this post was submitted on 22 Feb 2024
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Do It Yourself

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Need beam for a 22-foot span. It's a carport. What to use? (beehaw.org)
submitted 8 months ago by TheBaldness@beehaw.org to c/diy@beehaw.org
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I'd like to build a carport. It will basically just be a shed roof extending off the front of my garage. I'll need a beam, as thin as possible, to span 22 feet from side to side.

It looks to me like steel is the only thing that could easily do that, but the cost is high, and how thick does it have to be? I priced out some 6" i-beams. $500 each. How do I attach wood to those? Can't exactly nail into them.

That brings me to LVLs and such. Less pricey, but very thick. I suppose I could double up on a couple of thinner ones (like 6") but they don't seem to be rated for exterior use, and I'm pretty sure a carport would be considered exterior use, even though they'd be under a roof.

Any guidance?

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[–] johnjamesautobahn@beehaw.org 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Any reason the high side of the shed roof can’t intercept the existing garage roof further up the pitch? Then you could use open web trusses which although deeper are lighter and potentially cheaper than a wide flange. Attaching them higher also gives you more clear height with a longer span.

[–] TheBaldness@beehaw.org 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

That was the original plan. I was going to just extend the existing roof outward, but it would shed rain directly where you have to walk to get to the cars. You'd basically have to walk through a waterfall.

[–] johnjamesautobahn@beehaw.org 2 points 8 months ago

It would shed rain off the low end? Can you use a gutter and downspout?