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My family recently purchased an Ease Lock Sukkah. It came with 2×4 wooden beams to hold up the schach mat. Unfortunately, the length of the beams were exactly the same length as the wall. They are 8 foot beams for an 8 foot wall. This means that there is no extra overhang for the beams. In addition, the inner area (excluding the metal poles) of the sukkah is 8 feet which means that beams do not even reach to the end of the metal on either side.
In other words, a very heavy 8 foot beam is being supported for only about 1/4 inch on each side. If the slightest disturbance causes the sukkah to shake, such as a wind, or somebody brushing against it, the beam will slip off the metal and fall on somebody’s head, Chas Vshalom. The plastic clips included do not provide any meaningful assistance in this regard.
It is a SAKANAS NEFASHOS mamash. I recommend everybody check their roof, and if necessary go to Home Depot or other lumber yard and buy at least 9 or 10 feet 2×4 beams for an 8 foot sukkah, so you will have at least 6-12 inches of overhang for your beams on each side, which is a margin of safety. For other sizes add a foot or two to the distance between your sukkah walls so you have this extra margin.
Note for other types of sukkahs which have interlocked walls or special fittings that prevent the beams from moving, this may not be necessary. However, where there is nothing to prevent a beam from moving back and forth, one needs a safety margin.
I cannot believe any manufacturer could be so careless with safety. If you must pay out of pocket because they supplied beams which are too short, possibly you can settle with the manufacturer later, but for now, do not risk your safety.
A gut yontof.
Thanks for the warning.
Had the excact same problem last year and went back to the store and I was told that the worker was suppose to send 10 ft 2×4 for the eight ft Sukkah it was the workers mistake.
What size is your sukkah? 8 by what?
Another Warning!
Many people hang lights in the succah that were made to be used indoors, NOT outdoors, and they are NOT water-proof!
IF you ARE using indoor lights, be sure you have a good waterproof cover (shlak) to close the succah with in case of rain!
Water and electricity are NOT a good (or a safe) shidduch!!!
Pashuteh Yid
Take in to account that it’s a seasonable business, and some of the workers don’t really know what they are doing.
Thank you PY for a timely warning.
According to the illustration in the assembly manual, there is an overlap.
http://www.sukkahdepot.com/English/Article.aspx?Item=88
The store might be giving out the wrong ones.
BTW, I think turning the boards on edge is to prevent warping.
Pashuteh Yid-
The rule with lumber is that you take 1/2 inch off of the given size – a 2×4 is really a 1.5″ x 3.5″, a 4×6 is 3.5″ x 5.5″, etc.
If one of the pieces is a 1-inch measurement – i.e. 1×6 deck plank or 1×12 shelving pine – the 1 is 3/4 of an inch; a 1×6 is .75″ x 5.5″
The missing fraction is due to the finished size of the board – if you look at rough-cut unfinished studs in old houses you will find that the 2×4 is truly 2″ x 4″
The 2×4 or 2×3 that you support your schach on should be turned so that the narrow (1.5″) sides face up and down. This gives the board added strength and rigidity in the direction it will need to support the load.
The floor joists in your house are always positioned in that direction, and for that reason.
I read somewhere that doubling the width of a board doubles the load it can carry, but doubling the depth of the board exponentially increases it. I don’t know if I believe that (or even understand quite what it means), but it sounds good.
Sheetrock, plywood, particleboard, etc. is truly the size it’s sold as – usually 4′ x 8′.
Molding and wood rods also are sold under their true measurements.
Clarification:
If clips or some other hardware lock the schach-supporting 2×3 or 2×4 boards in place, turning them on edge will allow them to support a greater load.
Simply standing them on edge without support holding them in that position probably will only result in them flopping over onto their sides when the sukah is shaken – you may as well lie them down flat to begin with.
I don’t think your concern is even a g’zerah l’gezeira. The metal is outside the sukkah and not part of the s’chach nor does the s’chach rest on the meatal. And even if it did, m’ikor hadin the succah is kosher.
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