

#1 Southern pine floor joist may span 16’, exceed 26’ as a ceiling joist, or run 13’-6” as a rafter. A #1 Southern pine beam may span 5’-1” as a single, or 7’-7” when doubled, or 9’-6” when tripled.

The span differs when used as a beam, floor joist, ceiling joist, or rafter. The use or location affects how far a 2×8 will span. The end-tag or grading stamp identifies grading association, mill, grade designation – select structural (SS), construction (#1), standard (#2), or utility (#3) – species, seasoning – MC15, KD-15, S-DRY, KD or S-GRN – and dimensions. There are different factors that affect how far a 2×8 can span, including use or location, species of wood, grade, the spacing between joists or rafters, and load. What Factors Impact How Far a 2×8 Can Span? The roof span is the distance from outside bearing wall to outside bearing wall measured horizontally from outside top plate face to outside top plate face. Rafters span from the top plate to ridge board or beam but may have intermediate support from purlins and braces, collar ties, or raised rafters. The span determines the location of structural supports and the size of the clear or unobstructed spaces in a building.įloor joists span from wall to beam or wall to wall with supports spaced to optimize the strength of the building material used, or to determine the materials to be used. It is commonly measured from the center of one support point, such as a wall, beam, purlin, or ridge to the center of the next support point. Span is how far a structural piece can traverse before it needs to be supported. It is used by both the United States and Canada as the foundation of their building codes and will be referenced within this article.
#Load bearing lvl beam span tables code#
The International Residential Building Code (IRC) of 2018 identifies the spans for joists, beams, headers, rafters, and roofs. The distance is determined by many factors and conditions. In the construction world, span is a word used to mean the linear distance a board, joist, rafter, or roof must bridge or cover without bending or requiring support. How Far Can 2×8 Ceiling / Floor / Deck Joist Span?.How Much Weight Can a 2×8 Support Horizontally.What Factors Impact How Far a 2×8 Can Span?.
