What is the term for a horizontally placed wooden, steel, or engineered member that supports floor framing members?

The term for a horizontally placed wooden, steel, or engineered member that supports floor framing members is a beam. Beams are structural elements designed to carry loads from vertical framing members, such as joists or walls, and distribute those loads to vertical supports, like columns or walls, beneath them. They play a crucial role in maintaining the structural integrity of a building, ensuring that floors and ceilings can support the weight of occupants, furniture, and any other loads.

Joists, while also supportive structural elements, are typically smaller members that span shorter distances between beams, contributing to the floor framing but not serving the primary function of load distribution like beams do. Trusses, on the other hand, are engineered frameworks that provide support primarily in roofs rather than floors, utilizing a triangular design to efficiently distribute loads. Headers are structural components that support the weight above openings, like doors and windows, but do not support entire flooring systems as beams do. Therefore, understanding the specific function and placement of each component helps clarify the role of the beam in floor construction.