Architecture - lally column or steel tube?
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noshocks
09-16-07, 07:14 AM
I am opening up my kitchen on the first floor and need to remove a wall. Below the kitchen, parallel with the wall to be removed, is a beam and lally columns about 7 feet apart.
I paid an engineer to size the beam I want to span the kitchen. The engineer provided the post size and type and also the basement supports (lally column) for the point loads from each end of the beam.
I have 2 questions. 1 - the engineer specified that I use 3 1/2 inch square steel tubes for the basement supports. He stated that he didn't like lally columns (concrete filled round tubes). I am not sure why. Can anyone give me the pros and cons of a concrete filled lally column as opposed to a 1/4 thick 3-1/2 inch diameter steel tube?
2 - whatever I choose for the basement supports, do I have to jack up the main beam to install these supports or can they be 'hammered'/wedged into place? Should the tubes be cut to the exact length needed or the exact length plus a little?
I paid an engineer to size the beam I want to span the kitchen. The engineer provided the post size and type and also the basement supports (lally column) for the point loads from each end of the beam.
I have 2 questions. 1 - the engineer specified that I use 3 1/2 inch square steel tubes for the basement supports. He stated that he didn't like lally columns (concrete filled round tubes). I am not sure why. Can anyone give me the pros and cons of a concrete filled lally column as opposed to a 1/4 thick 3-1/2 inch diameter steel tube?
2 - whatever I choose for the basement supports, do I have to jack up the main beam to install these supports or can they be 'hammered'/wedged into place? Should the tubes be cut to the exact length needed or the exact length plus a little?