Live Load/ Dead Load
- Thread starter FL Guy
- Start date
Yup looks like it
Now...100 lbs/ft live load is a lot. I realize this is Garage Journal and not house journal, but for most residential structures in the US the Live Load minimum is 40 psf (exception for bedrooms). That means if you have a 20' wide mezzanine(just an example) at 10' deep you're designing to put 20k lbs, evenly distributed up there. That's a lot of vises or engine blocks or some other heavy object
If you need to go longer than 10', you'll either need to go to a 2x12, narrow up the spacing between or move to a engineered truss system
Now...100 lbs/ft live load is a lot. I realize this is Garage Journal and not house journal, but for most residential structures in the US the Live Load minimum is 40 psf (exception for bedrooms). That means if you have a 20' wide mezzanine(just an example) at 10' deep you're designing to put 20k lbs, evenly distributed up there. That's a lot of vises or engine blocks or some other heavy object
If you need to go longer than 10', you'll either need to go to a 2x12, narrow up the spacing between or move to a engineered truss system
firebirdparts
Well-known member
that’s a lot. In a decent size building I guess some (most?) people wouldn’t use wood in that situation. It could be fine if you just have a basement underneath where you can have all the posts you want.
thanks. I was just throwing a nice round number out there to make it easier. I guess you take the live PSF number you are looking to get and multiply it by the square footage of the area and that should be the maximum weight it can hold distributed evenly.
I guess those numbers I posted above would be for a commercial building
But after getting in the concept, looks like you take what live PSF you want to be at and multiply it by the square footage of the area
What else am I missing?
I understand the safety factor. Not sure what the ratio is, but I’m sure it’s a good spread.
From what I gathered and correct me if wrong, you take the live PSF you’re looking to be at and multiply it by the square footage of the area you’re using and that answer will tell you how much weight your loft can hold if the weight is evenly distributed
The live PSF is what you are designing the structure to support based on code or a specific need if a code doesn't exist Example, you are going to build a hospital, house, etc. From there , you have to design a support structure . The support structure is based on how much of the live load + dead load (weight of the structure itself) each member will carry.