For heavy roofs or in areas with substantial snowfall or winds call your local building department for code requirements.
Porch roof beam span table.
Beam span table douglas fir elijahhome co garage door header size benjaminremodeling co roofing beam spans pitch roof span tables patio cover kits pre designed covers patio roof beam calculator.
Visit the roof framing page for more information on cutting roof rafters and visit the roof pitch calculator for determining rafter lengths based on rise and run.
Download a pdf.
The total load is 4 000 pounds.
Tables providing size selections for various beam spans and loading combinations for southern pine dimension lumber and southern pine glued laminated timber are available for the following applications.
Jan 15 2017 a simple buying guide for beams and rafters that support patio roofs.
Use the span tables below to determine allowable lengths of joists and rafters based on size and standard design loads.
For the initial calculation f can be estimated at 1 000.
Tables 7 12.
If you move up to 4 by 8 you re usually allowed to span up to 10 feet between posts.
In general the maximum span for a 4 by 6 beam is 6 feet between 4 by 4 posts.
In areas with mild climates patio roofs are generally designed for loads of 30 psf pounds per square foot.
F stands for the beam s fiber strength in bending which depends on the species of wood.
You can also use the wood beam calculator from the american wood council website to determine maximum rafter and joist lengths.
A 4 by 10 can usually span up to 12 feet between posts.
In the example the beam spans the 10 foot width of the roof.
L stands for the span of the beam in feet.
The tables below give maximum spans for rafters and beams.
The figures are based on quality materials.
The smallest beams for patio covers are typically 4 by 6.