Beam and block spacing

[Vijay]

I've had some plans back from the beam suppliers and can't get an answer out of them why the spacing is uneven. For instance for the kitchen, it keeps going 215/440/215/440 and then 181/306 at the end which I assume is to fill the end space. But why aren't the beams evenly spaced out? I can only think it's to sell more beams??

 

Can anyone share any wisdom?

 

Cheers

 

Vijay

[PeterW]

215/440 is a block depth and a block length. You want to be cutting the minimum amount of blocks to fit the spacings hence why they are "standard" widths. It will also be to do with the span, and how many beams are needed on average per square metre to support the span width at that beam depth. For example if it needs 3 beams / m2 at a 190mm beam then you can't put all of them at 440 spacing so they alternate them. Your other option would be a deeper  (and more expensive) beam so they tend to try and use the lowest depth beams but with smaller spacings.

 

 

[Vijay]

Thanks Peter, I didn't know it had to be a certain beam average per square meter, so that makes more sense now

[Oz07]

Space them all out evenly with the same number of beams, cut every single block for the floor then come back and say now I see why they space them to block dimensions!

[Vijay]

I know it was block dimensions but my question was really why are they not all in the same direction, which Peter has now cleared up