Wood Beam Sizing

Our best selling package, a complete introduction to structures, includes both a Basic module and a complete Professional package. Quickly get a feel for load paths, deflection, shear and stress. Immediately find out what works and what doesn't. Basic XP version and instruction manuals are FREE.

Print out all results and calculations and save multiple load combinations for each project. Includes wood I-joist selection, steel beams, LVL lumber and glu-lam beams. Also, size wood posts and concrete footings.

Here's the introductory Basic module, shown framing an 8 foot opening on the ground floor. If you aren't comfortable yet with determining the load path, just select the beam location. Note that the beam selected supports a quarter of the second floor and attic floor plus half of the roof. The program automatically selects two 2 by 10's to span the 8 foot opening. 4 by 4 posts are adequate.

Once you're familiar with the numbers, you can use the Professional Module. At the Loading window shown below, you can enter up to 10 different loads on the beam. This beam is shown carrying four loads. Load #2, a concentrated live load of 1,100 pounds, is shown. The maximum moment from all four loads is 17.8 kip-ft. The posts will have to support a total load of 4,466 pounds on the left and 5,272 pounds on the right.

At the Beam window below, you can experiment with different beam sizes. Note the loading diagram on the right:

Load #1 is a uniformly distributed dead load.
Loads #2 and 4 are concentrated live loads.
Load #3 is a triangular live load.

The beam size is fixed at nominal 10 inch width. The actual dimensions are shown in the lower left corner. Fiber stress is 100% and shear stress is 73% of maximum. Deflection from the live loads combined is only 1 in 670.

Easy to use, educational
Up to 10 multiple loads at a time
Prints out results and calculations
Over 60 wood species and grades
Includes Glu-Lam beams, LVL lumber and wood I-joists
Selection of light steel beams
Checks posts and footings
Calculates cantilevers and concentrated loads
On screen help with over 140 technical definitions and references
Base values and adjustments from the NDS, National Design Specification for Wood Construction
Custom adjustments for all wood types and all NDS values, including fire retardant lumber
Complete user's manual and step by step guide (Adobe pdf file)

You'll quickly get a feel for what's possible and what isn't. Size wood beams and headers, joists and rafters, wood posts and steel beams and concrete footings ...

You make the choices: Wood Beam Sizing instantly gives you the answers.

Wood Beam Sizing Professional runs under Windows XP and earlier Windows versions.

WOOD BEAM SIZINGTM