Adding 2nd floor to Steelmaster arch building (basically an elevated deck)

New construction. Not built yet. Foundation and footings not poured yet.

Going to get a steelmaster type building. 18-20' tall. It will be open-ended, so I can build my own endwalls with lumber and one of their custom endwall kits. Going to add a second floor, which will basically be a 3 bedroom apartment. The only way I can figure to do it is to build it on posts or pilings.

Wondering which is best: sink post saddles into the floor when pouring footings and foundation, or sink posts themselves into the concrete. Wondering which method will allow for more space between posts. Wondering also which method is the least expensive. :-/

Also, if you can suggest any websites to study for this matter, please do so. It is much appreciated.

 

You will need plans to get a permit so the architect can tell you which method will be most cost effective and in some cases do the engineering. Do not under any circumstances put posts in the concrete, you will encourage rott even if they are treated.

You could put anchor bolts in the slab when pouring if layed out properly, but you still need it engineered to make sure the footers are sized correctly. Have footers designed to handle what you want to do. How the posts are installed does not have any effect on how many you need. That is based upon the size beam you are using.

Bill

 

in this part of the county, there is absolutely no requirement for building permits, plumbing permits, wiring permits, or any other kind of permit associated with construction or repair. and I can't go to an architect. if I had the money for that, i would have someone else build the thing. lol

i have constructed sound buildings before. just nothing like this. i am more than capable of doing it and doing it right, as long as i study the correct material.

I know it is probably not the best thing to do, putting posts in concrete. But this is the way every professional post frame builder I know of does it. Treated posts embedded in concrete, and warranteed for 40 years. I figure I'll be dead, or the world will have ended by then.

thanks for your reply.

 

Are you talking about building a second floor on a Quonset hut type building? If I read your post correctly, the floor of the second will be 20' off the ground? The Quonset design won't handle the weight in the middle, making central support necessary from ground up, taking up valuable floor space in the Quonset.

 

Chandler, the building peaks at 20'. The second floor would essentially be a deck, elevated 8-9' from the foundation. The second floor deck would be on top of poles/posts bolted to the concrete, it would NOT be attached to the sides of the building.

In other words, a free-standing, elevated deck inside a steelmaster arch building. (S-type, not the Q-type). Sorry for the confusion.

 

gotcha! You would probably need engineered trusses to span clearly across the building. We did a commercial building like that a few years ago, once we constructed the interior walls. The customer wanted to add a second floor. He said he would just put light bulbs up there. I told him, it wasn't a matter of what HE planned to put up there, I had to build it to withstand substantial weight according to local code. I believe we used 24" trusses rated at 110psf, set at 19.2" oc. Made a great storage site. Of course, the first thing they stored up there was boxes of cable

 

Since you haven't started yet. Pour your slab/foundation( research-get it right for the total weight- then double it!) build your walls-again-overbuild- then a truss type level floor,then buy an S-type with a 9-10 foot peak as a roof/second floor. My plans are a poured basement slab and walls,then the ground floor of concrete flooring then reinforced foamcrete walls then steel truss ceiling floor with a Quonset hut as the roof. That gives me 3 floors.

 

Richard, welcome to the forums! Certainly the OP has started his project and finished it, since it was 2 years ago.