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Porches & Decks

Advice About a New Covered Patio Porch

17 years ago

I'm about to start building a 16' X 22' western cedar covered porch and was looking for advice concerning the best way (strength wise) to span 22'. It will only have a one angled roof with shingles.

While I understand that the 4 X 12 I was planning to use will only span 16', I was told that a "flitch plate" consisting of two 2 X 12s with 1/2" plywood sandwiched, glued and screwed in between them would be very strong and work well.

In your experience - is this true?

Thanks for your response and help.

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Comments (7)

john_hyatt
17 years ago
It greatley depends on what that 22' framing member is used for.A flitch beam is usually built with a steel plate inbetween 2x material those things will span really good and can support a second story. I build 20 ' or so beams made up like your talking about, first we size the lumber thru the table saw, apply counstruction adhesive or a really good polly glue, tack on 1/2'' plywood,clamp them together,fasten them together with ss screws every 16'' on both sides. I use these beams for fancey shade areas stacking layers of 2x6 on top, If I use them for a second floor deck I put a post in mid span. Plywood really wont add a whole lot of span strength it makes the beam very stable. John
hawkeye53
Original Author
17 years ago
The 22' beam(s) will be used to support the rafters for the shingled roof. The rafters are 16' long, 24" OC. These beams will be supported by 6 X 6 posts on each corner. Again, the covered patio is 16' X 22'.
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john_hyatt
17 years ago
You make that beam up like I said and you will be fine,that would be about the same as a garage door header, most all those ol framer boys just gun nail two 2x12s together with a few spacers, bang it in the wall, raise it up and land rafters on it.One Little thing>> most lumber yards carry 20' material max so unless you can find 22' material a person will have to make a joint then the plywood/glue/clamp will be a must.Made corectly your beam will span better than a solid 4x12(less weight and movement) and of course you could always use three 2x12s and two rips of plywood that would really do it and cover your splice up nicely with stagered joints. J
hawkeye53
Original Author
17 years ago
John - Thanks for the advice. I got lucky and found a local yard that can get me a 22' board so it will save me some work.
clilley
17 years ago
Another DIY'er here - not a contractor so probably best to listen to those others who know more.

I am in the process of putting a 20' x 12' roof over my existing deck. For our 20' span, we used (2) 2X12X20 hem fir boards ordered from local 84 Lumber. We did not add any extra plywood or anything to it, and we do not have a support post in the center. We did attach the 2 boards together with a few spikes, and the boards are supported on either end by a notched 6X6.

From the research I did everyone I spoke with seemed to think that was OK, and it passed the township framing inspection. The only load it is carrying is the roof that covers the deck.
srercrcr
17 years ago
If I recall correctly, the last time I checked a span table 2 X 12's will go 22 feet, and that's without doubling them.
john_hyatt
17 years ago
Those span tables are based just a frog hair above faliure,and dont even factor in outdoor work. J

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