Beams over "pony wall"

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#1

Originally Posted By: jonofrey
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I called this out for further evaluation because it didn’t look right to me. The two load bearing beams converge over a pony wall and the multiple short 2 X’s directly underneath were not plumb. This suggests lateral movement IMO.


What do you think? I need edu-macated.

http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/usrimages/MVC-00116F.jpg

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Inspection Nirvana!

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#2

Originally Posted By: psabados
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Something is moving on that corner. The five short 2x’s put together appear to be out of plumb. Then there’s the filler piece under the three on the extreme right. Just looking at the picture it almost looks like its an inch or more out of plumb.


I'd call for further eval. Make the AHJ earn his money, possibly the AIA also!

Question! Looking at the stud wall going to the right, above the second vertical (double 2x)wall stud. There's a three piece laminated wood beam also. Looks like its overhanging the proposed wall. Is that supposed to be a curved wall? And what did they use as a header on the wall, looks like plywood or OSB? Not only that, what's supporting that beam?

Paul

#3

Originally Posted By: jonofrey
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Paul,


Of course the builder looked at me like I was crazy when I pointed out the short studs under the beam. He asked me how I would have done it. I said it seems to me the studs should be unbroken from sole plate to top plate. At least at the corner under the beam.

That is a curved wall in the stairwell, good call. The beam above the plywood laminate header looked ok but begs another question as to sheetrock nailers? As far as support goes for the beam above the curved plywood, it looked ok to me as it was supoprted by at least 4 studs with crossbracing and trimmers.

It is a pretty busy corner though, at the top of a stairwell. Lots of beams in this house. Two of which were terminated above windows that the builder already agreed to move.

Anybody know of any rules of thumb concerning beams over window openings?

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Inspection Nirvana!

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#4

Originally Posted By: psabados
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Greg


I bet if you go back and do an 11 month warranty inspection, the finish on the drywall is gona look like a road map with mountains and craters formed by all the nail pops

Good luck, have fun

Paul

#5

Originally Posted By: jonofrey
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


Peter,


Thanks. I'm going to get another beer too.

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Inspection Nirvana!

We're NACHI. Get over it.

#6

Originally Posted By: jmyers
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It really looks to me like someone was trying to be creative because they did not know what the HE** they were doing! icon_biggrin.gif


Joe Myers

#7

Originally Posted By: rking
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John,


It looks to me like you have a typical 'scissor effect' going on there. That wall should have been continuous studs from sole plate to top plate OR sheeted with 1/2" plywood from top to bottom, glued and nailed to prevent the racking. In my neck of the woods that would not have passed the AHJ inspection.
As far as the beams terminating above the windows...It can be done with the proper support structure in place, but that is a place for an engineer (Did I just say that?) to do a point load calculation and determine tensile strength blah, blah, blah.....

Over to you RC....

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Muskoka Home Inspections
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