How to brace a heavy beam

[Evan Lentz]

Hello,

So I have these two heavy wood beams (photos below) in my steel workshop. They appear to be freestanding, except for a few nails driven into the cross beams of the shop to help stabilize them.

I am wondering if anyone has a good idea of how to brace them against the shop a bit more securely. I do not have any experience in construction of engineering, but I am thinking they need a bit more of a secure attachment to the shop walls. I was initially envisioning a metal brace from Home Depot I could easily bolt into place, or perhaps just a 2x4?
Any ideas / photos are appreciated.
Thanks!
Evan

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[Mike Kreinhop]

I don't have any suggestions for bracing, but am curious why you have them in your shop. The beam doesn't appear to be doing anything other than holding up some fluorescent lights. Unless there is some sentimental attachment to the beam and posts, I would remove them and sell them to a reclamation yard.

[Jerome Sidley]

I second Mikes answer.

[Richard Young]

The stability of the beam for the bent (frame) is dependent on the beam-to-column (post) connection. The stability of the bent is dependent on the column-to-base (slab / foundation) connection since there appears to be no longitudinal beams or bracing on the bent in the pics. Also, as mentioned above, what are the beam loading conditions other than the lighting, which would be considered negligible in this case due to the beam size,?

[Peter Christensen]

Was it used to lift an engine or something else in the past? A diagonal brace along the wall to the floor and some more bolts in the 2x or replace it with some steel plates and more bolts.

[John K Jordan]

Maybe knowing some of the history of the building would explain the beam. Regardless of why the beam is there, I like to use steel plates instead of wood for such connections. I'd probably use 1/4" or 3/8" steel with holes for through bolts. If I wanted to brace the beam, I might weld on angle iron and run diagonal steel angle iron braces to the floor.

JKJ

[Evan Lentz]

I don't have any suggestions for bracing, but am curious why you have them in your shop. The beam doesn't appear to be doing anything other than holding up some fluorescent lights. Unless there is some sentimental attachment to the beam and posts, I would remove them and sell them to a reclamation yard.

A previous owner had them put in. I believe they were used to lift heavy machinery. The guy was a tractor mechanic. I have another beam just like it on the other end of the shop. That side has a simple loft built on top of it. I think at some point I may build a loft on this end too, but for now I just was concerned about making sure it was stable.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Are they set into the floor or mounted to the floor with a large flange or something? I don't think I would have winched anything on them if not...

[Evan Lentz]

Are they set into the floor or mounted to the floor with a large flange or something? I don't think I would have winched anything on them if not...

Nope - just sitting on the slab floor without any sort of mounts.

[Richard Young]

Are there any bolts thru the sides of the post near the bottom? Can you add a pic of 2 adjacent sides showing the bottom 3-4‘ of the post?

[Mark Bolton]

Your options for stabilizing them for anything other than esthetics is going to be limited. If your ever going to try to carry any heavy loads with them you'd never have any idea of whats beneath the posts for a footer and your only option for lateral stabilization would be knee braces at the floor and from the posts to the horizontal member. You would never want to tie anything structural to a steel framed building that wasnt engineered to handle that load.

If your just looking for peace of mind with regards to them being overhead and carrying the weight of light fixtures I'd go the steel plate route either bought or fabricated but I agree I'd never lift anything from them.

Odd but Id assume the old timer had them laying around and traded the cost of I beams and fabrication for what he had around.

[David Gutierrez]

there is a company, Simpson strong tie that makes many kinds of metal connectors for wood post and beams. you should google it and look thru their catalog. beyond that heavy steel plates thru bolted as suggested above can also be used. You should also be concerned with bracing the post. Attaching the post to the wall is a no go. Pole barn construction has very little excess lateral stability. the post also need to be braced in two directions 90 degrees to each other. if the lifted load is swaying at all it imposes horizontal forces on the whole frame. Keep in mind that Swaying or moving loads have the potential to create much more force on the frame than a static load. The last thing is you should have a some idea of the load the beam can take before you lift any thing substantial. my advice would be to talk to an structural engineer.
2 cents of advice from a old architect.

[Bill Dufour]

I would use a Simpson heavy L. on both sides both bolted and nailed at the top and some type of hold down on the bottom on both sides like a HB3d.
If you want to get ambitious bolt it to the floor first then disconnect and lift the beam at one end and slip in a beam cap. Bolt it down then do the other end.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Simpson-...-5-R/306387811

Bill D.

[Evan Lentz]

there is a company, Simpson strong tie that makes many kinds of metal connectors for wood post and beams.

Thanks - I am including a few more photos of the situation. about a foot from the beam is a very sturdy looking metal post anchored into the slab. It supports the whole structure on the inside. Maybe there is a way to attach the wood beam/post to the metal one? I am just not sure what hardware to do that with, maybe a heavy duty U-bolt?

Here's a few more photos. I also noticed the top of the beam is bolted into the 2x6 on the sidewall with two bolts on each end. So much for not attaching to the walls!

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[Jason Roehl]

Thanks - I am including a few more photos of the situation. about a foot from the beam is a very sturdy looking metal post anchored into the slab. It supports the whole structure on the inside. Maybe there is a way to attach the wood beam/post to the metal one? I am just not sure what hardware to do that with, maybe a heavy duty U-bolt?

Here's a few more photos. I also noticed the top of the beam is bolted into the 2x6 on the sidewall with two bolts on each end. So much for not attaching to the walls!

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To reiterate what someone else already stated: do NOT tie the wood beam to the steel structure of the building in any way, shape or form--they're just not generally designed for it, unless it was part of some engineered specs when it was built.