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What size LVL Do I need to span 20 feet?

Author

Mia Kelly

Published Jan 22, 2026

What size lvl beam for a 20 foot span:- as per general thumb rule, for a 20 foot span, size of LVL beam or GLULAM should be 10 to 12 inches deep and 3-1/2 inches or 2ply wide, thus you need something like a 10-12″ GLULAM or LVL to span upto 20 feet and can use simple 2×14 dimensional lumber at 16″ apart from centre as ...

What size lumber can span 20 feet?

For a 20 foot span, you will need atleast 2×12 size of lumber/ floor joist when spaced at 16″ apart. Thus, a 2×12 size of lumber can allow to span 20 feet. For a 20-foot spans, the lumber has to be at least 12 inches in depth used as floor joist.

How far will a 2x12 LVL span?

As per general thumb rule and guidelines, a double 12″ lvl beam can allow span upto 20 feet far distance used for residential building or projects.

How far can a LVL span without support?

Some manufacturers limit their beams to 60' due to transportation issues, while others have the capability to manufacture beams up to 80' long. So, the longest unsupported span possible using LVL would be 80-feet. Typically, though, it is common for a continuous LVL span to be between 20' and 30'.

What size LVL Do I need to span 18 feet?

For span upto 18 feet, generally you need 3 × 9 1/4 standard size of LVL beam or 2×12 dimensional lumber at 16″ apart from centre on normal weight condition which providing great stability for your projects.

34 related questions found

What size LVL Do I need to span 24 feet?

LVL beam size for a 24 foot span:- as per general thumb rule, for a 24 foot span, size of LVL beam or GLULAM should be 12-14 inches deep and 4 inches wide, thus you need something like a 12-14″ GLULAM or LVL to span upto 24 feet used for residential building or projects.

What size LVL Do I need to span 30 feet?

What size lvl beam for a 30 foot span:- as per general thumb rule, for a 30 foot span, size of LVL beam or GLULAM should be 16-18 inches deep and 4 inches wide, thus you need something like a 16-18″ GLULAM or LVL to span upto 30 feet used for residential building or projects.

How far can a 20 LVL span?

Due to its strength, the LVL beam can span up to 60 feet and is much stronger than conventional lumber.

What size LVL Do I need to span 16 feet?

What size LVL header size for 16 foot span:- as per general thumb rule and guidelines for a 16 foot span, size of LVL header or GLULAM should be 14 to 16 inches deep and 3.5 inches wide, thus you need something like 2- 1.75″× 16″ (2- 1 3/4″× 16″) GLULAM or LVL header to span upto 16 feet.

Is LVL stronger than dimensional lumber?

Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) studs can be two times stronger in compression and tension than standard framing lumber of the same dimension.

How far can a triple 2x10 LVL beam span?

How Far Can a Triple 2×10 Beam Span? A triple #2 – 2×10 beam of Southern pine can span between 7'-6” and 13'-0” with a live load of 40PSF depending on the joist span. Using DF-L, Hem-Fir, or SPF and the span changes to 7'-2” and 12'6” under the same conditions.

What size LVL beam do I need to span 14 feet?

For span upto 14 feet, generally you need 3 × 7 1/4 standard size of LVL beam or 2×10 dimensional lumber at 16″ apart from centre on normal weight condition which providing great stability for your projects.

How far can a triple 2x12 beam span?

As per general rules and guidelines, #2 grade southern pine of a triple 2×6 deck beam can span upto 8 feet, (3) 2×10 can span 13 feet, (3) 2×8 can span 11 feet and (3) 2×12 can span 15 feet.

How big of a beam do I need for a 20 foot span?

For a 20-foot spans, the wood beam has to be at least 16 inches in depth and 8″ in width (4-2×16) used for residential building or projects.

Can a 2x10 span 20 feet?

2×10 floor joists can span up to 20'. However, this is for 12” o.c. spacing for live loads that are 30 psf.

How far can you span a double 2x10?

A double ply beam can span in feet if there is no overhang beyond it. A double 2x12 beam can span 12 feet, a double 2x10 can span 10 feet, and so on.

How do I know what size LVL beam I need?

Design a beam depth based on the rule of thumb for estimating the depth of manufactured beams which is to divide the span by 20. Beam depths are typically 5 1/2 inches, 7 1/4 inches, 9 1/4 inches, 11 1/4 inches, 11 7/8 inches, 14 inches, 16 inches, 18 inches, and 20 inches.

How much does a LVL beam weight per foot?

Laminated veneer lumber or a LVL beam can weigh about 41 pounds per cubic foot or 3.42 pounds per board foot and their weight per linear foot are different for different size of LVL beam.

How big of a beam do I need to span 18 feet?

What size beam to span 18 ft:- as per general thumb rule and guidelines, a 3 nailed 2×16 or 3-2×16 or 6×16 size of wood beam can allow to span 18 feet. Thus, for a 18 foot span, you will need atleast 3-2×16 or 6×16 size of wood beam.

Is GLULAM the same as LVL?

A glulam beam looks like a stack of 2 x 4s (or larger lumber) glued together on their broadsides. This is in contrast to other engineered members, such as LVL (laminated veneer lumber) and Microlam beams, which look like very thick plywood, with very thin layers of wood glued together to form a thicker mass.

Can you rip LVL beams?

Manufacturers rip it as standard practice when producing beams. LVL is made in billets up to 48 inches wide that are ripped to commercially available standard depths. It's okay to rip LVL beams to a smaller depth, too, though you'll have to recalculate the beam capacity.

How much does an LVL beam cost?

LVL beams cost on average $3 to $12 per linear foot for the material or $50 to $200 per foot installed. LVL beams are more cost-effective and durable than regular wood beams. LVL beams are fire-resistant, shrink-proof, and easy to install, especially in long spans.

How much does a 40 foot I-beam cost?

Installing steel I-beams costs $100 to $400 per square foot for labor and materials. Materials alone will be less expensive, so if you have the time and skills for a major DIY project, that can help to cut costs. A 10-foot steel I-beam alone will cost $60 to $180, while a 40-foot beam will cost $240 to $720.

What size beam do I need to span 22 feet?

Wood beam size for a 22 foot span:– as per general thumb rule, for a 22 foot span, size of wood beam or lumber joist should be 2×14 which placed at 16″ apart from centre used for residential building or projects or construction in which depth of section of beam is 350mm (14″) and width of beam is 50 mm or 2″.

What size LVL are available?

LVL is available in lengths up to 24.4 m (80 ft), while more common lengths are 14.6 m (48 ft), 17 m (56 ft), 18.3 m (60 ft) and 20.1 m (66 ft). LVL can easily be cut to length at the jobsite. All special cutting, notching or drilling should be done in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations.