Patio Roof Structural Beam Spacing

If you move up to 4 by 8 you re usually allowed to span up to 10 feet between posts.

Patio roof structural beam spacing.

Roof cover 1 2 plywood shuttering 1 5 psf roof framing 3 5 psf. If one side of the roof is supported by the house and the other side is supported by the beam divide the total load by two as the beam is only supporting half of the roof. In general the maximum span for a 4 by 6 beam is 6 feet between 4 by 4 posts. Before i began designing the structure of my new patio cover i expanded the existing 10 x 10 patio slab by pouring another 10 x 10 slab next to it making it roughly 10 x 20.

A louvered patio roof is similar to a pergola. You can also use the wood beam calculator from the american wood council website to determine maximum rafter and joist lengths. Since i was planning to attach my patio cover to the existing roof overhang of my home i ensured that it was capable of carrying half of the weight of the new patio cover roof. Louvered patio roof ideas.

Then there are wooden beams that are evenly spaced over the frame to create the roof. An essential part of planning a patio roof or gazebo project is determining the number size and spacing of rafters beams and posts according to the loads they will carry. Both have posts or columns that support a frame. The difference comes in with the type and installation of the beams.

Timber beam design seismic forces wind forces floor shearwall diagram lateral loads. The smallest beams for patio covers are typically 4 by 6. If there is also a beam in the middle of the roof divide the total load by three. A 4 by 10 can usually span up to 12 feet between posts.

Beams can be solid lumber or be built from lengths of 2 by lumber nailed together with 1 2 inch pressure treated plywood spacers in between this forms a 3 1 2 inch thick beam that is equal to the width of a 4 by post. Use the span tables below to determine allowable lengths of joists and rafters based on size and standard design loads. Maximum rafter spans for a patio roof in areas with mild climates patio roofs are generally designed for loads of 30 psf pounds per square foot.