Openings, decks and shade in Glendale, Los Angeles County
Glendale Living Rooms Opened to the Patio
Wondering if a Glendale back wall can open to the yard? Palmcrest Contractors checks the framing, brings in an engineer and plans doors, deck and shade.
How wide can the back wall of a Glendale house open before it needs a new beam? The honest answer depends on what sits above it, and many walls can open wide once the load has a new path to the ground. We find out by looking in the attic or under the floor, tracing what bears on the wall and asking an engineer to size the header and posts. The doors, the deck and the cover are then planned around that opening.
Choosing the beam
Steel and engineered lumber both carry a wide span. Steel stays shallower for the same load, which helps when the ceiling is low and a dropped beam would cut across the view. Engineered lumber is lighter to handle and simpler to tie into the existing framing. Either way, temporary shoring holds the ceiling while the old wall comes out, and the posts at each end land on footings sized for the new point loads. A flush beam hidden in the ceiling keeps the room calm, so the eye travels straight out to the yard.
Step out at one level
Once the opening is framed, the door sill sets the height for everything outside. A deck or patio built to meet it lets a chair roll straight through, and a cover above keeps afternoon sun off the glass on an inland lot. Folding panels clear nearly the full width, and a multi panel slider keeps part of the wall glazed. The City of Glendale building department reviews the structural drawings and the cover, and our application carries the engineering through plan check and the inspections that follow.
What we build in Glendale
Every service below is available here, from a wider opening at the back of the house to a full remodel.
Open up your house in Glendale
Tell us which wall, room or yard you have in mind, and we will arrange a measure.