Structural Beam Installation: How to Choose the Right Beam
I get asked about beam selection constantly. And my answer is always the same: "Let our PE tell you what it needs to be, and then we'll talk about what it CAN be." Because those are two different conversations — one is engineering, one is design — and you need both.
The Engineering Comes First
Your engineer determines the minimum beam requirements based on span, load, and structural conditions. That's not negotiable. If the PE says you need a W14x48 steel beam for your 20-foot opening in a two-story home, then a W10x19 isn't getting installed no matter how cheap it is or how much better it fits aesthetically. Engineering drives the minimum. Design choices happen within those constraints.
Our in-house PE handles this calculation on every job. Span distance, tributary load area (how much floor/roof is above the beam), post and foundation conditions — all of it factors in. The output is a specific beam designation and size.
Steel W-Beams: The Workhorse
W-beams — wide flange steel — are what we install most. Strong, predictable, available in a huge range of sizes. Our go-to for most residential single-story spans: the W12x30. Twelve-inch depth, 30 pounds per linear foot. Handles 12–16 foot spans with typical residential loads easily. Two-story projects or longer spans step up to W14, W16, even W18 sections.
Steel goes in fast, it's incredibly strong per dollar, and it's dimensionally stable. Temperature doesn't make it creep. Moisture doesn't make it swell. If you're burying the beam in the ceiling and you never want to think about it again, steel is perfect.
LVL: When You Want Wood
LVL — Laminated Veneer Lumber — is engineered wood. Veneers of wood glued under pressure in a consistent grain orientation. Much stronger than dimensional lumber, very predictable, dimensionally stable (won't warp like solid wood). Available in standard depths from 9-1/2" up to 18".
LVL works great for shorter spans (typically up to 14–16 feet in residential applications) and when you want the beam to look like wood if it's going to be exposed. We run multiple LVL plies side by side to hit the required section modulus — a triple-ply 3-1/2" x 16" LVL is a serious beam.
Glulam: When Beauty Matters
Glulam — glued laminated timber — is the premium wood beam option. Individual lumber laminations glued together, typically with the grain running parallel to the long axis. Beautiful appearance, comes in large sections, can be specified with an architectural finish for exposed-beam applications.
If you're going for the exposed beam look — the coffee shop aesthetic, the mountain lodge vibe, the dramatic structural feature — glulam delivers in a way that steel wrapped in wood trim can't quite replicate. More expensive than LVL. Looks incredible when it's right.
The Budget Conversation
Steel is typically most economical. LVL is competitive. Glulam is premium. But beam cost is a relatively small portion of total project cost — the labor, permit, and associated work often cost more than the beam itself. Don't penny-pinch on beam material and get something wrong. Get the right beam, installed right, and it's a one-time cost that lasts forever.
We'll help you navigate the choice. Call us: DFW 214.624.5200 | Houston 713.322.3908 | Austin 512.641.9555. Install the Beam, Reveal the Dream.