20 foot joists

JohnBoy

Hi,

I'm desigining my dream garage at the moment, in the vain hope that the planning people might let me build something like it.

I'm hoping for a 30x20 foot building with a loft for storage.

However I've been pondering the joists required for such a task, 20 feet is a long joist is it not?

are we still using solid wood joists in ireland or have we moved on to the engineered type joists that the yanks use. I know i was referring someone on to itec just a week or two ago, but that was for pretty looking stuff, i'm thinking the joists i have seen are essentially a wooden RSJ. they have an OSB spine with 2x2 or 3x3 fixed on both sides of the OSB top and bottom

http://www.cwc.ca/products/EWP/i-joists/introduction.php

just pondering really, I have two hours driving every day and my current thoughts relate to a garage (i've decided to only get one container, and to try and keep it a temorary measure too)

rooferPete

Hi JohnBoy,

There is a company supplying the type of beam you describe, I remember seeing them somewhere possibly a supplier of Glulam beams had them.

Sorry for the memory lapse but you could try an email to Smartply as they are most likely supplying the OSB.

.

JohnBoy

but am i right in saying thats the only way to span 20 feet without concrete/steel joists?