Steel I-Beam Requirements

I second ba/ael.

I guess using a cinder blocks and a brick top to raise the 13 in's is out of the question.

Can you provide pics?

It would be better to pulverize the existing pad in place and forget the beam.

Is your home setting on rock? I ask because we had to blast for 2 of my footers.

Your home is going to settle a lot I am thinking the first 2 years. So if your porch does not settle to match that rate your looking at a lot of expense and rework over the next 5 to 7 years. You never stated how high yout walls are.

I would suggest you frame up you porch in wood for now unless your wealthy and can afford to have the porch redone every year or so.

hello;is this 9" thick on the wall?do you have to add 13"to the wall or finish floor grade?is the porch slab not to finish grade in height or just the wall height,a 6" i beam is not riged enough for that span,even eith angle welded on both edges,tell me more if you will.

The house walls were poured 9 inches thick by 9 ft high. the front porch becomes the ceiling for a room underneath. The builder used 16 inch high beams for the sub flooring. When the builder poured the pad over the room beneath to serve as a porch it left the porch level 13 inches low requiring a step up into the front door. My wife wants to have only 2 inches step up. Since the builder has now poured the porch that is too low and it measures 8ft by 16 ft wide. The builder used courrougated steel pan to pour the cement with 3 one inch by 16 ft rebar and 8 1/2 inch rebar at 2 ft intervals. He also placed a temporary wall under the middle of the porch 16 ft. In order to raise the porch I thought I could use 8 inch block as a perimeter then fill with crusher run and set my form for a 5 inch concrete pour thus getting the height my wife wants. I next began to wonder if I was overloading the existing 4 inch concrete pad thus I am questioning if I could run a 6 inch I beam for the 16 ft run or maybe use 2 6 inch I beams on the 8 ft span . I am over my head in this. Thanks for taking the time to help a dummy.

Dallas Grimes

hello;i think you will overload from what you've told me and i can figure out.i.e. you have a room like a basement and the concrete porch is the ceiling of this room.and the walls are of the bottom or top room?and are 9' high and you will build your roof from this?to attach to your house?seems he should of added more rebar on something as important as something thats going to be over ones' head.you are talking about a lot of weight on this area.have you thought of just building up with wood like a sub floor only this will be your porch,what about water leakage? is this all inclosed? in the ground-what?

I would leave the temporary supporting wall up in the middle of the underside of the first pour, allowing the second pour to cure. when I would then remove the temp wall and leave the I beam/s in place supported by double 2x4s at each end of the I beam with the 2x4s becoming part of the interior wall studs. The porch will be covered with overhangs on either side. Thus the only weight that the original pour is supporting is the 8 inches of crusher run after allowing the new pour to cure. Thanks Dallas Grimes

i'm sorry you seem to have lost me.do you have pictures?

they say a pic is worth a lot

second pic

I would still build the steps out of wood and give the foundation time to settle.

All concrete will crack in time.

nice pics;if the area you are talking about is where the two men are on the gravel,and the room is underneath,than use the two beams going at 8'.and maybe a screw post for support[use at least 2,they are reasonable]remember what ever fill you put in will have to be compressed to help guard against cracks.the simplest thing would be a wood floor to match your cabin.you can build it and leave enough room to cover it in log siding to match,will look a lot better,i think and be more feasable.and you won't have to use any kind of fill to give you headachs later.

thank you for the info I plan to follow your advice. Dallas Grimes