Walls and Ceilings - How to strengthen floors & ceilings?
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Mc Call
06-20-06, 07:39 AM
Not sure if I am posting in the right place but I need some help. We have just moved into a new house and I don't think the floor in one of the spare bedrooms is strong enough to take the weight of my multi gym and free weights. Is there anything I can do to strengthen the wooden floor and/ or ceiling to the room below?
Your help would be greatly appreciated.
PS This is the only room I can store my gym equipment.
Thanks
Your help would be greatly appreciated.
PS This is the only room I can store my gym equipment.
Thanks
chandler
06-20-06, 05:30 PM
McCall: welcome to the forums. Free weights do pose a problem in a framed floor room. The structure will handle the overall spread weight just fine. It is the concentrated single spot weight that will tell a sad story. For instance a barbell may weigh 400 lbs combined weight, but if you sit it on a floor, between joists, you have almost 200 lbs sitting in a space less than 1/2 square foot in area. Most live load weight factors are 40 psf.
Now, if you are talking of a weight machine, the weight is spread over a much larger area, and can fall in the 40psf rating of your joisting.
Since it is a new house, the blueprints still exist, and the builder can clarify the permissible live load in that part of the house.
You can always go to the basement and install post and beams across the joisting, but will lose that space for expansion in the future.
Now, if you are talking of a weight machine, the weight is spread over a much larger area, and can fall in the 40psf rating of your joisting.
Since it is a new house, the blueprints still exist, and the builder can clarify the permissible live load in that part of the house.
You can always go to the basement and install post and beams across the joisting, but will lose that space for expansion in the future.