adding a 2nd floor to a pole building

[ed_v]

I have tried to use the search function, but quite honestly it *****! I've seen this topic on here many times before and the search is giving me too much unrelated stuff.... anyway.

I've been trying to get things squared away to build a new shop, but I've been really busy with work. I really need to incorporate a fair amount of office space to the shop. I would like to add a second floor to half of the shop. How have you guys seen/or done this? I'm just not sure how a second floor would be supported?

Thanks,

Ed

 

[mtwaterguy]

What type of span are you talking about?

 

[scottdase]

I am also interested in doing this.
Thanks in advance.

 

[ed_v]

What type of span are you talking about?

Only 24ft.

Thanks,
Ed

 

[woodrail]

"Only 24ft." !!!

I'm not an expert, but I would reserve the "only" for something like 12'!

At 24 feet, you are talking some significant floor jiosts. it would be much more cost effective to put up a cople of columns mid-span and split the load. Then you would be in the 2X10 range.

 

[metaleltr]

What about steel beams?

 

[mtwaterguy]

At 24' you need to see an expert. In my shop, my 24' x 40' second floor has a 4"x10" supported by two additional 6"x6" posts.

 

[RAYJAY]

you can use flat trusses for the flooring i would figure your using 3 walls to support the 2nd level ?/

 

[theoldwizard1]

My buddy's barn has a second floor that he uses to store hay. The floor joists look line 18" 2x4 flat truss on 16" centers. Of course, the header and posts were sized to carry the load.

If the walls are tall enough, you could effectively build new load bearing walls just under the existing header, and then set the floor joist on that.

 

[cyamaha2007]

I think I joists can handle that span. The rear of the building would have poles every 4ft on concrete pads aprox 30in diameter x 10in thick 4 foot down. The extra poles will help support the office weight. Then you would attach a ledger board to the poles at 8 or so feet off the ground then run your I joist into the 2x12 ledger board. The I joist would be attached to the ledger with Simpson strong ties. We did this at work not to long ago for my office. I used a double ledger that consisted of two 2x12s stacked on top of each other. Our span at work was 32ft so that may be over kill for you. Just be sure not to support any weight off the concrete floor. In most pole barns the floor is floating and will move independent of the structure. Our building was existing so we cut the floor to add a post every 4ft. If this is new construction this should be cheap addition. This I joist should work for you
40 PSF LIVE LOAD; 25 PSF DEAD LOAD @ L/ 480

Series LPI 32
Depth 14in
Set on 12in centers gives you a clear span of 25'-0"

 

[Quiksilver]

Is 24 ft the shortest span? What are the overall dimensions for the room that would be created on the first floor?

Are posts inside the room an option? Would there be an enclosed room upstairs, or open loft space?

 

[deuces2]

Is this kinda what you Are wanting to do?

 

[e-tek]

Is this kinda what you Are wanting to do?

Now THAT's an idea that's doable!!

 

[deuces2]

This is how I did it by myself

 

[AndyA]

Now THAT's an idea that's doable!!

It also looks to be about an 8ft span (with 3 spans to get 24ft). Considerably easier to 'redneck engineer' than a single 24ft span.

 

[ed_v]

Is this kinda what you Are wanting to do?

Yes!... but slightly different of course.

Your mezzaine section looks ro be about 24'x8' or so? I'd like mine to be about 24'x16' for an office space up there. I plan on going with 16ft tall side wall and clear span metal trusses for more head room.

I might just go with lower height side walls and go with a larger footprint and keep it all on one level. Might be cheaper and easier.

Ed

 

[larry_g]

You can peruse my build below and see how I did it. I designed in the second floor so I did not have a truss where the door into the upper floor was located. My rooms up and under are 12x36'.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[deuces2]

It's 24 x 10 mezzanine the barn is 24 x 50

 

[Red05GT]

We built a 36 x 48 story and a half structure about 20 years ago for a customer. It was a
multi purpose building, horse stalls and tack room on one side, auto shop and storage other
side, and 12 foot wide drive thru center section. We set 6 x 6 post on 8' centers, then used
LVL beams thru bolted on both sides of the 6 xs. We then used 2 x 12 x 20 SYP 12" oc floor joists with a 4' cantilever on each side. We built a knee wall on each side and spliced the
rafters over the knee wall with the upper rafter running up to an LVL ridge beam. The upper
area was a rec room on one end and a hay storage area on the other end. With the various
engineered materials available, it can be done.