×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Conservative choice for in service wood grade?

Conservative choice for in service wood grade?

Conservative choice for in service wood grade?

(OP)
A colleague of mine is looking to place a heavy load on the wood floor of his 1880s house. The floor joist size is 2"x8" (not nominal) and he believes it is some sort of Pine. I'm conservatively selecting the weakest Pine species from the 2005 NDS manual (if the building is in Chicago, I'm doubtful it's southern Pine). The trouble I'm having is selecting the appropriate grade, as this will have a large impact on capacity. For a home of this age, what is a reasonable choice of grade?

RE: Conservative choice for in service wood grade?

If it was me, I would back into what grade I need it to be based on the loads. Then, if you only need a #2, I would likely assume it was OK, unless I saw something in the member that made me think otherwise.

RE: Conservative choice for in service wood grade?

From what I know about older run of the century lumber, it was generally of much higher grade than we get now. With a rough cut member, if I could inspect the tightness of the grain, I would try to make a case for #1 or better, or even SS. The jurisdiction may require you to downgrade it one or two grades from what it appears.

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)


RE: Conservative choice for in service wood grade?

There was some good discussion on this topic recently; Link.

I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources