Free Beam Load Calculator
Calculate the load per linear foot on a beam, total load, and required support reactions. Helps determine beam sizing requirements.
Distance from beam to midpoint of next support on each side
Typical floor: 10-15 psf, roof: 12-20 psf
Residential floor: 40 psf, deck: 40 psf, roof: 20 psf
Load per Linear Foot
440 lbs/ft
Load per Linear Foot vs Beam Span
How to Calculate Beam Loading
Formula
Load per Linear Foot = (Dead Load + Live Load) × Tributary Width
Total Load = Load per Linear Foot × Span
Support Reaction = Total Load / 2 (for a uniformly loaded simple beam)
Tributary width is the distance from the beam centerline to the midpoint between the beam and the next parallel support on each side. This calculation assumes a uniformly distributed load on a simply supported beam.
Example Calculation
A 16 ft beam with 8 ft tributary width, 15 psf dead load, 40 psf live load.
- 01Total load = 15 + 40 = 55 psf
- 02Load per linear foot = 55 × 8 = 440 lbs/ft
- 03Total beam load = 440 × 16 = 7,040 lbs
- 04Reaction per support = 7,040 / 2 = 3,520 lbs
Frequently Asked Questions
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