sistering a basement W beam

[cpolly]

I have a 50 yr old 1 story house with no cracks! The bedroom floor is supported by a 5 1/2x8 W beam with a steel column about midway in a 16-0 span. I want to remove the post-sister the beam with identical beam-and install new bearing columns at each end to shorten the span to about 14-0. All this to open the floor for a new rec room. Do I need to weld the beams together? Do i put the new columns centered on the two beams or only under the new one? I am afraid if i don't sister the beam I will get deflection and maybe cracking. Is this a plan or just a dumb plan? Thanks.

[Doug Aleshire]

cpolly,

This is a plan that may not work, in my opinion. More information would be needed and it would be best to talk to a structural engineer.

We cannot provide such information for as it would be foolish on anyones part to give you their "blessing" to go ahead and do it. Your home is a big investment and if we were to suggest anything other than seeking a pro to look at what you have, would be an error on our part. I don't want to commit to such a mistake in the making.

Pay some dollars and get the right information from an engineer who can evaluate current conditions and what could be done that would be sound.

By the way this is a permit issue, big time. The engineer would provide the documents to authorize any change to accommodate. It's not as simple as you might think it is. 14' span is a large span and bigger members will be needed.

Hope this helps!