In the case of a deck beam, it refers to the weight of the joists and decking above it. In the case of rafters, the dead load would be the weight of the roof itвЂ™s supporting. Dead loads are static forces that remain constant. The load is delineated by two types: dead load and live load. How does load affect span? The greater the load it must support, the shorter the distance a 2Г—6 can span before needing additional support. Decking, meanwhile, has a short span because it is placed horizontally versus vertically. A rafter, however, in northern climates may need to be stronger to support heavy snow loads.ДЄ 2Г—6 functioning as a deck beam carries a greater load than a 2Г—6 deck joist as it supports all the framing and decking of a deck or floor. A joist on a deck or floor may support more weight than a roof rafter because it must handle a greater load. LoadДepending on use, some 2ењ†s must support more loads than others. While the differences may seem nominal, keep in mind that the amount of distance a beam can span can determine the number of beams and support posts you need to install, impacting the amount of time and money it takes to complete a project. Select Structural lumber, meanwhile, can span up to 11 feet 4 inches. In comparison, No.-1 grade lumber can span slightly further to 10 feet 11 inches under the same parameters. 2-grade 2Г—6 joists can span up to 10 feet 9 inches from beam to beam when spaced the standard 16 inches apart with a maximum live load of 30 inches per square foot. Returning to our deck framing example, No. How does this affect the span? Although the impact isnвЂ™t dramatic, there is a difference. Select Structural is the highest grade of lumber, offering superior strength. 2 is the lowest quality with numerous knots through the board and weakest structural integrity.

Since dimensional lumber used for structural framing is so critical to the safety of the structure, lumber has different levels of quality. As anyone whoвЂ™s ever dug through a pile of 2x4s or 2ењ†s at the home improvement store knows, the quality of wood can vary pretty significantly from one board to the next. Wood QualityД®ven wood that is the same species isnвЂ™t all created equal. Cedar and redwood, in comparison, can only span up to 5 feet 2 inches on a deck with 6-foot joist spans. Thus, itвЂ™s able to span a longer distance before needing additional support.ДЄ two-ply 2Г—6вЂ“2ењ†s are typically doubled up when used as support beamsвЂ“length of yellow pine can span up to 6 feet 8 inches from post to post on a deck with joists that span 6 feet from beam to beam. Southern pine, perhaps the most common wood used for dimensional lumber, is stronger than other softwoods, such as cedar, redwood, douglas fir, and red pine. Wood has different strength qualities depending on what species it is. In this section, weвЂ™ll examine how these factors affect the maximum span of 2Г—6 lumber. Wood species and quality as well as the load the structural lumber is carrying, all impact how far a 2Г—6 can safely span. Maximum span depends on a wide variety of factors that go beyond the simple dimension of the lumber. What Factors Impact How Far a 2Г—6 Can Span? When framing a roof, rafter span is determined by how far dimensional lumber can travel from the top of a wall plate to the roof peak and still provide adequate support for the roof.

For deck joists, span determines the distance a joist can cover before it needs support from a supporting beam. In the case of floor beams, span refers to how far the beam can span before it needs support from a post or piling. So, in the case of deck beams, span refers to the distance between the center of one support post to the center of the next post. When span guidelines are given, they refer to the distance between the center of one support to the center of another. Span refers to the distance a piece of dimensional lumber can cover before it needs to be supported by a foundation or support post. The term span comes up a lot whether constructing a home, shed, or deck.

How Far Can 2Г—6 Floor / Deck Joist Span?.

How Much Weight Can a 2Г—6 Support Horizontally?.

What Factors Impact How Far a 2Г—6 Can Span?.

Roof rafter span