Timber or steel beams to vault ceiling in listed property - does size of void matter?

[Grade II Reno Girl]

Morning everyone,

 

Have been receiving mixed guidance on this topic so would like a more holistic opinion please. 

 

Two, Grade 2 listed stone houses, joined together as an entrance hall by what used to be a stone built cattle shed. This space is 5m x 3.5 metres. I have had listed and planning approval to vault this ceiling, which I would like to do using timber beams in the apex. I have been informed through contractor these would need to be steel if over 4 metres though? Could I gauge a general consensus on this please as it's non load bearing (was single storey shed) and cost wise makes such a huge difference between the tow would like to know more before tearing ceiling down!

 

Thank you!

[nod]

While I’ve used a bunch of steels 

Ive used timber to all three vaulted ceiling’s Reason being is The beam is carrying hardly any weight 

[nod]

Just now, nod said:

While I’ve used a bunch of steels 

Ive used timber to all three vaulted ceiling’s Reason being is The beam is carrying hardly any weight 

 

[JohnMo]

Our kitchen ceiling, 12 degrees has a 7m span with no steel.

 

Our 45 degree roof has a span of 4.2m, without steel, except where the window opening is formed.

 

Look at posi posi rafters

[Grade II Reno Girl]

thank you both!

[Temp]

12 hours ago, nod said:

While I’ve used a bunch of steels 

Ive used timber to all three vaulted ceiling’s Reason being is The beam is carrying hardly any weight

 

What stops it pushing the walls out?

 

If not triangulated at floor level I thought a structural ridge beam carried the weight of the roof as the roof effectively hangs from the ridge beam.

 

 

[JohnMo]

Our ridge beam is huge, something like 450x180mm if I remember correctly.

 

[nod]

1 hour ago, Temp said:

 

What stops it pushing the walls out?

 

If not triangulated at floor level I thought a structural ridge beam carried the weight of the roof as the roof effectively hangs from the ridge beam.

 

 

I birds mouthed each joist So the force is downward 

A steel ridge wouldn’t make any difference to this 

The tops are cut to an angle So each side pushes equally against each other 

The engineer specked a 300x100 beam 

But I’ve installed roofs with smaller ridge beams in the past without issues 

[nod]

12 hours ago, Temp said:

 

What stops it pushing the walls out?

 

If not triangulated at floor level I thought a structural ridge beam carried the weight of the roof as the roof effectively hangs from the ridge beam.

 

 

I’ve only tacked mine at the top with truss clips at the bottom 

Theres nowhere for it to go

[George]

Timber can be used but you'll need to contact a structural engineer to come up with a design.

 

Solid timber can be hard to source and becomes unwieldy over 4m for most applications. Over that length a glulam or LVL (both types of engineered timber) becomes more practical.

 

Steel is generally the cheaper option.