unusual shed construction-floor framing.


  #1  
Old 11-10-05, 01:15 PM
chriss
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unusual shed construction-floor framing.

Hello all.
I am planning on building a 16 x 12 foot shed with a 12 and 12 pitch roof for loft storage. I'm also planning on constructing a storage/canning basement in it out of 8" concrete block with a 7' high ceiling and a 4" slab floor. I spoke with the county building department and they said I don't need a permit for this since it's under 200 SF. I even told them about the basement and they said not to worry about it. Structures under 200 SF are considered as temporary. Interesting..oh well, good news I guess.
Needless to say, the ground floor willl be wood framed. The problem is what I want to store in it. I plan to put shelves along the wall that will hold everything from car parts to books. I would also like to park a Jeep in there that weighs about 2 tons. I'm thinking of putting 2x12's at 12 or 16 inches apart and blocking them every 4'. The joists will run 12' length. the subfloor will be 2x material covered with 3/4 plywood. 2x10 runners will be laid perpendicular to the joists on top of the plywood where the wheels will travel.
I'm also considering a center beam in the basement part with 2 support posts.
I was wondering if anyone has ever done or seen something like this and if the floor system will take the weight (10,000 lbs plus dead load). I'll put rebar and bond beams in the concrete block and fully grout them if needed.
Thanks.
 
  #2  
Old 11-10-05, 01:51 PM
S
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"I was wondering ", should I ask for advice from people who, having the best intrest of your family in mind, suggest that you contact a structural or civil engineer?
 
  #3  
Old 11-10-05, 01:55 PM
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unusual shed construction-floor framing.

You don't need a permit to build a small shed.

Down the road you may run into code, permit or whatever problems considering the use. Any neighbor or future neighbor could bring them up.

Most places will not allow a wood floor for a garage because of the obvious reasons (fire, leakage, etc.).

Considering all the work you are going to for the floor, you could almost put in tempoary shoring, pour a concrete floor and them remove the shoring. Take the used form lumber and donate it to Habitat for Humanity for a tax deduction.

Dick
 
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Old 11-10-05, 02:11 PM
chriss
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I didn't mention that this will not be classified as a garage. The Jeep is a project (ie. no fuel or batteries in it), so it's purely storage. It won't hold a running vehicle, so a wood floor is not a concern.
This is all preliminary planning. I would like to replace the cheap and useless mini barn shed that came with my house when I bought it. and thought the subgrade storage would be a good idea for extra space. If it's a huge hassle, then I'll just pour a slab on-grade and omit the basement.
 
  #5  
Old 11-23-05, 07:33 PM
tafallon
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Shed construction... flooring

I am in the process of building my own shed also. It's a 14-foot by 16-foot on a concrete slab. It'll probably get a 8/12 pitch, since I already purchased the 2x6x10 footers for the roof. My town requires a permit for any structure larger than 120 sq feet. The cost was minimal to get it, about $40. Though, I did have to get a few signatures before getting the permit. I'd recommend you look into the permit anyway, even though the town says it isn't necessary. It's always a safer idea to have the piece of paper than later to find out your over the limit and will get fined or have to move the structure. no kidding.. it's true. My dad built a garage with a permit approved by the inspector. The town came back a year after it was built and told him to move it. That was ten years ago. You think the two-car / two-story garage moved?

Most towns don't consider the size your building temporary. The way to determine if it is temporary is whether you can move it easy enough. If you're planning a storage basement, that may be considered more permanent. I'd get the permit to be safe.

Most concrete pads/slab 4-inches thick, can support up to 3000 pounds. If you install 2x12's every 16-feet, that should be significant enough. Every 12-feet may be overkill, but you can also check with your building inspector or a local home builder. Fortunately for me, I am able to contact the guy who built my home for advice. He's helped me decide the rise and other great ideas. The 3/4" plywood should be significant enough for the subfloor. If you're considering anything larger than 3000 pounds, you may want to go thicker on the slab. I don't remember the rule of thumb for concrete thickness per pound, but that's certainly something to look into. If a 4-inch slab can support 3000 lbs, then maybe a 12-inch slab would support the 9000 lbs or more.

If you're planning a center beam, you may want to consider at min a 2x14 x 4, back-to-back for support. Skip the support posts, as long as you have the correct lumber. A good lumber yard will be able to assist you in advice. Again, lucky for me, the lumber yard I've purchased my wood for this project has been very helpful in advice for wood and strength. It's much easier to talk with someone face-to-face, rather than via emails, etc.

I think in the long run, you'd be happier with a concrete floor rather than wood. It will certainly support weight better. The wood floor could sag over time and get wet, causing rot if not installed correctly. Plus, it's actually cheaper to pour concrete than it is to install the wooden floor. Consider the time you'll spend blocking every 4-feet, either 12 to 16 feet apart. That is time consuming even with a nailer.

You're best bet is to build the structure as large as you can go, of course without killing your budget. That's what I've done with my building. The dimensions I am building 14-feet by 16-feet is more than enough space for my tractor, motorcycle, tools, and outdoor place to go when needed to get away from those in the home who drive us crazy. It's a peaceful spot to go. I am considering some type of baseboard heat or blower.

Don't forget to plan in electrical. I thought of installing plumbing for running water, but thought that'd be overkill. I can easily install a spout off the side of my house that is closest to the building. Then maybe run a pvc pipe underground with an extension to the spout for running water, if necessary. I certainly planned electrical. I've got one underground conduit pipe running to my house. I'll pull the line from the house to the building using a pull string. I have an additional 125-amp service waiting to be installed in the garage, which is closer to the building than the 200-amp service in the main house. I'll be installing overhead lighting, outdoor lightning, and maybe installing a 6-foot wide garage door. However, it's been suggested that I install a double-hung door instead, for appearance. I like the idea of having an electric garage door though. Makes it easier to open and ride right in with my tractor or motorcycle. Plus, when it snows up here, the last thing I need is to not be able to open the doors because of two feet of snow piled in front of the doors. My tractor has a snowblower attachment. This is the whole reason for building the structure, so I can store it out of my garage and park my two cars in my garage rather than in the driveway.

Good luck with your project. I'd be interested in hearing how things work out for you. Since we're building almost the same size structure, we can probably pass notes back and forth about the jobs.
 
 

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