Calculating Spans

Instructions for Calculating Beam & Carried Spans

1. Refer to the above illustration to determine the beam / header needed for your application.
2. Determine the beam / header span (length) and the span carried (supported) by the beam / header.
3. Click on the appropriate beam, this will take you to the calculation table for your project.
4. The column on the left of each chart labeled BEAM SPAN represents the beam length (with bearing) required for your project.
5. The top column labled SPAN CARRIED BY BEAM determines the span supported by your beam.
6. The box on the chart that matches across your beam span and down from the span carried represents the Better Header® product which suits your needs.
7. Use BEAM LEGEND chart for description of Better Header® beam number(s) that will best suit your application.