So I inherited my parents’ farm up here in Maine. Part of that is a barn my Dad had built years ago. It’s divided roughly into three sections. Over the middle section is a loft used for storage. The loft is 16′ by 16′; the floor, solid pine planks, is supported by 2×6 joists spaced 16″ on center. It’s also supported by a beam made up of 2 2×6 running lengthwise, with one end nailed in and the other held up (?) by a 4×4 vertical post.
The problem: My Dad was 5’6″ and could glide under that beam with ease. I’m 5’10” and if I’m not careful I catch that bean square in the forehead. I’m frequently not careful. I’ve decided that life is too short and I’m too busy to have to stop and worry about whacking my head every other thing – or whack my head…
There’s not appreciable amount of weight up in the loft now, but I’m hoping to store 100 bales of hay up there. At 40#/bale, that’s two tons. Do I need that lengthwise beam? Because I’m just craving to yank it out.
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A little clarity please.
So are you saying there's a beam perpendicular to, and mid span of these 2x6 joists?
And that beam is sitting on a post at one end, and a post in a wall on the other end?
Yes.
Not good.
Not necessarily bad, but definitely not good.
First off, if I read your description right, 2x6x16' floor joists would be an overspan. Trampoline-like.
So whoever built that loft ran that beam down the middle to stiffen things up. But, a post under each end of that beam is also an overspan.
Even as it's built right now it doesn't sound good to me. My first thought when I read your description was that you might consider ADDING a post midspan under that beam. You remove that beam in the name of adding headroom, there's no way I'd advise putting more than a few hundred pounds up there. 2 ton of hay? I don't see it.
Not what you wanted to hear, I know.
Here's something you MIGHT be able to do. You might be able to remove that beam if you can reinforce the floor joists somehow - sistering joists alongside each of the existing joists would help. Sistering to EACH side of each joist (in effect "trippling" joists) would be better. Depending on where you live, did you say Maine?, you might be able to buy 4x6s to use as sisters, but I am pretty sure 2 2x6s are stronger than 1 4x6 if they are all the same grade.
Hey, here's something else. When you sister joists, you can add a lot of strength by sanwiching a thin piece of steel between the two members. Doesn't have to be real thick, even coiled flashing stock is pretty strong if you can keep it in a vertical plane. Of course, plywood flitches will help, but to gain much that way I'd think tripple joists, plywood flitches - joints staggered each side of center joist - that could be very strong.
You might even try trippling every other joist and see how firm it gets, that might do it.
At this point, though, you're investing quite a bit of time and money. I think you'd be smart to hire a structural engineer for an hour (maybe 100 bucks) to give you her opinion. Their profession is analyzing and perscribing solutions for structural issues like this.
Jim, thanks so much. It IS what I wanted to hear, because I wanted to hear the right info. Much better than just proceeding and winding up with 2 ton of hay downstairs!