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29 votes

Is it safe to screw into a single support beam holding up an entire house?

First that post is not carrying the load of the whole house. The beam is and the beam is attached on both sides. The post's job is to keep the beam from sagging and act as a point load. I would ...
DMoore's user avatar
  • 50.1k
23 votes

Can this 1930s box support a ceiling fan?

No. The bar isn't meant for this. It is attached to the bottoms of the joists, probably with small, rusty old nails. The box is probably attached to the bar a little loosely. Looks like rivets, ...
jay613's user avatar
  • 43.5k
18 votes

Does my loft bed need diagonal supports?

I'm posting this as an answer because I know I will exceed the limit for a comment. I've built about 3 dozen bunk beds for a church retreat facility. They were all red oak. The side rails and the ...
George Anderson's user avatar
18 votes

How can I hang heavy bikes under a thick wooden shelf?

You can store bicycles vertically with the rear wheel resting on the ground: You don't need to lift the bike to hang it The fastener doesn't need to hold the full weight of the bike, only prevent it ...
bobflux's user avatar
  • 10.3k
16 votes

How do you mount conduit to a wall so that it stands off a standard box distance?

If you don't want to get a conduit bender, you can use conduit hanger clamps like the one shown below from Home Depot. The clamp fastens to the wall and holds the conduit away from the wall.
JACK's user avatar
  • 83.9k
13 votes

How can I temporarily support a ceiling with embedded heat tubing?

It's just not necessary to support the framing from above. Temporary walls are put up under drywall all the time, and the gypsum doesn't crush. Actual plaster certainly won't. Just use a 2x6 or wider ...
isherwood's user avatar
  • 144k
12 votes

How do you mount conduit to a wall so that it stands off a standard box distance?

If you're using EMT and if wall-to-box offsets are the only thing you want to do (which is unlikely) and if you really don't want to learn to use a bender (or you're getting there, but slowly, and the ...
jay613's user avatar
  • 43.5k
12 votes
Accepted

How to secure these wooden porch posts to the concrete slab?

There are many kinds of post bases available which are designed for exactly this purpose. You want something attached to the concrete. You'd do that with concrete screws and a hammer drill. "...
isherwood's user avatar
  • 144k
11 votes

Is it safe to screw into a single support beam holding up an entire house?

At least in the area where I live, that type of support post is used when a house is modified (wall was removed, to prop up a sagging beam, etc). If the house was designed to have a support post ...
bta's user avatar
  • 2,038
11 votes
Accepted

How do you mount conduit to a wall so that it stands off a standard box distance?

1\2" EMT lends itself to bending very easily. And incorrect bends are easy to "adjust." A little practice with a bender will have you making great box offset bends in no time. I will ...
Keith's user avatar
  • 1,075
10 votes

How can I hang heavy bikes under a thick wooden shelf?

Your question is "How can I hang bikes under a thick wooden shelf?" (I point this out because others have proposed alternatives for bike storage that reduce but do not eliminate footprint ...
MadMonty's user avatar
  • 1,874
9 votes

Is it safe to screw into a single support beam holding up an entire house?

Notice the post is not just supporting the beam, it’s holding up ends of the boards that make up the beam! Would strongly recommend consulting an engineer ASAP and having the beam supported correctly. ...
GB540's user avatar
  • 466
7 votes

Contact surface between subfloor and joists

Just add (nail, screw, and/or glue) additional framing material to the side face of the joist to provide more bearing area for the subfloor.
Ecnerwal's user avatar
  • 223k
7 votes

Can I use fine-thread drywall screws with wood framing?

It's fine. They are primarily intended for metal studs but they will work fine in wood. Think about the force required to physically pull out one screw - even a fine threaded screw. Now given the fact ...
Brian Miller's user avatar
7 votes

Can this post supporting a roof beam structure be moved?

The vertical bit is called the post, which is holding the horizontal beam. Any such changes require consultation with the original architect/engineer or a new engineer. This needs to be stressed, ...
Rohit Gupta's user avatar
  • 7,052
7 votes
Accepted

Can this post supporting a roof beam structure be moved?

Wow... I totally missed the detail that the post is to be moved not removed. Much of this answer is still appropriate but changes to relocating the "green" beam instead of beefing up the &...
FreeMan's user avatar
  • 47.9k
7 votes
Accepted

Does over refrigerator cabinet need support at both ends?

Whether it does have adequate support is unknown. It certainly can be adequately supported from behind and above. Whether that involves adding some hardware or not would be something for you to ...
Ecnerwal's user avatar
  • 223k
6 votes

How to support 20 feet of 4 inch pvc drain pipe horizontally along a concrete wall?

Any of the pipe hangers available at your local big-box home improvement store are designed to support a full pipe. They would be just decorations if they didn't... Pick a type that seems simplest to ...
FreeMan's user avatar
  • 47.9k
5 votes
Accepted

How can I route an in wall dryer vent through double top plate?

2015 INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE CHAPTER 15 EXHAUST SYSTEMS M1502.2 Independent exhaust systems. Dryer exhaust systems shall be independent of all other systems and shall convey the moisture to ...
Nobody Inparticular's user avatar
5 votes

Choosing the correct LVL beam size

I see this question often in many forms so I will do my best to outline what is needed for a load calculation in general. Of course every house and roof is different so modify to get better results. ...
Eric F's user avatar
  • 732
5 votes

Choosing the correct LVL beam size

Nope, a 2 ply 1-3/4" x 11-7/8" LVL can't span that long with this much roof on it. With a 19' span (and completely guessing on the roof span and live loading for your area) you're looking at at least ...
Dotes's user avatar
  • 4,829
5 votes
Accepted

How to calculate sizing for treehouse footing?

Hmmm...no digging in the ground and no concrete. Sounds like the four perimeter beams will be your foundation. They’ll need to be treated for ground contact (pressure treated) as you indicate. ...
Lee Sam's user avatar
  • 23.4k
5 votes

Can I safely remove stringer in garage?

Unless there is more to this than you've shown, this was added AFTER construction to permit the installation of the squat rack. As such, it's NOT a part of the garage's structure and so removing it ...
jwh20's user avatar
  • 23.5k
5 votes

Is there any way to stop a low-profile desk from racking back and forth?

The "very minimalist look" is a bit too minimalist for boring old function. You may regret "living with it" when it fails and a hunk of rock lands on your foot (or other body part),...
Ecnerwal's user avatar
  • 223k
5 votes
Accepted

Rust at welded steel beam joint

This looks like surface rust so you'll want to remove it. There are many rust removal products like Naval Jelly,etc. but I've found White vinegar to be just as good. Saturate the area with the vinegar ...
JACK's user avatar
  • 83.9k
5 votes

Does my loft bed need diagonal supports?

Did something similar once. Legs were four 2x4 and rails 2x8, cross pieces 2x6 and cutouts in the legs (1” deep) so that the wood supported the rails just held secure by bolts. Used by 2 adults for “...
Solar Mike's user avatar
  • 28.1k
5 votes

Can my deck use 6x6s below the deck, and 4x4s on top?

It may depend on jurisdiction, but for a 6' deck height I'd consider 4x4 to be adequate post support at the spacing I see in the photos, given of course they're fixed to the concrete (cannot see that ...
Fredric Shope's user avatar
5 votes

How do you mount conduit to a wall so that it stands off a standard box distance?

When confronted with that situation, I resort to a conduit bender. You can put a couple of small bends in the EMT . It takes a bit of practice, but it's really not all that hard.
George Anderson's user avatar
5 votes
Accepted

How can fix and strengthen a linen closet shelf?

yes, those repair brackets. will work well. It may make sense to use screws into the wall mounted wood (cleat), but to drill through the perpendicular wood (beam) and bolt the brackets on there ...
Jasen's user avatar
  • 23.2k
5 votes

How can I hang heavy things from this drywall and metal ceiling, without cutting drywall?

What you have there is a steel web truss with hat channel attached to the bottom. The hat channel gives you an attachment point for the drywall as it cannot span the 4' spacing that you have between ...
matt.'s user avatar
  • 3,081

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