Joining tie beams to a central beam

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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / Joining tie beams to a central beam

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# Posted: 17 Feb 2025 01:38pm
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I'm looking for suggestions on how to join beams that cross over an open space (no column nearby).

The situation is that I have an engineered LVL across 20', supporting the skillion /split roof. I want to add two or more tie beams perpendicular to the LVL, quite similar to trusses and collar ties, but in this case its rafter and everything is built from heavy timbers.

So the key point here is that I don't like the look of the tie beams going below the LVL where they cross perpendicular +
Would look much much better if the tie beams all join into the LVL beam.
However I don't yet have an idea how to make this work. It would be foolish to do traditional joinery in the LVL because it would make for a pont of failure at the mortise joint.

I am considering hiding a custom steel plate along the top of the top of the tie beams.
Curious to know how others would solve this issue?

By the way, as a split roof with two heights, I can't go over top the LVL, the tie beams wouldn't produce the right opposing forces at their offset elevations.
Thanks

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DRP
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# Posted: 17 Feb 2025 04:20pm
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You can put the "tie beams" anywhere you like or omit them entirely from what I'm seeing. The LVL is supporting the "ridge" of both roofs and there is no thrust.

If you want to go into the lvl side I'd look at the Simpson concealed joist hangers or weld up some type of concealed hanger.

Brettny
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# Posted: 18 Feb 2025 07:33am - Edited by: Brettny
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It's to hard to tell what's going on. By the looks of that drawing you dont need a LVL. Wither way you really only have two choices. Put the beams over the LVL or use a hanger.

Putting a metal plate just over the top of the joint wont have any structural support. Something needs to be under the beams.