I saw these notches in todays inspection. It’s a new construction, 1700 sq ft. Two main beams coming down the center, from left to right. The beams are notched 2 inches in a 2x12 which tells me it’s notched right at 1/6th the depth. The width of some of the notches appears to be 4 inches long. I just need verification that what I’m reporting, that the beam is over notched and needs to be evaluated by a qualified contractor, is correct. Thanks for any info you can offer!
Are you talking about the blade cut in the 2x12? Or the 2x2 ledger that is nailed to it?
Hey Daniel, I was talking about the blade cut.
The saw cuts look more than 2" beyond the notch…
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Hey Michael, yep, they are. I’ve not seen a notched beam like this before.
Honestly, I dont think it would ever be an issue, and I would not make a big deal about it… But, if you want to mention it in your report, they would probably just sister a short block next to it with glue and nails, and that would prevent it from ever splitting
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I wonder what our resident SE @rmayo would have to say…
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A 4" notch in a 2x12 is slightly more than 1/3 the depth of the board and is not allowed.
4/11.5 > 1/3
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The saw cuts has the same effect as over sawn stair stringers. This reduces the effect depth of the beam. In this case the end of this beam is in the highest shear stress area so at a minimum another support is needed underneath.
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Cause the expert carpenter didn’t adjust the depth of the saw blade for the notch and had the saw base on the wide side of the board rather than the edge. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are horizontal overcuts that are covered by the ledger strip…
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