Two outta three ain't bad!

The LVL beam was delivered this afternoon. It was on a huge flat-bed trailer which was skillfully backed down the gravel driveway to within about 4 inches of the barn door. Then the trailer was raised to make our pushing it off easier. It took three of us to get it down off the truck safely.

Big surprise, though, it came in two parts. Both are 32 feet long, but one is 1 3/4" thick, the other 3 1/2". Even our salesman at Lowes didn't know 3 1/2" is the thickest LVL that the manufacturer produces. At first I thought, "Great, it will be easier to lift it in two pieces," but that won't work. There's no way we can align and nail the two together on top of 7'6" posts without risking our safety.

The "Handling & Installation Recommendations" provided with the beam describe just how many and where nails should be placed to connect the two. If the beam were more than 7" think I'd have to bolt the pieces together.

After the delivery I began marking and drilling the floor where the posts will stand. Sandy began clearing a trail through the tall grass toward the spring.

The lumber will be delivered tomorrow while we're running around picking up cabinets and moving the last of our belongings from two sites in Indianapolis.

When I got home I found the packages from the plumbing supplier in the hallway.