Structural beams can be made of wood, steel, or a combination of the two. Wood is commonly used in residential buildings for vertical support beams and floor joists. There are four ways to construct wooden beams. Composite or laminate beams and reinforced steel beams are stronger and more durable. Steel beam construction uses vertical round beams for emergency support and I-beams for large structures. I-beams are uniform in construction.
Beam construction is both how structural beams are assembled and the methods of using those beams to build structures. While there are different types of beams, nearly all structural beams are made of wood, steel, or a combination of the two. The two most common shapes for beams are long rectangular boxes, common in wood and composite materials, and those in the shape of the letter “I,” common with steel beam construction.
Since the early days of construction, wood has been a common material used in beam construction. Wood is the most used material in the construction of residential buildings. There are several types of wood beams made, but they fall into a couple of categories.
Standard wooden support beams are vertical beams used primarily in homes. These beams are thick rectangular blocks of wood that support the basic structure of a house. They are found in the corners of buildings and in the center of the house within walls, often near doorways. Many homes, especially older ones, have support beams throughout the basement that support the entire structure.
Floor joists are another common wood support beam. These beams are horizontal and are found in the floors and ceilings of houses. These help distribute the weight of the structure above it, putting less stress on any area of the house. They are also common to see in the basements of older homes; they are often much thinner than wide in contrast to the horizontal beams, which are generally uniform in size.
The construction of wooden beams is done in four ways. Unfinished woods are common in older homes; these are real trees that have been cut into the beam shape and used as is. Modern beams are usually cut and treated at the factory. Wood beams are simply treated lumber with no further modifications. These beams are generally the same as the old stock, just in a newer form.
Composite or laminate beams are made up of several smaller beams compressed together into a single beam. These beams are stronger and more durable than a standard wooden beam. Reinforced steel beams typically have a steel core in the center and/or a series of metal bands wrapped around the outside. These are common in extremely heavy or high-traffic buildings.
Steel beam construction revolves around two types of beams: the vertical round beam and the I-beam. Vertical round beams are used as emergency beam support in a situation where a building may collapse. These beams were not present when the building was constructed; they are added later.
The I-beam has two flat surfaces connected by another flat surface, which gives it the shape of an “I” or an “H”. These beams are used in large structures, as steel can hold much more than wood. Unlike wood beams, there is minimal variation in the construction of the beams with I-beams. Whether they are in a wall, the floor, or the foundation of a structure, they are made the same way.
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