. The column in the OP's pic may very well be a simple steel column.

Whatever. He needs to determine why it's there.

And rlitman, it does look like a 2 or 2.5" piece of pipe. It wasn't designed to be a "column."

 

[kbs2244]

It looks like a dancing practice pole to me.

 

[ozyborn]

It looks like a dancing practice pole to me.

So it is a feature for your local pole dancing practice sessions for Hooters waitresses. yea, the wife will buy that one.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

I've never heard of a "Molly column." You sure it's not a Lally Column?

Brain fart!
You knew what I was thinking.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

It looks like a dancing practice pole to me.

That was my intial thought when I first saw the pic.

 

[Zeke]

Brain fart!
You knew what I was thinking.

I actually tried looking a Molly column up. You come on here with so many dogmatic posts about how to do anything related to building that I thought I might have missed something.

Anyway, we can agree that it is not code approved and he needs to investigate above.

 

[6768rogues]

That column looks very slender for its height. I don't know your background but if you do not know about structural design you should consult an engineer.

 

[BD1]

My brother in law had the same set up with bedroom above. The column top had a plate where two beams met. We set up temporary jack support on either side of existing pipe column. We bought a new beam that went perpendicular to the existing from wall to wall. The new beam centerline was set to the center of the existing column. We than added two new columns to the end of the new beam. The new columns were set on top of foundation wall and secured. Worked out well. His span was only 18' so it was simple.

 

[rasit]

Without more info there isn't anybody that can provide a reliable solution. Remove some drywall above to see (and measure) what the column is supporting. What's the size of the existing column? What is the span (distance) of the load being supported? etc. That existing column is going to have a rated load bearing capacity that can be helpful in determining what -size I-beam might be required. Considerations have to be made for the foundation under any new columns you may add at walls. Then consult an engineer..... or expert enginner type forum members.

 

[larry_g]

Just thinking here, can you tell if the pipe is on top of the floor tiles? If it is then most likely it is not structural.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Lotek]

Could it have been added in later because someone noticed the beam sagging? Either that or stripper pole is my guess.

 

[TC911e]

I should have provided some more info. It is a relatively small pipe (1-1/2" pipe, 1.9" OD), and the support is at about the mid point of a 20' span. There's an attic above. I'll try to do a little exploratory demo this weekend to see what's above the 1x stock that the support post is attached to. I can probably handle the structural calcs and beam sizing (or at least lean some of the other engineers at work that still do engineering) if I can get some sense of what the current loads are. Mostly I'm looking for what similar solutions might look like before launching to far the structural analysis.
Thanks,
Tim

 

[TC911e]

The base of the pole is mounted to the concrete floor and the tiles are fitted around it. There's no evidence that the pole was added later, or that there was any sagging. It kind of looks like it's been there all along.
Tim

 

[little d]

TC, if your gona store stuff up there, figure in live load, if not, just figure snow load on the roof. If it was me, I'd remove some of the sheet rock from the sofit around your girder and see what is there to begain with, hell ya might get lucky and some one like me might have over done it and ya can just take it out. Or, if your not so lucky, ya might be able to "filch plate (spelling)" it.

 

[rburke65]

If you live in a residential area with tract housing and similar builds, you could could check with other owners of "like" houses to see if those owners have the "Molly" column. Sorry K'ledgeBldr.......... had to give you a shot!

 

[buening]

Let us know what you find from above in the attic. Do the trusses run perpendicular to the 1x? Thats definitely a tiny column if that was its intended purpose. My guess is it was added afterwords to support the trusses either due to them sagging or the owner thought it'd increase his attic capacity (which it wouldn't if that is truely only a 1x under the trusses). 20' is a pretty short span to need a column, but we'll need picture of the trusses and some rough measurements and component sizes.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

...so many dogmatic posts.

Was that really necessary? I'll reserve comment on yours- or did I?

 

[Thorold]

So this one time ( mid 80's ) a bunch of us were taking a large building down that used to be part of a flower store / greenhouse so we could use the property as a building lot.

We decided that if we pulled that centre pole out using a chain and my truck it would collapse into itself.

When the pole came out the whole building just grunted and sagged a bunch but did not collapse.

The rest of the day was us poking at the sides with long poles until it finally came down.

I may have taken this slightly off topic - just a story i remember from my past that came to mind ......