thinking about attic gym - what to consider for bracing

[jpcjguy]

Hi all,

So I am thinking of setting up my free weight setup in our attic. It is a walk up and has simple OSB floor that I would take up and replace with T&G plywood.
The joists are 2x8s.
Attached is a pic of the space - which is about 19x19.
I also attached a pic of the second floor blueprint that shows where the below walls are. I outlined the attic space in red. This is to the knee wall.
I plan on covering the floor with thick rubber mats like at tractor supxply that are 4'x6'x3/4" to help with impact.
The floor will be up so I can do anything that is needed. I plan on putting roxul insulation under the floor to help with noise.

My question is what kind of bracing/sistering/etc. would be recommended to minimize noise, deflection, etc.

Thanks,
Joe

 

[enochian]

You need to be on concrete for this kind of thing:

 

[jpcjguy]

You need to be on concrete for this kind of thing:

Hahaha! That is great! Yeah - not going to be like that guy...

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'd be putting that stuff down in the basement or a place with a concrete floor. I foresee cracked drywall ceilings in the room below.

 

[jpcjguy]

I'd be putting that stuff down in the basement or a place with a concrete floor. I foresee cracked drywall ceilings in the room below.

Unfortunately, I don't have a basement. To be fair, at my age, I am not doing anything that results in slamming the weights down. If I can't control it, it is too much weight. Those days of my youth are long gone!

 

[enochian]

Then put the gym in the garage.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Well what kind of equipment are you planning? What kind weight range? If you're thinking power rack and big plate kinda work - no. If you're thinking some dumbbells, no rack, maybe a bench press and lighter stuff, perhaps.

My preference is the garage.

 

[jpcjguy]

I have a 300lb olympic set and dumbbells up to 90lbs. It is a rack setup with high and low pulley.
Frustrating because we really want to get the garage back and have no immediate use for the attic.
Can I sister most the joists? I will take the existing floor off anyway. Bolt some steel plate to the joists?

 

[GirlnAgarage]

I wouldn't, not with that.

What's going on in the garage? What size? How much stuff you have to get sorted? What are you needing to do in it?

 

[jpcjguy]

I wouldn't, not with that.

What's going on in the garage? What size? How much stuff you have to get sorted? What are you needing to do in it?

My wife would actually like to use it for the car! (My excursion would not fit regardless)

 

[enochian]

Sell your stuff and get a gym membership.

Then do this:

 

[gunguy]

With enough money, almost anything can be done. With that said, are there alternatives to free weight training that will give you similar results you are looking for? My concern is not just the weight, but the dynamic loading that occurs when the weights are dropped, and they will get dropped even if only occasionally. Putting the bar on the rack will cause some dynamic loading. I suspect you will cause enough flexing to get nail pops and cracking in the ceiling below.

Jim

 

[firebirdparts]

How long are the 2 x 8's? It looks like they might be really long (bad). You have some good support under there in spots, though. Can you keep weight storage over the walls below?

If the 2 x 8's are 14 or 16 feet long, I think no amount of sistering is going to allow you to really load that floor over next to the knee walls. My opinion. But in the middle of the room, the wall will hold up a bus.

 

[James-W]

If you are determined to put a gym up there, I think it would be wise to have a structural engineer take a look at it and draw up some plans as to what needs to be done. I am assuming you want everything to be done right so that it is safe and meets all the current codes.

 

[bob15]

Besides being in the camp of not doing it, just curious, how is this room/attic going to be cooled in the summer?

 

[GirlnAgarage]

My wife would actually like to use it for the car! (My excursion would not fit regardless)

Figured that. What kind if car and what size is your garage? Where I'm leading you too is that you can have a gym and still park a vehicle in the garage. Some of us on the board do that or are in the process of. Count me in that group and I parked my 4wd 2500 diesel in at night. So it can be done, just takes organization. So show us what you are working with and we can help you arrange some stuff.