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Beam & Header Sizing for Residential Projects
Remove load-bearing walls, span longer distances, and clean up your framing plans—without guessing at the beam.
Beam & Headers
Slate Drafting offers a focused beam and header sizing service for residential projects. We use the International Residential Code (IRC), manufacturer design tools (like ForteWEB/BC Calc), and the AISC Steel Construction Manual to recommend member sizes for openings, decks, and simple girders.
For situations that fall outside prescriptive limits or where a stamped engineered design is required, we coordinate with a licensed Professional Engineer in Virginia through Slate Structural Desk.
This Beam Sizing Service Is For
If you’re working on a house, addition, ADU, or deck and need practical, code-based beam recommendations, this is aimed at you.
Homeowners
Planning to remove a wall, open up a kitchen, or add a large opening and need to know “what size beam do I need?”
Contractors & remodelers
Tired of guessing at LVL sizes or waiting weeks for simple beam calcs on small jobs.
Designers & drafters
Need help sizing beams and headers for your plan sets but don’t want to hire a full-time engineer.
What We Do (and What We Don’t)
What We Do
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Size wood beams and headers (LVL, PSL, etc.) that fall within IRC and manufacturer limits
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Provide simple steel beam recommendations for straightforward residential spans (headers and girders)
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Use:
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IRC span tables
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Manufacturer tools such as ForteWEB / BC Calc
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AISC Steel Construction Manual for simple steel beams
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Deliver a clear, written recommendation plus supporting calcs/printouts
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Integrate the beam sizes into our plan sets if we’re also doing your drawings
What We Don't Do
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We do not act as your structural engineer of record
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We do not provide sealed calculations or full structural engineering services
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We do not design complex steel frames, multi-span systems, or unusual loading scenarios
For projects that require engineered design or a PE’s seal, we’ll tell you up front and route the work through a Virginia-licensed Professional Engineer via Slate Structural Desk.
Step 1 – Send project info
You complete a short intake form with:
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Project address and jurisdiction
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Sketch or plan showing the beam location and span
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What the beam supports (floor only, floor + roof, deck, etc.)
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Photos of existing framing and supports (for remodels)
Step 2 – We review and confirm scope
We review your information and confirm:
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Whether your situation looks prescriptive (wood or simple steel)
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Or if it’s likely to require a PE and stamped design
You’ll get a clear quote before we start.
Step 3 – We size the beam
For prescriptive cases, we:
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Apply appropriate loads and tributary widths
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Use IRC tables, manufacturer tools, and/or AISC methods to check bending, shear, and deflection
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Select a recommended member size (LVL / other wood product, or a steel W-shape)
Step 4 – You receive a simple report
You’ll receive:
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A brief summary of assumptions (span, loads, supports)
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The recommended beam size and any bearing/connection notes
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Supporting manufacturer or calculation printouts
What we can size
Removing load-bearing walls
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Beams over new openings in existing houses
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Long openings for open-concept remodels
LVL/PSL headers and girders
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Over large windows and doors
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Under floor joists in basements or crawlspaces
Deck beams and deck girders
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Single- and multi-span beams within residential deck limits
Simple residential steel beams
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Steel headers where wood gets too deep or too heavy
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Steel girders under floor joists for long spans
When a PE is Required
If your project falls outside prescriptive limits or the building department requires a stamped engineered design:
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We’ll tell you before we start beam sizing
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We can coordinate with a Virginia-licensed Professional Engineer through Slate Structural Desk
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PE fees are quoted separately based on scope