I need to raise up a triple 12″ lvl x 26ft long about 9 feet to the bottom of an existing floor structure. Beam will sit 18″ in from the outside wall.
I’d really like to get it up there all bolted together, then post it.
I’d like to hear your experienced thoughts on this.
Thanks and have a great w/e!
Eric
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Rent two Vermetti's. They are beam lifts that make life easy.
I lifted a 3 ply 16"x20' LVL ridge beam with one easily. The ridge was close to 18" off the deck.
I should have used two, but only one was available to me at the time.
Matt
Edited 6/30/2007 1:02 pm ET by Stilletto
One advantage of LVL s going in as separate pieces is that you can lift the three individually easy and then assemble them together.
I could lift one end of each of those into place on a post alone. Hard to imagine why I want to make the job harder by trying to lift all three at once.
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Paul,
I don't disagree with you and it may end up being done that way.
However; the structure above is getting close to completely framed and is still on temp posts. Lot of weight building up on those posts. It's an addittion set perpendicular to the main structure btw.
And there are no posts currently on which to place the beam. Posts are to be imbedded in the piers (I know, nice design; 'nuther story) thus meaning that I need to get the beam in place, post it up temporarily, fasten the lollys to it then pour the piers around the columns.
Putting it up in pieces to me means more work and possibly having to hang it at least for a while from the floor joists. i wish not to add anymore weight to this than needed.
So, I would like to assemble it, lift it up (tight if possible) then temp post it until I get the lollys under it and the piers poured.
Eric[email protected]
we lifted a quadrupeled 2X12X54' beam into position with two griphoists http://www.torqhoist.com/product_detail.php?ProductID=18&CatID=25&s_Name=&
we were able to rig above the lift, of course, and I'm unclear whether that is an option in your case -
griphoists are available for rent at various places -
"there's enough for everyone"
Thanks but I am limited to lifting to underside of floor system.[email protected]
Eric,
If I was doing it I would be using my wall jacks.
They are the type that crawl up a 2 x 4.
I am sure Proctors would do the same.
Be a simple thing to raise 1 or all three lvl's into postion with them .
Could do it either vertically or by assembling posts and beams on the deck and then raising them.
"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
You mean pole jacks?[email protected]
Eric, This is what I meant. I have 3 and have used many times to raise beams. http://www.amazon.com/Qual-Craft-2601-Wall-Jack-2601Q/dp/B0000224MYI often build a temporary "track " to keep the beam upright and allow it to slide up to where I want it for it's final position. I have used a single jack to raise 16' 4 x 12 or 6 x 12 beams for garage door headers just by myself. "Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
Edited 6/30/2007 3:34 pm by dovetail97128
That's cool.
Whadya think about using four pump jacks?[email protected]
Eric, 4 is overkill unless I am missing my guess as to the weight of the beam.
I might use two, one towards each end , possibly even one at the center of the beam. If you use two then you need two people so you can keep the beam reasonably level going up . Get a jacking pole long enough to reach several ft. above your beam height and brace it from the top to keep it stable, a few 16's toe nailed in the bottom to keep it in place. Balance is everything when lifting a beam using one. I have done these lifts with a strap and hung the beam off the lift point on the 1 centered jack or set the beam on the jack (or jacks) lifting point. You will need a step ladder to reach and operate the handle once you get above about 7 ft.
Guesstimate of 3-ply beam weight? I figure 11.3 cu ft. , say 50 lbs a cu ft. maybe 5-600 lbs. max. Each jack will lift 1000 lbs. safely if you have a GOOD jacking pole. Hand pick the 2 x 4s that you are going to use. If you have concerns then jack it part way up , get a set of safety braces under it (ladder like arrangment at each end)"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...SenecaEdited 6/30/2007 5:37 pm by dovetail97128
Edited 6/30/2007 5:40 pm by dovetail97128
Eric Paulson,
rent a telehandler.. not only to raise the beam but to help you build faster.. you will save the most money/ time closest to the ground put your floor joists in place with a telehamdler and you'll kick yourself for Ever doing it by hand. What you do is pick up a whole bunch of them and extend the boom out as you retract the boom drop one off at the proper spacing..
Same thing with subflooring.. Pick up a whole cube of 3/4 inch subflooring at onceand extend the boom.. slide a sheet off to the right one on center and one to the left, you've covered 24 feet in less time than it takes to walk to the pile once. Extend the boom another 4 feet and repeat.. what once took all day to do now takes a few hours and the floor is in place ready for the next step..
Grab wall studs and extend the boom. if you need to saw them or whatever use the carriage just like a workbench, one that you can adjust for a comfortable work height.. spread out your wall studs and use the power of the forklift to erect the walls.. repeat for the second story. yes you can put trusses up with a forklft but the real time savor is putting plywood on the roof.. Not only do you have sheets of plywood right at your feet but you are also working off a fall protection providing platform.. since you aren't worried about slipping on a steep roof your productivety is much greater. the roofing goes on so much faster you won't believe it..
Roofing turns into a speed race when you have that forklift carry up the shingles and you don't have to worry because the platform acts as fall protection again,,
Soffit and facia is so easy when working off the work platform you'll almost regret the job is done so quickly.. Putting windows in, even great big picture windows is next to nothing.. the forklift raise the winddow right to the opening,, you slide it forward, shim to adjust, and nail it in place just like you're walking on a side walk instead of 30 some feet in the air
The first time you build a home with one your only question will be why didn't I do this sooner!
The addittion is 12x25 and on a fairly steep slope in a nicely landscaped yard.
Not a lot of materials to move. Just trying to find the best way to raise this one thing.
Thanks[email protected]
Jeezus Frenchy..... read the post and not just the title, would ya? The thing is already framed.... unless he can drive a fricken' Lull down the basement stairs, your sales pitch isn't gonna help him much.View Image
I should just get a crane to raise the whole structure then place the beam and set it back down.
I'm sure the crane people would like that.
Crabby and stupid detail makes me need to raise the beam to the floor.
When it's done I'll post some pics.[email protected]
I'm not sure what the Vermetti's refered to earlier are, but I would rent a couple of genie lifts. If you can get them in the house, they will get the job done.
I have a 12x25 addittion sticking out from the main house at a right angle.
Post detail requires me to build floor system then raise beam to it, then post down and set posts imbedded in concrete.
I am going to use simple pump jacks as the beam is only 18" in from end of addittion.[email protected]
Had a similar problem many years ago . Laid the beam on the basement floor. Propped each end up from the floor with cinder blocks.
Up stairs, removed the base molding parallel to the beam laying directly below. Drilled two holes down through the floor as close to the wall as possible (and a little into the sheet rock.)
Stood two heavy duty saw horses. (each over a hole) Passed steel cables of two 'Come-Alongs' down through the holes and secured the ends to the beam below. (The come alongs were fastened under the horse's beams) .
Two of us ratcheted the beam up as high as practicable . Used two adjustable 'Lally' columns to finally jack it tight to, and under the perpendicular row of joists (Shimming where required).
Replaced the base molding which hid the two holes.
Steinmetz.
I'm liking that. No heavy material handlers to haul down the stairs, and no one needs to stand underneath and crank on anything.
Did the whole job in a few hours Next day we cut out a wider opening and framed and trimmed for bi-fold doors. SteinmetzOh yeah, his wife never found out hubby and I drilled those access holes through her bedroom floor.
Edited 7/5/2007 7:07 pm ET by Steinmetz