With the growth of individual construction, I-beams have become increasingly popular in the private sector. Their advantages are a separate topic, but one of the advantages of supports of this type is worth noting. Unlike metal analogues, I-beams made of wood can be made with your own hands. How to do this is discussed in detail in this article.
The scope of application of wooden I-beams is not limited to the arrangement of floors. They are widely used in the construction of frame buildings, installation of decking, partitions and formwork. Knowing the technology and a number of features of the industrial production of such products, it is possible to make a sample of any standard size for a specific use.
After all, making an I-beam with your own hands means solving a number of problems. Firstly, with the transportation of large products. Secondly, with fitting it in place, since purchased copies may not fit exactly.
The author immediately stipulates that delving into such details, how and how to select wood to obtain grooves in the workpiece and a number of other nuances is completely pointless. Each owner has his own experience, capabilities and tools. Therefore, the emphasis is on home technology for assembling I-beams, the full cycle of making them with your own hands. Examples of factory reference samples are shown in the figure.
This is not all that the market offers, but the design features of I-beams and their main standard sizes are clear.
Selection of materials
Wooden beams are a generalized concept. To make an I-beam, not only solid wood is used, but also products based on it (slabs, sheets, puffs, pressed, etc.).
Beam support parts
Only timber. Thanks to their correct geometry, such blanks are one of the best choices for the production of I-beams. Another thing is what kind of timber? Since strength is of primary importance for a supporting element, it is better to focus not on profiled blanks, but on glued ones. .
Separately, you should dwell on the type of wood. You can talk a lot about this topic, describing the pros and cons of this or that wood. The author recommends using larch or products made on its basis to assemble an I-beam.
Suffice it to remember that this particular tree has always been used to lay the lower crowns of log houses. The reason is that by partially absorbing moisture, it becomes even stronger. Actually, this is what is required if we think about the reliability and durability of the supporting element.
Beam post
If you assemble an I-beam with your own hands, then the best solution (although not the only one) is OSB boards or sheets of plywood (multilayer). Here it is necessary to take into account what kind of overlap we are talking about. If the load is insignificant, then you can get by with cheaper FC sheets. For the construction of massive structures, it is clear that oriented strand boards are used, since they are much stronger.
Glue
The recommendation is simple - if we are talking about installing floors or other structural elements in a residential building, then you should pay close attention to its component composition. The fewer toxic substances, the better. Such adhesives are labeled as ECO.
The procedure for manufacturing a wooden I-beam
It is assumed that the materials are dried, rejected and ready for use.
Planks
The most important technological stage. The durability of the I-beam and its ability to withstand the design load depend on how accurately the markings are made. Even the slightest distortion of the wall will have the most negative consequences. The sampling of wood in the timber should be carried out strictly along the center line of the workpiece. This is taken into account when marking a wooden part for an I-beam. Moreover, regardless of the linear parameters of the bar.
Wall
Since it is installed in grooves prepared in the timber, the corresponding edges of the sheet (slab) should be slightly beveled.
Assembling an I-beam
The manufacturing process itself, when everything is properly organized, does not take much time.
- Coating the grooves in the planks with glue.
- Installation into the workpiece, which is the bottom, sheet or slab wall.
- Placing the timber on top, pressing and leveling.
Features of work
It is necessary not only to ensure a tight fit of all parts of the I-beam, but also to avoid their distortion during the drying process of the glue. To do this, you should use any hardware with the appropriate profile. You can take a ready-made channel according to the dimensions of the planks, bend the sheet metal, giving it the desired shape. All that remains is to place these parts on the assembled I-beam from below and above and secure it with clamps or wrap it with rope, like a cocoon.
- It is better to entrust the calculation of the parameters of an I-beam depending on the load to a professional. It is not difficult to assemble it with your own hands, but only a specialist in this field can independently determine the necessary parameters (for example, the thickness, width of the workpieces). Having saved on paying for its services, you can subsequently lose much more on major repairs.
- Products made from the same template should not be used for different conditions of use. Again, due to possible differences in the maximum load.
- Purchased wood, even industrially dried, is characterized by a certain level of humidity. Before you start “constructing” I-beams and assembling them with your own hands, the lumber should be kept for some time in conditions where they will dry out additionally. Otherwise, there is a risk that after installing the supporting element it will move, and with it the entire structure.
- Productivity can be significantly increased if work on the production of I-beams is properly organized. Regardless of the size of the beams, they all have an identical design. Therefore, it is advisable to split the preparation process into several stages. For example, cutting materials, polishing samples, treating them with drugs (fire retardants, antiseptics), and so on. When performing similar operations, time savings are obvious. In this case, it will take about 15 minutes to make one I-beam, no more.
- The decision to use a board for the wall is not entirely correct. The materials recommended above from wood fragments (plywood, OSB) are subjected to “hot” pressing during the manufacturing process. This means they are characterized by high density. But the same cannot be said about wood. Therefore, the board is used extremely rarely when assembling an I-beam - with a small height of the product, and then only when necessary. Moreover, only dense rocks are taken, and they are quite expensive. And their protection from moisture absorption will require more intensive processing. Conclusion - such a solution is economically unjustified.
Actually, there is nothing complicated either at the preparation stage or in the process of assembling an I-beam with your own hands. If engineering calculations are made correctly, taking into account all the operating features, then the homemade support element will turn out no worse than the factory one. And most importantly, it will fit exactly where it will be installed.
Initially, the functional purpose of the beams located under the ceiling was to support the ceiling. Now these elements are often found as decorative components of interiors created in the style of Provence, chalet, country and others.
It looks good to integrate beams into modern interior solutions when decorating rooms in styles: minimalism, loft, modern, high-tech. These decorative products look most advantageous in rooms with high walls. This explains their installation in houses where the ceilings are three meters high.
Wooden beams located under the ceiling are a stylish element of decorating a private home, which emphasize the spaciousness of the premises. In some cases, they actually carry a functional load, for example, they are used to hide communications. Most often, beams are located in living rooms, offices, kitchens and hallways.
Types of ceiling beams
The ceilings of modern houses are increasingly rarely decorated with natural wood elements. It is much less common to meet owners who decide to install real heavy beams for decoration purposes. They are usually used in suburban buildings.
Stores selling building materials offer a wide selection of ceiling
false beams made of polyurethane, easy to install. Visually, these products are difficult to distinguish from those made from natural wood, but in reality they even surpass them in some characteristics.
The advantages of false beams made of polyurethane include the fact that they:
- do not undergo deformation and do not crack;
- do not swell in the presence of excess moisture;
- are not afraid of dampness;
- Easily mounted on the ceiling, including suspended ceilings.
If property owners are connoisseurs of natural materials, they can choose products made from MDF or chipboard. False beams are made of them hollow inside. Veneer made from valuable wood species is glued onto such products. There are also options made from lamellas.
Beams are different:
- with rounded and sharp edges;
- U-shaped and L-shaped.
If we compare false ceiling beams made of wood and polyurethane, then the first of them must be treated with fire retardants for fire safety, and the second are not initially flammable. For the same length, products made from natural wood are approximately 2-3 times more expensive.
False beams made of wood are mounted exclusively on a block, and those made of polyurethane are mounted only with glue. To decorate a room in a high-tech style, designers use metal beams, but they are much more difficult to install, which will require the help of professionals.
DIY ceiling decorative beams
Some home craftsmen prefer to make false beams with their own hands, and this process takes them a minimum of time, and their cost is inexpensive. For example, to make such interior elements, you can take ordinary foam plastic left over after insulating a garage room or loggia.
Work on creating false beams is carried out in the following sequence:
- Sheets of foam plastic having a thickness of 4-5 centimeters are cut into strips of a certain width.
- The strips are glued into a U-shaped beam using liquid nails.
- After the adhesive has set, the product is cut into pieces of the required length.
- The beams are covered with self-adhesive wood-like film, in addition to the side that is to be glued to the wall.
Using a similar technology, such products are made from plywood sheets and even boards, which are then subjected to an aging process, covering them with stain and varnish. When making false ceiling beams from wood with your own hands, use, for example, natural edged polished timber 50x70 millimeters.
Decorating beams
When creating a certain style in the interior of a room, the design of the beams will be different:
- For Victorian and classical styles, these elements are decorated with gold carvings and decorated with vignettes and patterns. Ready-made polyurethane products are available for sale.
- The best choice for modern interiors would be brown, black, white or colored elements.
- For high-tech furnishings, metal finishes are well suited.
- To recreate a rural interior, the wood must be specially aged, making its texture rough.
Methods for placing ceiling beams
False beams can be used to decorate any type of ceiling: conventional painted, suspended, plasterboard and others. They are used for functional zoning of a room or to create such a now popular decorative element as a false ceiling window with imitation stained glass.
With the help of decorative beams, a semblance of window coverings is arranged, between which a canvas with photo printing, frescoes, mosaics and sometimes mirror panels are mounted.
The modern technique in which the beams go onto the walls looks original. They can also be decorated with LED lighting for a stylish, decorative effect. Beams with ceiling-type lighting fixtures built into them look unusual and stunning. In this case, the electrical wiring is hidden inside a hollow structure.
Beams located on the ceiling give the living room a feeling of comfort, coziness and special warmth, and add some zest to modern interiors. They allow you to create an atmosphere of authenticity in some establishments, such as clubs or pubs.
Options for placing false beams
If it is necessary to visually expand the room, when installing beams, take into account some nuances:
- If you need to make the room wider, then the false beams on the ceiling are placed along the short side.
- When it is necessary to increase the length, they are placed along the entire length of the ceiling surface.
- Criss-cross installation gives the room visual volume.
- Using just one beam, you can emphasize a separate area, for example, the place where the bar counter is located.
The frequency of installation of this decorative element is of great importance. For example, with a significant ceiling height, which often happens in rooms located on the first floors of buildings, placing beams close to each other on the ceiling helps to visually reduce it.
They can also be placed in a Christmas tree shape. Attic rooms that do not have a ceiling look especially original when the beams under the ceiling, passing through the columns, are fixed at their ends in the walls, thereby creating the appearance of a hut.
Installation of foam beams on the ceiling
The method of attaching beams to the ceiling depends on the material they are made of. The simplest option for installing false beams in modern apartments is gluing them, which allows you to decorate the living room or kitchen inexpensively and quickly.
Perform imitation of beams on the ceiling with your own hands in the following order:
- First, marks are applied to the ceiling and walls to indicate places for sticking false beams. For better adhesion they should be primed.
- Then the beam is lubricated with liquid nails and glued to the desired place. Products made from foam plastic are almost weightless, and this adhesive composition sets almost instantly.
In some instructions, glue manufacturers recommend lubricating not only the product, but also the surface of the wall, but if there is too much glue, the beam begins to slide down. Therefore, the amount of the required adhesive composition and the method of its application are determined experimentally.
If the room is narrow, you can stick 2 beams along the long walls, and install the transverse products perpendicular to them. This simple design allows you to make the unevenness of the concrete floor invisible and will look very advantageous.
Attaching wooden beams to a wooden ceiling
The process of installing a false beam on a ceiling made of wood or concrete is simple and inexpensive:
- Lines for installation are drawn on the ceiling.
- Holes are drilled in the timber with a 12 mm drill, no more than 5 mm deep, at intervals of 30 centimeters.
- In the same places, 8 millimeter holes are drilled into which 120 millimeter screws are driven.
- The timber is applied and the points for the holes on the ceiling surface are marked.
- In the marked places, 8 mm holes are made with a puncher.
- They drive chopsticks into them.
- Screw the beam.
Cover the places where the screws are attached with wood putty. After drying, they are tinted with stain and varnished. In addition, the heads of the screws can be covered with wooden plugs or decorative attachments that imitate the heads of forged nails.
A faster fastening option is to use regular dowel nails for this purpose. If cross placement of beams is planned, then unevenness may appear at the joints.
The design of these nodes directly depends on the style of interior design of the room. For example, if it is country, then these places can be covered with decorative leather belts or large twine glued in several rows.
Installation of polyurethane beams on beams
This option for installing polyurethane beams on the ceiling refers to professional methods:
- For such production of false beams, wooden wedge beams are made that correspond to the internal cavity of the element.
- Mark the ceiling by drawing lines along which the beams will be attached.
- Wedge beams are placed along the intended line every meter using self-tapping screws or dowels.
- The false beams are attached to the ceiling using glue for polyurethane products. This is required not only for fixation, but also to ensure that they fit tightly to the surface so that there are no gaps.
- The beam is placed tightly on the beams and screwed through the sides with screws.
- The fastening elements that mount the false beam to the beam, and the points of contact between the beams, are covered with decorative leather straps that imitate rivets.
Features of installing beams on a suspended ceiling
To equip a suspended ceiling system and decorate it with decorative products in the form of beams, you will need to install embedded parts reminiscent of those used when installing chandeliers.
The embedded element is a wooden block of a certain thickness. It is attached to the ceiling, and the tension fabric is pulled so that it touches the bottom of the block. Then false beams are attached to it through the ceiling. You can use the option of fastening beams using hangers, which are fixed to the base, and after tensioning the panel, cuts are made in the material.
The sequence of actions depends on the material used. When the suspended ceiling has been installed for a long time, but there is a desire to transform the interior without dismantling the canvas, you can use external consoles that are fastened to the wall, or internal bars screwed to the wall. Beams are attached to them with self-tapping screws.
Installing beams on a plasterboard ceiling
Since their plasterboard ceiling is a suspended structure, beams cannot be attached directly to it. Therefore, you need to remember the locations of the frame profiles and attach the beams to them in any way:
- with a long anchor through the beam, drywall and profile onto the block;
- using a self-tapping screw to the gypsum board and profile.
True, a self-tapping screw that is screwed onto drywall will not hold the beam for long.
The nuances of creating false beams
Places where beams meet or screws come out should be covered with various covers, for example, forged copper plates or leather straps. To decorate the space, special consoles are used, sold together with beams - they imitate supports on the walls.
As a result, you can get an original and at the same time beautiful indoor interior with an emphasis on false wooden beams. This does not require investing large sums of money.
If you have heard about the innovative method of lightweight, and at the same time, durable and reliable construction from beams of an unusual type and are interested in it, then this article is just for you! Wooden I-beams, which have long been used abroad, are still new to the domestic market, although they have much more advantages than any other material.
And the best part about all this is that it is absolutely possible to make them right at home using standard available tools. Are you building a house on your own? Then check out another technology that will make your life easier!
To begin with, we invite you to watch an interesting video about the main characteristics of I-beams:
What is an I-beam, and what is the essence of the new construction technology?
I-beams are especially popular abroad: in Canada and European countries, and in Russia they are only gaining popularity. Moreover, in some regions they cannot even be found on sale! Why? If world experience shows that such a building material is truly high-quality and reliable, how is it that I-beams have not taken a leading position in the domestic market?
The fact is that the true Russian soul of the master is accustomed to working with strong and reliable materials: massive, which are difficult to lift and which inspire respect by their mere appearance.
And the ceiling has long been accustomed to being built from strong, large and heavy wooden beams or even solid logs, but certainly not from “cunning” innovative structures with a thin partition. But the fact that reliability here is ensured by the same laws of physics, without which one cannot do either in construction or in architecture, is another matter.
And until now, most Russian developers are ready to make floor beams even from metal rather than from two strips and OSB. Although in fact such beams have a number of advantages!
What is good about the Canadian method of floor construction?
Let's look at all the advantages of I-beams as a material for floor construction:
Advantage No. 1. Amazing strength
Thanks to this ingeniously thought-out design, rather fragile-looking beams turn out to be many times stronger and more reliable than ordinary ones. The upper part of the beam works in bending, and the lower part in tension. Those. here we are no longer talking about one monolithic element that has to take on both types of load at the same time:
Advantage No. 2. Precise geometry
The second very important point: the ideal geometry of the beams themselves. Even over time, they do not sag, do not twist, do not dry out and do not change their parameters. According to manufacturers, even after 100 years, such beams will behave the same as a year after construction.
What does this give? To begin with, an impeccably even floor, on which it is easy to install any floor covering, especially parquet and laminate. The fact is that when you are dealing with beams and ordinary wooden beams, you should know that according to standards, their deflection can reach 3 cm! And, believe me, even this is already noticeable: the floor will simply “walk” under your feet. And this will definitely not have a good effect on any floor covering (except for cheap linoleum, perhaps).
And this is normal: natural wood is a living material, and it tends to shrink, dry out, or, conversely, absorb moisture. But I-beams are already made from laminated wood, using a particularly strong connecting composition, and they do not change their dimensions.
Advantage No. 3. Comfortable weight
The next important aspect: I-beams are light enough to lift one of them yourself, and therefore two ordinary workers can handle such work without any problems. What does this give?
Firstly, you will not need heavy equipment that will have to lift ordinary wooden or metal beams.
Secondly, working at height will become safer, because a beam that is too heavy will not fall on anyone’s head.
Thirdly, the use of I-beams will allow you to save a lot on the foundation, because the load on it will already be an order of magnitude less. And, if we take into account that up to 50% of the construction budget usually goes to a reliable, strong foundation that will support not only walls, but also equally heavy beams, then the savings are significant.
Advantage #4. Making at home
You can make I-beams yourself if you know what their parameters and connection points should be. And as a result, you will not only have confidence in the quality of the ceiling, but also save a lot of money on your budget.
Advantage #5. Practicality in insulation
And finally, the last pleasant moment: I-beams are especially convenient for insulating the floors between floors and subsequent finishing of the ceiling:
The only unpleasant point is that in Russia there are only a few companies that supply high-quality I-beams, and if you are to purchase them, it is important to be able to correctly consider all the technological shortcomings. We are talking about the future overlap!
What parameters should a wooden I-beam have?
You are probably interested to know why the I-beam is called that way? The fact is that it consists of two main elements that resemble the connected letters T. A T-shaped beam, in turn, is called a tee. This is where this unusual name comes from.
What does such a beam look like in section? First of all, this is a blank made of OSB or plywood, which act as stiffeners. And for this, a groove of the desired shape is pre-milled in the beams. The height of the beam ranges from 140 to 470 millimeters, and in practice it turns out to be quite rigid in deflection. If we talk about choosing a beam design for standard cottage construction with the most popular spans up to 6 m, the most advantageous would be a beam with a height of 302 mm.
Naskorova beams were the very first to be produced in Russia, and modern manufacturers still use their designations. They are divided into series depending on the thickness of the shelves: thin beams and wide-shelf:
- NJ Series Thin Edge Beams. These are beams with a shelf thickness of 38 mm. These are prepared for arranging the perimeter of the external contour of the ceiling, where an opening is needed for stairs or for other loaded places. They come in single-layer and multi-layer types.
- Wide flange beams NJH and NJU series. These are beams with flange thicknesses of 64 mm or 89 mm, specifically for load-bearing spans. As you understand, in such places the load on the beams is strongest.
Here's how the two series differ:
Let us note this important point. On the Internet you can often find a dangerous misconception according to which wooden I-beams are made: the calculation is made according to the old table of Naskorova beams. Although in fact at that time there were no SNiPs for I-beams, and this table assumed a snow load of about 90 kg/m, which corresponds exactly to the Rostov region.
But today it is wrong to use such data, since you understand that the snow load can be much higher in the more northern regions of the Russian Federation. Therefore, be guided only by this table, which has already been compiled by modern manufacturers:
Remember also that not all types of I-beams that are used in construction today are suitable for flooring. For example, I-beams of formwork.
How to purchase a high-quality I-beam for your home?
In the factory, I-beams are made from valuable coniferous wood: larch or pine. If you decide to purchase ready-made I-beams, we will give you a couple of valuable tips:
- Point 1. Pay attention to the seam: a small amount of glue should be visible. This is fine.
- Point 2. The cutout along the entire shelf must be conical, and the OSB itself must be milled and inserted correctly.
- Point 3. OSB should be stapled every half meter directly into the shelf. This helps maintain pressure before the glue completely hardens.
- Point 4. You have the right to ask for a product quality certificate and see if the correct type of glue is used - one that is approved for glued load-bearing structures.
- Point 5. Check whether the accompanying documentation contains a test report for beam samples, their technical specifications and release numbers.
High-quality I-beams should look like this:
The secret here lies in the fact that such beams are pre-dried well, while ordinary wood still contains a certain percentage of moisture. And the design of the beam itself makes it easy to cut holes in the ceiling for sewerage, gas and water ventilation, and in the context of building a private house or cottage this is an important point.
As for the adhesive joint, we note that some Russian developers have long abandoned ordering raw materials from smaller companies and are purchasing foreign I-beams, because domestic production of I-beams and its final quality is not always satisfactory. And there is little experience, Canadian technology is still too unusual and does not find many followers in our country. That’s why sometimes it’s easier to make an I-beam of wood with your own hands - there’s nothing complicated here. And we will tell you what and how.
How to make your own I-beam?
When you start making your own overseas beam for building your house, it will take you about a day for the first sample, but on the second day the work will go much faster. Do everything according to these step-by-step instructions:
- Step 1. Purchase 12mm thick OSB sheets and cut them into equal parts.
- Step 2. Next you will need boards in which you need to make a dovetail cutter in the middle of the board, about 12-14 mm deep.
- Step 3. Pour special glue into the hole and insert the OSB sheet.
- Step 4. To quickly dry the area, just use a heater.
The main thing is to never purchase freshly sawn or undried boards, as they can behave in an unpredictable manner in the long term.
Calculate the height of the beam according to this principle:
- For a sheet with dimensions of 2440 mm, the optimal beam spacing will be 305, 406, 488 and 610 mm.
- For a sheet of 2500 mm, the rational step would be 312, 417 and 500 mm. But I-beams with a pitch of more than 6 meters are no longer used.
In the factory, I-beams are always milled so that the slot appears to be narrowed downward, and the OSB sheet is glued into the flange with tension. This is how the leaf and tree fit most tightly.
To do this, polyurethane or melamine glue is used, and the sheet itself is clamped with clamps and hammered in at an additional angle of 45 degrees along the length every 20 cm. Each such beam takes no more than 2 hours, and after 6 hours it can be installed:
Connect the beams to each other using special block inserts:
Here is a short video tutorial on how to insert a sheet into wood:
How to prepare beams for installation?
And finally, the most important stage! When making wooden I-beams for the construction of your house, long before their installation you need to accurately calculate the voids in the floors - for the future laying of utilities. Of course you will be installing plumbing pipes, electrical cables and utility systems. And here it is important to determine everything correctly initially, in order to prevent the overlap from weakening later.
Drilling holes for communications
And now let’s also come close to such an important issue as how to properly drill I-beams. The fact is that this must be done on the ground - before installation. And here it is important to follow all the rules, otherwise even small holes can weaken the beam along its entire length. Where exactly through holes can be located in floor beams depends on the technology by which they were produced.
So, I-beams should have holes no more than 40 mm. They are allowed to be located almost anywhere between the tees, but not closer than 150 mm to the end of the beam or support on the load-bearing element. Ideally, such holes will be located directly in the center relative to the shelves, and not higher or lower. The maximum permissible hole diameter is 10 cm.
In addition, make sure that the distance between adjacent holes is 2 times greater than the diameter of the largest one.
Beam-to-wall attachment points
If you have prepared the beams correctly, you can safely begin their installation:
Here are the main components for fastening I-beams to the wall:
Insert insulation into the finished floor made of wooden I-beams:
Now let's look at the main mistakes in the manufacture of such beams.
Mistake #1. Buying unprepared wood
If you undertake to make such a base for the ceiling yourself, remember that in the factory the beams are prepared using a special technology, using only calibrated dry material. This makes it possible to completely eliminate the occurrence of the so-called “helicopter” twisting of beams, which often occurs when using conventional wooden beams and boards.
You will probably be interested to look at the process of factory production of such beams:
Mistake #2. Using the wrong adhesive
You cannot use epoxy resin to glue I-beam elements together. It has rather weak adhesion specifically to wood, and you will have to wait a lot of time until it hardens. But polyurethane glue works well. Its main advantage is that it does not burn and is itself thermoactive. In simple terms, the higher the temperature, the stronger the product itself becomes.
And you certainly cannot use PVA as glue, because it is absolutely not intended for use in such structures.
Mistake #3. Incorrect pairing of beams
We are talking about overuse of beams. The fact is that, unlike ordinary wooden beams, I-beams are not attached with an overlap. To fasten them, it is necessary to butt the beams end-to-end and secure them using perforated plates. But not with perforated tape, the use of which will later lead to the beam overturning! Moreover, the installation location of the perforated plates is determined by precise engineering calculations.
Mistake #4. Using the wrong fasteners
Another popular mistake is attaching I-beams to the wall and sealing their place with foam. But in fact, you can only use special embedded elements.
It is also impossible to use weak brackets, because after this it will no longer be possible to guarantee the load-bearing capacity of such a floor and there is a risk of collapse of the entire structure.
I-beams are also not fastened with ordinary self-tapping screws. After all, the self-tapping screw itself is not a structural element, and it is not designed to withstand increased loads, and is used only for fastening light and non-load-bearing structures.
Pay attention to the size of the bracket and whether its height is sufficient. The ratio of the height of the bracket and the beam should tend to unity, that is, be almost the same. The smaller the bracket, the worse.
Mistake #5. Involvement of foreign elements
It is also wrong to use additional elements that were not provided for in the design. In fact, the standard I-beam fastening is quite rigid, and there is no need to secure it in any other way.
We have prepared an illustration for you that will help you understand the most common mistakes in installing such beams:
Follow our advice - and you will succeed!
I-beams made of wooden construction beams are used as load-bearing and other elements for installing floors, erecting walls and other elements in low-rise, country house, and cottage construction. The demand for this building material is explained by its affordable price, in comparison with steel analogues, ease of installation, processing and operation, and good strength characteristics.
Prefabricated wooden I-beam or OSB I-beam is a standard profile of structural elements made of wood, having a cross-sectional shape close to the letter “H”.
The beam is assembled from two bars with a strip of OSB plate embedded between them. All elements are connected using special adhesives.
In frame construction, thanks to the constant and correct geometric dimensions of wooden I-beams, everything can be made from such beams: walls, interfloor ceilings, rafter systems and other load-bearing structures.
The production of wooden OSB beams is characterized by ease of organization and an accessible technological process. It is enough to purchase a production line. Consumables: OSB sheet, dried timber and glue.
It would seem that the design of the beams is so simple that you involuntarily ask the question - how to make a wooden I-beam with your own hands?
Let's answer it. You can make such a beam with your own hands, and the tools you need are quite simple: a marking tool, cutting saws and a router with interchangeable attachments. We cut the OSB sheets into strips of the required height, and select a groove of the required geometric dimensions in the timber of the required section.
After that, the prepared elements only need to be connected to each other using glue or other methods (nails, screws, etc.): by inserting OSB strips into the grooves on the beam. But you can only do this for yourself. And then with caution.
To sell, and especially to open production, it is necessary to use specialized automatic production lines. Which will ensure the production of beams with constant quality and precise geometric dimensions. Such production cannot be repeated using hand tools. After all, even a minimal difference in the thickness of the applied glue affects the reliability of the structure as a whole, which can lead to general unreliability.
And this, at a minimum, is a complaint to the company or even worse. The technology for producing beams itself appeared as a side technology for the construction of frame houses. The world's most reputable manufacturers of such beams and, accordingly, frame houses from them are Nascor and Steico. They are also suppliers of production lines for OSB I-beams. The mention of these companies, for those who are familiar with the technology, is a kind of “sign of quality” and local production.
In Russia, production is usually based on the technical specifications TU 5366-001-49828710-2001 or TU 5366-002-96226217-2008 “I-beams and racks”. Although this is not true. Each equipment manufacturer can develop and obtain their own specifications. In multi-storey and critical construction, wooden I-beams are not used, therefore there are no general GOST standards.
The correct formula for the production of wooden I-beams is “wood + OSB + wood”. To reduce the cost of production, unscrupulous entrepreneurs use the formula “wood + plywood + wood,” which is unacceptable, since plywood has more disadvantages compared to OSB.
The I-section provides high strength characteristics. Using OSB allows you to avoid all the disadvantages inherent in pure wood.
Also, thanks to the correct geometric dimensions, they allow you to save on building materials. In construction, a smaller volume of beams is used (up to 60%) compared to conventional boards.
Correct installation allows you to avoid shrinkage and the appearance of creaks and cracks inherent in frames assembled from ordinary beams and boards.
Video: wooden I-beams in frame construction
Necessary premises for the production of OSB I-beams
Premises of former workshops, factories, and hangars are suitable for starting a business. The required area is considerable - 150-400 sq.
m. All communications must be available. Including power consumption production line.
It is necessary to have spacious storage facilities for consumables and finished products.
List of equipment for the production of OSB I-beams
For the manufacture of wooden I-beams, the following components are used:
- receiving table; milling machine; grinding machine; glue installation; press for assembling beams; typesetting and hand tools.
It is also desirable to have a test bench that will allow you to continuously monitor the quality of production.
The cost of one automatic line of domestic production with installation, commissioning, personnel training and start-up is from 2.8 million rubles.
Staff
To implement a business idea, you will need both qualified personnel with experience in the construction industry and knowledge of the specifics of using certain building materials, as well as personnel with low qualifications.
For direct work in production, using automatic lines, a team of 4 people is required. Which will monitor the operation of the line, as well as load consumables and remove finished products.
All production requires a process engineer responsible for the quality of the products. If several automatic lines are used in production, then it is worth considering having a fitter on staff who is responsible for setting up, commissioning and ongoing repairs of equipment. If there is only one line, then it is more advisable to periodically involve third-party specialists.
Also, production requires a loader who also combines the functions of a driver. At the first stages, the business owner can deal with sales issues and promotion of services. Later, you can create a sales and marketing department.
Advertising
You need to actively advertise your services. This will require personal meetings and negotiations with construction firms and companies, concluding contracts for the supply of I-beams through stores and retail chains in the city, using Internet opportunities: a one-page business card website with photos of products, prices, production contacts; announcements on specialized platforms and forums, active participation in exhibitions on building materials.
With an unlimited budget, an advertising video on local television or radio, installation of a board or banners around the city, in construction materials markets will bring results. Don’t neglect print advertising: promotional leaflets, business cards, newspaper advertisements.
Income, payback period
I-beams are usually sold in batches.
With an established sales system, it is realistic to sell up to 20 batches per month. Consequently, income for this period will be up to 800 thousand rubles. Net monthly profit minus rent, staff salaries, utilities, advertising, taxes, depreciation and funds for the purchase of materials - up to 200 thousand rubles.
The starting capital required to open your own business producing I-beams from wooden beams is up to 4 million rubles. It is formed by the following articles:
- purchase of equipment; rental of premises; staff salaries; raw materials; start-up advertising company; unforeseen expenses, etc.
The payback period for the production of I-beams OSB is from one and a half to five years.
More manufacturing business ideas:
Especially for hobiz.ru
With the growth of individual construction, I-beams have become increasingly popular in the private sector. Their advantages are a separate topic, but one of the advantages of supports of this type is worth noting.
Unlike metal analogues, I-beams made of wood can be made with your own hands. How to do this is discussed in detail in this article. The scope of application of wooden I-beams is not limited only to the arrangement of floors. They are widely used in the construction of frame buildings, installation of decking, partitions and formwork.
Knowing the technology and a number of features of the industrial production of such products, you can make a sample of any standard size for a specific use. After all, making an I-beam with your own hands means solving a number of problems. Firstly, with the transportation of large products. Secondly, with fitting it in place, since purchased copies may not fit exactly. This is not everything that the market offers, but the design features of I-beams and their main standard sizes are clear.
Selection of materials
Wooden beams are a generalized concept. To make an I-beam, not only solid wood is used, but also products based on it (slabs, sheets, puffs, pressed, etc.).
Beam support parts
Only timber. Thanks to their correct geometry, such blanks are one of the best choices for the production of I-beams.
Another thing is what kind of timber? Since strength is of primary importance for a supporting element, it is better to focus not on profiled blanks, but on glued ones. The difference between the two is well laid out here.
Separately, you should dwell on the type of wood. You can talk a lot about this topic, describing the pros and cons of this or that wood. The author recommends using larch or products made on its basis to assemble an I-beam.
Suffice it to remember that this particular tree has always been used to lay the lower crowns of log houses. The reason is that by partially absorbing moisture, it becomes even stronger. Actually, this is what is required if we think about the reliability and durability of the supporting element.
Beam post
If you assemble an I-beam with your own hands, then the best solution (although not the only one) is OSB boards or sheets of plywood (multilayer).
Here it is necessary to take into account what kind of overlap we are talking about. If the load is insignificant, then you can get by with cheaper FC sheets. For the construction of massive structures, it is clear that oriented strand boards are used, since they are much stronger.
Glue
The recommendation is simple - if we are talking about installing floors or other structural elements in a residential building, then when choosing wood glue you should pay close attention to its component composition. The fewer toxic substances, the better. Such adhesives are labeled as ECO.
The procedure for manufacturing a wooden I-beam
It is assumed that the materials are dried, rejected and ready for use.
Planks
The most important technological stage. The durability of the I-beam and its ability to withstand the design load depend on how accurately the markings are made. Even the slightest distortion of the wall will have the most negative consequences.
The sampling of wood in the timber should be carried out strictly along the center line of the workpiece. This is taken into account when marking a wooden part for an I-beam. Moreover, regardless of the linear parameters of the bar.
A frequently asked question is: what is the depth of the groove in the timber? Here you need to focus on the dimensions of the wall. The recommended wood sample is about 10% of the length of the I-beam.
Wall
Since it is installed in grooves prepared in the timber, the corresponding edges of the sheet (slab) should be slightly beveled.
Assembling an I-beam
The manufacturing process itself, when everything is properly organized, does not take much time.
- Coating the grooves in the planks with glue. Installation into the workpiece, which is the bottom, sheet or slab wall. Placing the timber on top, pressing and leveling.
Features of work
It is necessary not only to ensure a tight fit of all parts of the I-beam, but also to avoid their distortion during the drying process of the glue.
To do this, you should use any hardware with the appropriate profile. You can take a ready-made channel according to the dimensions of the planks, bend the sheet metal, giving it the desired shape. All that remains is to place these parts on the assembled I-beam from below and above and secure it with clamps or wrap it with rope, like a cocoon.
It is better to entrust the calculation of the parameters of an I-beam depending on the load to a professional. It is not difficult to assemble it with your own hands, but only a specialist in this field can independently determine the necessary parameters (for example, the thickness, width of the workpieces). Having saved on paying for its services, you can subsequently lose much more on major repairs. You should not use products made according to a single template for different conditions of use.
Again, due to possible differences in the maximum load. Purchased wood, even industrially dried, is characterized by a certain level of humidity. Before you start “constructing” I-beams and assembling them with your own hands, the lumber should be kept for some time in conditions where they will dry out additionally. Otherwise, there is a risk that after installing the supporting element, it will move, and along with it the entire structure. Productivity can be significantly increased if the work on the production of I-beams is properly organized.
Regardless of the size of the beams, they all have an identical design. Therefore, it is advisable to split the preparation process into several stages. For example, cutting materials, polishing samples, treating them with drugs (fire retardants, antiseptics), and so on.
When performing similar operations, time savings are obvious. In this case, it will take about 15 minutes, no more, to make one I-beam. The decision to use a board for the wall is not entirely correct. The materials recommended above from wood fragments (plywood, OSB) are subjected to “hot” pressing during the manufacturing process.
This means they are characterized by high density. But the same cannot be said about wood. Therefore, the board is used extremely rarely when assembling an I-beam - with a small height of the product, and then only when necessary.
Moreover, only dense rocks are taken, and they are quite expensive. And their protection from moisture absorption will require more intensive processing. Conclusion - such a solution is economically unjustified.
Actually, there is nothing complicated either at the preparation stage or in the process of assembling an I-beam with your own hands. If engineering calculations are made correctly, taking into account all the operating features, then the homemade support element will turn out no worse than the factory one. And most importantly, it will fit exactly where it will be installed.
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Main product parameters
Personal elaboration
Tools and materials:
The bars are selected.
In addition, their work costs much more than that of a circular machine. If you particularly wish, you can find cutters of the required thickness for a circular saw (they cost a little more than usual), after which you can continue working. The depth of the groove is set (10% of the total length of the OSB). With a total loss of 1/5 of the length, ideal fixation can be achieved. The bars are cut.
Time does not stand still, so old technologies are being replaced by new ones - lightweight, practical and environmentally friendly. The wooden beam has always been popular, but only in the 21st century did they come to the production of I-beams from wood, which made it possible to significantly improve frame construction.
Main product parameters
With each new season, this material increases its popularity. It is usually used for frame construction, installation of floors, ceilings and partitions, as well as roofing. The specific appearance of the Latin letter “I” with bars at the top and bottom allows for installation quite simply and quickly.
There are several advantages due to which the I-beam has gained its popularity: it does not bend, wear resistance, does not react to moisture (does not rot), low weight and at the same time a relatively low price due to reduced wood consumption.
If you look at the product in detail, you can see that it is not solid, but consists of several elements. The basis is OSB (oriented strand board) or plywood, the blocks on the bottom and top are made of laminated veneer lumber, and all this is connected using water-based wood glue. The laminated timber has special recesses of the required width, which allow OSB to be loaded into them, thanks to which the structure acquires its highest reliability.
In factory conditions, 4 machines are used for this process:
Milling. On such a machine, not only is a longitudinal trench made in the timber, but also grinding is performed so that later the skin is not injured during operation. Cutting OSB. It works in parallel with the milling machine in order to cut the required amount of slabs on time with perfectly accurate parameters.
The cuts are made at an angle of 45°. Gluing. A thin layer of glue is applied to the bottom of the trench in the bars, after which a plate is inserted between the 2 bars, and the entire structure is pressed at the exit. Press. Depending on the glue used, the machine holds the workpiece (0.5-2 minutes) under pressure, and then rolls it further for final drying.
The work takes place at a very high speed, but not everyone decides to purchase such products, because with manual production the price is 1.5-3 times lower.
Personal elaboration
Tools and materials:
- timber; tape measure; circular saw; OSB; wood glue; channel; clamps; sandpaper.
Here the whole process is much slower, but the price drops significantly. A do-it-yourself I-beam is made in stages:
I-beams are made from timber, OSB and channel.
The bars are selected.
The cross-section depends on the preferences of the master, but not less than 35*25 mm. The larger the block, the more reliable the structure, but the step of 2 I-beams during work will have to be significantly increased. Here you should choose what to use - an electric saw, a chainsaw or a stationary circular saw. The advantage of chain saws is that they can initially make a trench of 10-12 mm, but they need to be additionally secured.
In addition, their work costs much more than that of a circular machine. If you particularly wish, you can find cutters of the required thickness for a circular saw (they cost a little more than usual), after which you can continue working. The depth of the groove is set (10% of the total length of the OSB). With a total loss of 15 lengths, ideal fixation can be achieved. The bars are cut.
At the same stage, they need to be sanded using a grinder or sandpaper. Glue is applied to the bottom of the trench, after which the slab is immersed in it. Here a similar process is done with 1 more block, and you can press the I-beam. Not every house has a hydraulic press, so you can use a channel, which is tightened using 2 belts and carabiners (improvised clamps). This type of I-beam tie is no less effective than a press, although more troublesome.
In total, it takes up to 30 minutes to produce 1 I-beam.
but if you do it on stream, the speed will increase several times. That is
First, for example, 100 beams are cut, which are polished, then 50 slabs are cut, after which all this is subject to gluing. With such work, the average production speed of 1 I-beam can drop to 8-10 minutes. but under no circumstances should you rush to avoid making a mistake.
Anyone can do such work if they have special equipment and basic skills in working with it.
It is very important not to forget about TB, so that later savings on building materials do not turn into hospital expenses.
Time does not stand still, so old technologies are being replaced by new ones - lightweight, practical and environmentally friendly. The wooden beam has always been popular, but only in the 21st century did they come to the production of I-beams from wood, which made it possible to significantly improve frame construction.
Main product parameters
With each new season, this material increases its popularity. It is usually used for frame construction, installation of floors, ceilings and partitions, as well as roofing. The specific appearance of the Latin letter “I” with bars at the top and bottom allows for installation quite simply and quickly.
There are several advantages due to which the I-beam has gained its popularity: it does not bend, wear resistance, does not react to moisture (does not rot), low weight and at the same time a relatively low price due to reduced wood consumption.
If you look at the product in detail, you can see that it is not solid, but consists of several elements. The basis is OSB (oriented strand board) or plywood, the blocks on the bottom and top are made of laminated veneer lumber, and all this is connected using water-based wood glue. The laminated timber has special recesses of the required width, which allow OSB to be loaded into them, thanks to which the structure acquires its highest reliability.
In factory conditions, 4 machines are used for this process:
- Milling. Using such a machine, not only a longitudinal trench is made in the timber, but also grinding is done so as not to injure the skin during operation.
- OSB cutting. It works in parallel with the milling machine in order to cut the required amount of slabs on time with perfectly accurate parameters. The cuts are made at an angle of 45°.
- Gluing. A thin layer of glue is applied to the bottom of the trench in the bars, after which a plate is inserted between the 2 bars, and the entire structure is pressed at the exit.
- Press. Depending on the glue used, the machine holds the workpiece (0.5-2 minutes) under pressure, after which it rolls further for final drying.
The work takes place at a very high speed, but not everyone decides to purchase such products, because with manual production the price is 1.5-3 times lower.
Personal elaboration
Tools and materials:
- beam;
- roulette;
- a circular saw;
- wood glue;
- channel;
- clamps;
- sandpaper.
Here the whole process is much slower, but the price drops significantly. A do-it-yourself I-beam is made in stages:
I-beams are made from timber, OSB and channel.
- The bars are selected. The cross-section depends on the preferences of the master, but not less than 35*25 mm. The larger the block, the more reliable the structure, but the pitch of 2 I-beams during operation will have to be significantly increased.
- Here you should choose what to use - an electric saw, a chainsaw or a stationary circular saw. The advantage of chain saws is that they can initially make a trench of 10-12 mm, but they need to be additionally secured. In addition, their work costs much more than that of a circular machine. If you particularly wish, you can find cutters of the required thickness for a circular saw (they cost a little more than usual), after which you can continue working.
- The depth of the furrow is set (10% of the total length of the OSB). With a total loss of 1/5 of the length, ideal fixation can be achieved.
- The beams are cut. At the same stage, they need to be sanded using a grinder or sandpaper.
- Glue is applied to the bottom of the trench, after which the slab is immersed in it. Here a similar process is done with 1 more block, and the I-beam can be pressed.
- Not every house has a hydraulic press, so you can use a channel, which is tightened using 2 belts and carabiners (improvised clamps). This type of I-beam tie is no less effective than a press, although more troublesome.
In total, it takes up to 30 minutes to make 1 I-beam. but if you do it on stream, the speed will increase several times. That is, first, for example, 100 beams are cut, which are polished, then 50 slabs are cut, after which all this is subject to gluing. With such work, the average production speed of 1 I-beam can drop to 8-10 minutes. but under no circumstances should you rush to avoid making a mistake.
