How to Install a Recessed Beam after Removing a Load Bearing Wall

Jan 27th, 2022: 97% like/dislike
Tools/products used:
Palm Nailer: amzn.to/3aRMsln
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Dewalt 10-piece tool kit: amzn.to/3nAJSVX
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Simpson joist hangers: amzn.to/3eFMe1P
Camera equipment:
Gopro Hero 8: amzn.to/33mR7aR
Jobi handheld tripod: amzn.to/3uwOLSM
Standard tripod: amzn.to/3vQYrrk
Cell phone tripod: amzn.to/2PXzo6X

[@philoyphilia]

Excellent work pal. Very thorough and patient. I can tell you love your job. You don't cut corners.

[@MrAbdulHaque]

Great informative video. We're planning to replicate this strategy using a steel beam for a ground floor rear extension.

[@dialac1]

Dude you just saved me thousands of dollars. I was planning to pour concrete in the crawl space to hold Doug fir posts that would carry my lvl beam but this method you showed here has completely changed my strategy. Thanks bro

[@coolhluke8089]

🤣

[@user-ct2tt9zy8h]

Good video. We were in a similar situation on a reno and ended up installing the beam above the ceiling joists. Then used hangers to tie the ceiling joists up to the beam.

[@walkbyfaithinlove]

You are absolutely so thorough. Great content and nice calm personality. Delightful. Thank you.

[@michaeldavidson4847]

That is EXACTLY what I was looking for... I just had a guy quote me $10k to remove a 16' load bearing wall set up just like that... Thank you, Now I have instructions on how to do it myself!

[@tuckerunderwood9516]

Just make sure you do the calculation to figure out what size LVL beam to use over the 16' span. I believe lowe or home depot can figure the beam size for you as long as you know the load.

[@AtHomeDIY]

As Tucker mentioned, make sure you get some help figuring out the correct size beam. Depending on your location this could vary. I always err on the side of over engineering for all my projects, just to be safe. Best of luck!

[@Bigskyguy56]

A good job, well thought out & executed.

[@dayemassey1132]

You're the boss and you've done it by yourself bravo

[@raulescobar3881]

Great video! Thank you for going through the trouble of documenting this!

[@LORDYEMEN83]

I watched a few videos but u r the best , good job bro

[@dreamingcode]

Excellent content. That palm nailer was awesome. Wish I had a dad like this.

[@yep-gi9fl]

yeah, it is much more efficient than hammer

[@vroor32]

Dude, I had no idea something like that existed 😂 .... Had to look it up

[@Loonypapa]

For any people out there thinking you can use double 2x12's on any wall span, you can't. The span in this video is about 12 feet, and the tributary width is about 8 feet. So 2x12's work in this case. But wider than 12 feet, the performance demands rapidly increase, calling for larger LVLs. Also, for folks with basements or crawlspaces, you have to have solid support from the underside of the beam down to the foundation wall or footing. You can't just stop the king posts and trimmers at the wall bottom plate.

[@IRV707]

Great work! I would have added a double stud on under the beam once it's set under the ceiling joist for reinforcement.

[@Speeglelookingglass]

Like the palm nailer. Good job.

[@ericgautreaux1752]

First did that by myself thirty years ago. Good job.

[@Sean-Aviation]

great video. thanks. mine in a smaller wall that I want would like to open so its not a long span. not sure how thick to go with the beam

[@claudeperron8197]

Great job and clear vid !

[@reagan232]

I have been looking for a video that describes this exactly! Thank you! We are about to do a 36 foot spread and will have 3 beams side by side. Took me weeks to find this video. I would suggest placing some “keywords” on your video so it’s easier to find. Thanks

[@AtHomeDIY]

Wow, 36 ft span is quite large! Just curious if you're DIYing that or if you had an engineer spec the beam for you? I did another wall in my house that was about 24 ft. Best of luck! I'll look into the key words, thanks

[@felipesepulveda9701]

@@AtHomeDIY what was the spec for your 24’ span?

[@RUGQBIFF]

Nice job, great video, very informative.

[@NicholsSteel]

Great video. Thanks for sharing

[@rawb9976]

New subscriber here......Love this idea and I will using your video when its time to install my flush beam! Great job dude🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@mick8018]

So you've removed a uniform line load, i.e. the bearing wall, and concentrated the existing loads onto two new wood posts on either end of your new beam... What have you done to ensure the floor under these two new posts is sufficient to hold the new concentrated load?

[@yep-gi9fl]

i did not see his other video, i just discover other guy added two more single concrete footings (400x400x500) under the both posts, if your footings is concrete slab, some guy suggested add more concrete with nut and then link short wall with screw on the to spread the load near post

[@riffdex]

My ceiling joists from each side don’t overlap. They just individually connect to the load bearing top plate in the middle of the house. I was wondering if this is compromising the structural integrity of my house?

[@franciscovalenzuela1436]

Thank you, even better if you have a helper . Made that look easy and able so save thousands

[@yolanda9666]

very impressive!! thank you

[@alexboros1751]

I'm impressed you did that on your own. Nice work👍

[@patmccarthy7506]

Great Presentation huge help!

[@kiellish]

Awesome info, going to try this

[@davidr5515]

Good job with one exception. You want it to be tight to disperse the load. When it's loose, you are relying on the strength of the nails & hangers vs using the weight against itself.

[@phermcgee1797]

#Vet

[@AtHomeDIY]

Very good point. I tried to get the spacing a tight as I possibly could, but yes, could always be tighter. Thanks for the feedback!

[@jamesstewart2543]

You could have notched the ends of the ceiling joists (1/8" or so deep) to accomodate the bottoms of the hangers. Then the bottoms of the ceiling joists would be at the level of the bottom of the beam. The the ceiling would fit better.

[@tatyanabespalova9412]

How did you screw/connect the bottom of the beam vertical posts and the floor joist - where the post were " standing" on?

[@michaelrogers1328]

Nice work. Well done.

[@handytbutler7380]

great job, i am in the middle of doing the exact same thing in a small house i am renovating.....

[@ikewheelerjr5344]

Awesome video, this is exactly the same way I have to do my house. Appreciate it! New sub...

[@gary24752]

Has the beam telegraphed thru thru the sheetrock at all? So after doing all this what are you doing to serve as ties for the rafters?

[@letsbuildsomethingNOW]

Outstanding video, but I’d suggest anyone doing this use a razor (instead of the circular saw) to cut the drywall. It’ll makes a lot less mess.

[@Whosurdaddy71]

Razors are for your face not wood

[@YoarickColon]

Everything is good but, the nine inch spacers are my only concern. If it was me i would change the 2 x 4 completely.

[@leroygreen1877]

yeah no load bearing wall should have a spacer in place of a king stud.

[@bg147]

Could he take the drywall and flooring out in that spot and add a king stud?

[@leroygreen1877]

@@bg147 He could he should get to a foundation member to spread the weight of that beam.

[@AtHomeDIY]

Can't remember if I mentioned it in the video, but yes, the spacers were temporary. They were replaces with actual king studs.

[@leroygreen1877]

@@AtHomeDIY Thanks for the update!

[@pf5658]

Awesome! Did you have to consult with an engineer to figure out the beam size? Also, what is the span of the beam? I’m in the process of doing something similar so I’m curious to know.

[@dialac1]

I used a structural engineer to figure out size of beam

[@t-rex4211]

I guess this guy didn’t as the beam was already in place and he’s just changed its height but yeah get a structural engineer for a new beam

[@michaelcrossman6951]

Good job my friend

[@monstaace]

How are you putting the risers under the support? you're not showing in the video.

[@pridepropertyservicesllc1596]

Nice video man

[@stephenhenderson8463]

This is great. Thanks! I've been recommended 24F-V4 Glulam Beam for my job, double your span, but seems like overkill. Do you know the name/specs of yours?

[@tomacquilano1304]

Watching this video and saw your post. Wondering how you made out. Is your house two story? I'm looking to remove some load bearing walls and install a 23ft LVL. In my case it's a ranch so the only thing the beam will be holding are the ceiling joists and the drywall ceiling. Half of them hold joists spanning approx 19ft. The other half, on the other side of the beam, span approx 10ft. What were the dimensions of the beam the engineer specified? Thanks

[@enargileci]

Great video. I also appreciate the constructive comments. Thank u all.

[@davidparks5463]

Thanks for the video, very helpful. What's the process for wedging the studs in for the temporary wall? Fasten the top of one, hammer in the bottom, secure the bottom, and then wedge another against it from the other direction?

[@AtHomeDIY]

My temporary walls on this particular project were more unorthodox. Ideally you just frame in a wall on both sides with a bottom and top plate and each stud supporting the ceiling joist above it (so studs would be directly vertical). These studs should be tight to immediately hold the load. Secure them to both the top plate and bottom plate and you should be good. FYI, I am currently editing the video of a much bigger wall removal/beam project so stay tuned for that!

[@davidparks5463]

@@AtHomeDIY Alright, I'll stay tuned for that. I saw one recommendation to cut the studs 1/8" longer than the original studs...

[@AtHomeDIY]

@@davidparks5463 Yes, exactly. 1/8" long would be just fine. It'll be a tight fit, but better than short and your ceiling "dropping" slightly onto the temp walls.

[@justinanderson1221]

Wondering if this could be done with longer spands?

[@ernestonieves5252]

I live in Florida I'm trying to remodel my kitchen in my living room with a low bearing dividing wall but want to open the wall to an open-plan how can I find a 32 ft 2 x 6 beam trust to support my roof

[@ricos6243]

How long a span is that beam? Thanks for sharing 👍

[@marklivingston1623]

I want to do the same thing. My house is just like yours. I want to open mine from 9 feet to 14 feet. Right now they have 3 2x8 put together as the beam. What size beam should i use to open it up to 14 feet.

[@neilshillig9105]

Keep up the good work and love seeing the progress!

[@pw5391]

is a 16-foot beam the longest it can go? what happens if the wall is like 20-25 feet wide?

[@fishon7301]

Pretty good video. Except the end posts are an issue. I don't think adding a 10" block of 2x4s is to code anywhere in the country. You need to remove the old posts and install new ones sufficiently long. Then you need to heed Mick's comment below about subfloor support for those two posts. Then you need to clean up the electrical and water lines above. I'm pretty sure code says you have to have them fastened periodically to the rafters. Maybe you did that. But you didn't tell us. I don't like using those 10" blocks at all in this video. You should have temporarily supported the beam, then taken out the end posts and replaced them. In fact it would make the installation into the new place higher up go a lot easier.

[@coolhluke8089]

Every time I've seen this done it's buried into the wall on top of the top plate with 4 or 5 2x4 studs under it carrying the weight.

[@Loonypapa]

@@coolhluke8089 but you need solid wood or PSL from the bottom of the beam down to a footing. You can't just pack a stud bay down to the bottom plate. That's a nightmare waiting to happen.

[@kirchdubl1652]

how we determine the recessed beam width ? is two 2x12 enough or maybe tree or four put together? my rafters span from wall to wall are about 22 ft. and loading bearing wall itself is about 15 ft long

[@AtHomeDIY]

Great question that I'm sure many others are wondering as well. So for easy jobs like the one in this video (small span about 14 ft, no load from the roof rafters, only load from ceiling joist and drywall) you can google and find code in your area for beam span and size minimums. Anything more complicated than that and I would 100% invest in the expertise of an engineer who can determine the exact loads going on and the specs needed to make the job code compliant, and safe. For a span of 22 ft I would get an engineer. Dimensional lumbar will likely not be sufficient and you'll need a different material like an LVL beam. Plus there could very well be more going on up there than just ceiling joists. One last note, for jobs like this I NEVER just do the minimum. If I remember correctly this job could have been done with 2x10s, but I used 2x12s. Peace of mind.

[@evictioncarpentry2628]

Anything over 14 ft span here you need to get engineered lumber (LVL) also you want an engineer to give you directions based on your roof and joist system.

[@juliegravel7776]

need a 2x16 minimum lvl beam with twin king studs and studpacks on each end and "every rafter " needs support including the ones by the walls.

[@spiromifsud1226]

hey -- how did you go back and remove the spacers?

[@BillyHeany]

Do you have to have joists running on both sides of a beam in order to recess it? i.e. applying equal pressure.

[@AtHomeDIY]

Sorry for the late reply. That is a negative, you do not need joists running to both sides of the beam. The structure is not compression from the the joist on the beam, rather, the beam with the hangers is there to keep the joists from pulling away (hypothetically). Studpack has a couple videos showing a similar project with joist on just one side. Best of luck!

[@problemsulfer]

what input did you get from the structural engineer? I have a small bungalow with an old roof design like yours. Going with 2by8s or 2b10s and half inch spacer of OSB in between should do the trick to span 20 feet or so. did you glue the 2b10s with spacer together in addition to nailing it together? Thanks for the video. Great details.

[@Loonypapa]

No way will regular 2x's handle a 20 foot span. It will sag under its own weight.

[@AnhNguyen-ek1ew]

How long is your beam? was that 2x12 you used for the beam? Thanks.

[@remodelassets6523]

Nice work! Nobody realizes how much time that takes, all the prep work and necessary steps. The joist nailer is a must! 💯👍 hope you pursued your path doing remodeling as tradesman are hard to find in 2024 another note: #FJB

[@chrisattiliis3705]

What did you do under the 2x4 posts on each end to carry the load down below?

[@Shad0wC0mpany2]

Wondering the same…

[@maadhav22]

I just installed 3 LVLs (3) x 1 3/4 x 24’’ x 25’ . Can someone recommend the ideal overhang on the posts for a beam this long? The engineer recommended 8’’ hang on the post on each side but my contractor only did about 4’’ on each side. I’m afraid that the overhang might not be enough considering the beam is 25’ long.

[@AtHomeDIY]

I would definitely go with what your engineer specified. For a 25' span 4" seems very skimpy. Again, I'm not an engineer, but that's my opinion. Maybe someone else on here can chime in as well?

[@maadhav22]

Thank you so much, I think so too. I think the contractor accidentally cut a little too much of the beam. It was 26’, and he ended up cutting 1’ leaving less hang on the posts. Looking forward to see everyone’s inputs on this as well.

[@AtHomeDIY]

@@maadhav22 Any update on how this turned out?

[@MJ-em2ix]

@@AtHomeDIY He died. Whole damn house collapsed due to that 1". Source: I'm his neighbor. RIP Madhav.

[@paulbains9152]

So if it spreads sideways , with tension on the joist system , what stops it ? I remember a church built that way . They ended up putting long steel rods from wall to wall , to prevent spreading . Its fine just sitting there , but in an earth quake , it could be a different story . We had a building start spreading just from blasting rock on the neighboring lot . Thats my thoughts .

[@AtHomeDIY]

This is a great point. First, attaching the joists to the beam with the hangers is what is required by code. You may notice in the video that the nails coming in from the side also catch each joist presumably holding all parts of the structure together. Second, in my particular case, there are collar ties up in the attic space resisting the tension of the rafters wanting to spread. Third, this is in Texas so very little concern of earthquakes and/or heavy load on the roof (snow). Great point though and others should take these things into consideration when tackling a similar project!

[@damienhouse2972]

i was concerned with tension aspect regardless of collar ties. not an engineer but a simple gal strap under each joist connecting them could be a simple solution. this will resist the joists pulling away from each other. Recessed in for drywall.@@AtHomeDIY

[@matjusz8985]

Dont you think 1 1/2 nails are a little too short as they wont grip the second board when naild in?

[@Jamax99Jetfan]

He has metal plate in middle lol

[@oscarcolindres4637]

This the correct way of making a beam when you on a budget and cant add expensive lvl old houses were made like this and they still standing the only thing i do to make it sturdy i spread gorilla glue with a puddy tite bond just turns into a crusty thin layer.

[@Bluuplanet]

I'd like to do something similar but those two nails you show through the uncut joists are to prevent the roof peak from sagging down and pushing the walls out when the nails are cut out and the walls are free to pull the cut rafters apart. I'm thinking you should bolt a steel angle on each joist about 8" on either side of the beam. Then bolt the angles on one side to the angles on the other side with a piece of all-thread going thru a holes in the beam. I don't think the joist hangers are sufficient to resist pull-away tension caused by sagging gable pressure.

[@Bluuplanet]

I think I'd shave about ⅛" off the bottom of the cut rafter for about 2" so the bottom of the rafter is even with the bottom of the hanger.

[@lukesimpson5550]

Why aren't your water lines insulated ?

[@Decan360]

Do you know bolt placement measurements. That are up to code?

[@AtHomeDIY]

For this project, with dimensional lumbar and relatively low load, I used 3 inch nails spaced roughly every 8-10 inches length wise and I believe 3 in a row. For a bigger project using LVLs and structural screws you would want to follow product/engineer specifications. Studpack has a beam video where they go over this a bit more. Best of luck!

[@candygracia6188]

What did you do to support the ends of the beam

[@AtHomeDIY]

A beam this size needs 2 - 2x4s on each end for support. However, with larger beams, it may call for more supports. These guidelines can be found on google, but may also vary by state/region. Hope I understood your question correctly.

[@timothy3120]

So, he lifts the beam off the posts on each end to his desired height, but I missed what he did to replace the posts or extend them, so it seems like he still has the full weight of the beam on the 2x4 he used to lift it. Did I miss a step or did he not include that?

[@AtHomeDIY]

Hi Timothy, sorry it wasn't clear in the video. In my situation here, I already had the beam in place to the underside of the joist (as you would for a normal, non recessed beam). Ideally I would have done this all at once... Braced both sides at the ceiling, cut the joists, placed the beam recessed between the joists, and put the jack studs under each end of the beam (this last part can be tricky, but just gotta get them in there somehow). The spacers were unique to my situation and were removed later for full length jack studs fully supporting the beam. Best of luck!

[@mateo671]

Thanks, how many jack studs were on each end?

[@juanzuniga1676]

One suggestion why not brace the ceiling joist to rafters as well with a plate on the joists just to be more sure?

[@Simen2024]

Thank you for sharing such clear information. 2 question: 1. What was the length of your beam? 2. What’s the blue or green stripe in your beam?

[@wayfarer1517]

The "stripe" is a filler (some OSB I suspect) between two other pieces of lumber; 2 X 12's?

[@Simen2024]

@@wayfarer1517 thanks

[@BlackClawBand]

Great work ! What type of 2x12 did you use? Pressure treated ? .. I’m looking into doing the same but really don’t want to spend too much on the lvl’s.

[@AtHomeDIY]

This is just normal dimensional lumbar, untreated (treated is used if in contact with cement as a baseplate). I actually just did the same thing on a much bigger scale in another part of my house. I'm literally editing that video as we speak, look out for that soon! Good luck with your project!

[@BlackClawBand]

@@AtHomeDIY thank you for replying back.I am definitely looking forward to your next project. Keep up the great work!

[@giantesta2798]

@@AtHomeDIY when will the new video be up ? I’m starting a 22’ load bearing wall in 2 weeks ! Hopefully your video will be up soon ! Thanks for all the knowledge!

[@Rob-sr9rj]

I'm putting up an 18 foot beam. This is what I'm doing. I figured out a formula for what kind of beam I need. Apparently I need either 3 2x12x18 or a 3.5x14 lvl. My roof is the same as yours pretty much. I'm still struggling with which option to choose. I keep talking to friends that have been in the business and they keep saying 3 2x12x18s should be fine. I'm just worried about sag. Hiring an engineer is probably expensive. I'll probably go with an lvl.

[@AtHomeDIY]

I personally would go with the LVL, that's what I did on my other wall removal project. The ones I got are 1 3/4 in thick so you just structural screw them together (stud pack has a great video on that from like 2 years ago). Best of luck.

[@Loonypapa]

18 foot span is pretty far, even if it's only supporting an attic. If it's supporting part of the roof load, then it's even worse. Regardless, no way will 3x2x14's be anywhere near sufficient for 18 feet. Plus you'd have to worry about sourcing 20 foot long 2x18's.

[@Rob-sr9rj]

I went ahead and got 2 lvl. 2x14x18. After doing some math they should be good to support 30 pounds of snow per Sq foot. It's Tennessee so I think im good. The supports are 4x6. And they are placed over the footings. All in all it was a great project. Only cost around $700. And now I have a beautiful house with a happy wife.

[@Simen2024]

How long is the beam buddy?

[@dontworry1568]

to lift the beam, why couldnt you have use a tall floor jack like you see in basements?

[@Sean-Aviation]

what's the dimension of the beam?

[@jjjxoxoxo]

What material is blue' color between the beam?

[@Shad0wC0mpany2]

Spacer OSB?

[@nokills4209]

Rafters, ceiling joist.... same thing .. right...

[@motherearth1147]

How about footings?

[@hunterh7696]

Great video. Quick question though. What do you do with the furthest most ceiling joist that is too close to the exterior wall for a hanger to fit? At 18:02 you can see the joist closest to the wall, no fasteners. I have the same situation and am curious.

[@AtHomeDIY]

So in my situation the two you see closest to the wall are just 2x4s for the drywall backing (at the same time stamp if you look closely you can see they are 2x4s, not 2x6s). Not structural at all. Without seeing your exact situation it would be very difficult for me to offer a solution.

[@mtdiscipleship]

How do you construct the beam?

[@AtHomeDIY]

See my answer to KirchDub L down below. I explain how the beam is built with dimensional lumber as well as engineered lumber. Let me know if you have additional questions after reading that

[@mw1545]

I know he’s using the beam he had, but why use a double beam here? If the joists want to pull apart wouldn’t it make more sense to have the joists pulling in opposite directions on the same beam rather than two joined together?

[@belindajames4785]

Really good and clear video.Good job keeping yourself safe. Harder by yourself. Should wear a hard hat just incase ahe

[@MBernhardt03]

What is the total length of the lvl?

[@charlesbryant3515]

That wasn't a lvl beam.

[@AtHomeDIY]

@@charlesbryant3515 Correct, not an lvl. This was two 2x12s nailed together. Span was 12' I believe.

[@zachcombs6271]

Who the hell cuts drywall with a circular saw

[@AtHomeDIY]

Hi Zach, would love to hear your suggestions for a better way. We're all about learning here. Cheers

[@auscross1859]

Buddy I would use a handy man vibrating cutter much less dust and easy and safe to use above your head.

[@danslamusique]

Oscillating multi tool is good but your circ saw probably gets a good straight line

[@paulbains9152]

The guys name is Duty something . You can put a vaccuum attachment on the saw .

[@cletus7419]

You’d make a much smaller mess with many other methods...jab saw, sawzall, oscillating saw, drywall cut out tool(rotozip).

[@satieshisaac9114]

Why sandwich a ply in between?

[@AtHomeDIY]

Good question. The standard measurement of a dimensional 2x4 is 1.5"x3.5". This means that if you were to ply the 2x12s together they would be a combined width of 3" leaving .5" extra to reach the standard 3.5" width of the 2x4 posts. The half inch ply wood is to make up for that .5" so everything equals out and looks nice. Side note: LVL beams measure 1 3/4" so putting two of them together equals 3.5" meaning now sandwiched .5" plywood is needed.

[@walterdiaz2003]

how much a task like this cost in 2023?

[@notsohandyhandydad429]

you are cutting ceiling joists; not rafters, but good job

[@Whosurdaddy71]

How not to built temp support walls 😂. Spacers in a beam support I don’t think is code either.

[@agapropertyimprovements6548]

Joist not rafter

[@jcallesano]

They're not rafters... They're joists.

[@FOUAD60SANTOS]

Google job. But I would rather have a couple people halping or a scaffold. Just in case an accident. Good technique though Thanks

[@stevesolt4036]

Don’t think spacers meets code.

[@scottkizziah6577]

BLorzA

[@yosh1to]

It’s not a rafter, it’s a joist

[@no4k]

Those are joists not rafters

[@ic3p1k]

Technically they are rafter ties.

[@segundocardenas4399]

My video

[@lotharhamburg5343]

Fail

[@elizabethzieman1059]

They are ceiling JOISTS, not rafters. Please use correct terminology,

[@Sean-Aviation]

did you use an engineer to determine the beam to be used or just went a bit overkill?