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This will sound a bit goofy, but here’s the question: I have a client who wants to install his sensory deprivation tank in a second floor bathroom. The tank (including water) weighs approximately 1,500 pounds and is 4’x 9′.
The existing floor joists are 2×8 on 16″ centers and span approximately 12′. In addition to the tank, the remodel will include a wet bed tile floor. What should the floor joists be upgraded to?
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Replies
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looking at a table for 60 lb/sf.. if you want to keep 2x8 change to 12" OC.. the easiest way to do that is to make them 8" oc...
just the tub alone is at 41 lb/sf, so 60 lb/sf should do it..
b but do a structural analysis
to make sure the loads are transferd to foundation & anything the floor system is bearing on will actually carry the load....
*Let's do the math again, guys.Discounting the container, you have about 36 SF - 4'x9' of area (water). How deep is this tank??If you have just a foot of water you now have 36 CUBIC FEET of fresh water weighing in at 62.4 lbs/cu.ft. That's almost 2,250 lbs., or 62.4 lbs per SQ. FT. Two feet of water brings it to 4,500 lbs or a floor loading of 124.8 lbs per SQ. FT.Is there more water than that? Again, how deep is this tank?
*well.... u mean i shouldn't take him at his word , ralph ?hah, hah, hah.... ralph's rrrrrrright...
*fred ---If you can not answer the question for yourself, you should not be doing this job.Will the tank allow the use of 7 day loading or will it need full time loading?How big is the room?2x8s what grade are they? I have some nice 2x8 DF machine graded to 2.2E, 2000fb.Do the joists end at either end of the span or do they continue?Are there windows below the supporting joists?Is the weight estimate accurate? (4x9 is a large tank . there might be only 3x7 of water.)Does the tank provide point support or will be be laid in a bed of sand or sand/cement mix?What type of subfloor will be under the tank?Hire a PE.
*Ralph, I'm not sure you're 100% right, but I'm glad you're being cautious. My first thought after reading your post is that a 4'X 9' tank doesn't necessarilly hold 4'X 9' of water. The sides could taper quite a bit, etc. Maybe Fred already checked this out, since he gives a weight including water? The overall weight doesn't concern me as much as the tile and the fact that all the weight could be concentrated in one area if the tank is on legs or something. I'd want to see some data on the tank before throwing any advice around. Mike also makes an excellent point about making sure everything underneath will hold up whatever the new floor system will.
*What if the weight isn't distributed evenly, perhaps only 3 joists get all the weight so they take 500lb each. A 2x8 HF2 with a 12' span would have a 1/2" deflection, too much, 12" oc would just get you in spec. But, if there's going to be tile and an adjacent joist has no load you want a 32"/500 = .064 deflection. You'd need 2x12 DF#1 at 8" oc to get that.Also consider that, once the senses have been deprived, they are still in the water. These deprived senses may accumulate in the water over the years, adding to the mass.
*yes... exactly... the mass of the ass...how cud i forget ?
*Yep. Compounded by assymetrical loading and confounded by the angle of the dangle.
*Has anyone here tried floating in a tank?
*tanks don't float...they just go clank
*And sink to the bottom like a ...well, a tank.
*I'd still like to know the actual dimensions of this tank and how deep the water will be. Might need to pour a real big slug of concrete in the basement for a foundation. Who knows? Someone may want me to put in a depraved senses tank and I'll have all the figures at my fingertips. Just push the SEARCH button.
*Ah come on. This is a "sensory deprivation tank." If it ends up on the first floor, he either (i) won't notice so no problem or (ii) will notice in which case he'll go after the manufacturer because his senses weren't deprived.Or, maybe I just got back fronm the French Quarter in NO and maybe it does matter.
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This will sound a bit goofy, but here's the question: I have a client who wants to install his sensory deprivation tank in a second floor bathroom. The tank (including water) weighs approximately 1,500 pounds and is 4'x 9'.
The existing floor joists are 2x8 on 16" centers and span approximately 12'. In addition to the tank, the remodel will include a wet bed tile floor. What should the floor joists be upgraded to?