How to Repair a Damaged Carrying Beam | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva teaches a homeowner how to repair some structural problems in his home.

Time: 6-7 hours

Cost: $100

Skill Level: Expert

Tools List for Repairing a Damaged Carrying Beam:

Shopping List:

Steps:
1. Use the jack and the temporary post to support the structure before removing any posts.
2. Remove the old lally column with a grinder.
3. Measure and mark the replacement column and cut it to size with the large pipe cutter.
4. Smooth out the bottom of the new cut with a hammer and cold chisel.
5. Put the post in place on metal plates and slowly remove the temporary post. Check the post for level before putting the full weight of the house back on it.
6. Screw the metal plates to the beam and to the floor with the appropriate screws.
7. To repair damaged beams, locate a local welder or metal shop and request angle iron, cut and drilled to the length of the beam being repaired.
8. Remove any pipes, wires, etc. currently going through the beam. Be sure to turn off the water, power, etc. before doing so.
9. Pry the joist hanger away from the beam.
10. Mount the angle iron on the jack and the temporary post. Get the angle iron in place and slowly raise the jack until the angle iron is wedged up against the damaged beam.
11. Screw the angle iron into the beam and remove the temporary post.
12. Slide any pipes or wires previously removed back through the beam and turn the water and power back on.

Resources:
Lally columns and the lumber used for the bridging can be found at the local home center or the local lumberyard.

Steel angle iron can be ordered to size and is sold at metal or welding shops.

In the workshop, Tom shared some basic rules for cutting and notching joists and rafters. For cutting holes, a hole can be no more than ⅓ the depth of the structure and cannot be within 2"" of an edge.

For notches, the maximum notch depth is ½ the depth of the structure and no notches can be made in the middle ⅓ of the span.

About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.

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How to Repair a Damaged Carrying Beam | Ask This Old House

[poshko]

Tommy doesn't even take his jacket off before he starts sawing the jack-post out of some dude's house. Absolute legend.

[davidtyndall]

To anyone that thinks that the rust on the bottom of the column is not a problem let me tell you this. I have repaired and replaced many steel columns that have had the bottom end completely rusted away. This can be hard to see without measuring or using a level on the supported structure because the metal rusts away slowly over the years and the weight of the house slowly crushes the rusted metal making it appear to be a solid post. Concrete filled steel posts are a very good way to go.

[jdorffer]

For those pipe couplings you need to remove the burr from the end of the pipe or it will tear the rubber seal causing a leak

[MadManInMyVisions]

Every homeowner should be subscribed to this channel. I remember watching this show on TV with my dad when I was a kid in the 90s. I'm 32 now and own a home.

[User]

1. Tighten lag screws until snug.

2. Continue tightening until fastener spins without resistance.

3. Add many more lag screws.

4. Fire film editor.

[dukeman]

Tom is one of the best G C 's this show has ever had, he is worth his weight is gold!

[ryanksiazek]

A couple thing that are very important.

1) Cap the temp post or use plate to keep the bottle jack from splitting the post right up the middle causing catastrophic failure of the temp support while under load.
2) This type of fix requires a structural engineer to design, it is not in the code book. A structural engineer would require at least 1/2" through bolts for this assembly. It is only accommodating the tension at the bottom of the beam and transferring the upper beams compression through moment at the Fastners.
3) The new column needs to be connected to the foundation below and the beam above to prevent uplift per code (in case of severe weather/high winds)
4) Those water pipe connections are considered mechanical and must be accessible (not covered with drywall) and you must clean (sanding or brushing) the pipe first, plus debur the pipe according to the manufactures requirements and code. The copper pipe must not make contact with the steel, this is required by code due to corrosion that occurs when differential metal make contact. This pipe will corrode and eventually leak.

[thomasgeraghty]

Recalling days of old, jacking up, replacing, beams etc....with my father. Chicago. Nice type of work.

[hudsonriverlee]

I cannot believe all of what I have just learned in one video. Things I just did not know. I just became a first time homeowner and I know for a fact the repairs I just watched will be a huge help in understanding what I must look for and how to correct these issues. One being the main beam support.

[samiam]

Tommy is the wizard. The knowledge and ability this man has is incredible. Been watching him for many years.

[superwiseman]

Tommy is a absolute master of so many trades. Amazing expertise, knowledge, and skills.

[CupidFromKentucky]

9:26 "I had no idea how to fix this"

If he would have just watched this video first he could have learned.

[jesot]

"Give it a quatah turn"
"Quarter turn"
"QUATAH TURN"

[superwiseman]

Tom Silva is a total guru. This guy is a complete master of all trades. Amazing guy to watch with his knowledge and expertise.

[mikeevans]

Copper plumbing should never be in contact with dissimilar metals if you want longevity. Not to mention using couplings to join copper pipe.

Some good structural points given.

I would of liked two angles sandwiching the joist with nuts and bolts sandwiching rather than just the screws from one side.

[dealafi]

Tom is an awesome teacher and carpenter...thanks for sharing your knowledge with everyone...GB!

[robsten]

Tom Silva, you are a very useful person to other people, hats off !!

[tmk]

More of a Norm fan but Tom knows his stuff he had the fix in his head in seconds made it easy on himself. He is probably the best carpenter to ever have a tv show

[alonzomartii]

Tom got so excited that kept on drilling. (:

[cbalan]

I'm always amazed that you can lift all that weight with a bottle jack. It's insane.