Hi, please help enlighten me with your knowledge of this subject.

I'm planning to cut an opening in my load bearing wall which will span
9 ft wide.  This is a two stories house and the load bearing wall is
on the ground level.  This load bearing wall is holding up between two
bedrooms above and above the bedrooms are a huge roof. So I go to
consider the roof and also the two bedroom weight on the header that I
want to replace the load bearing wall with.  The height of the ceiling
on the ground level is 8 ft tall and so if I put in a 6x16 beam...it
will looks too low.  I also need to figure out the exact load of the
roof and two bedrooms bearing on the beam.  A few questions: Should I
use wood or steel I-beam and also is there an equation I can use to
figure this out.  Please advise.

Thanks,
-Tim

---

Request for Question Clarification by answerfinder-ga on 11 Nov 2006 01:34 PST

Where are you located? If in the UK you need to do the following:

"Structural Alterations - Any structural alteration, such as the
removal of a load-bearing wall and insertion of RSJ requires Building
Regulation Approval. You should submit a Building Regulation
application with supporting details and structural calculations before
commencing work on site."
http://www.iow.gov.uk/living_here/planning/images/3BC4-InternalAlterations.pdf

You are contemplating a serious structural alteration. You need to
have a scructural engineer to advise you. Wood will not support such a
weight. You need an RSJ (rolled steel joist) sufficient to take the
weight.

I suspect that wherever you are located, this advice applies.

answerfinder-ga