Fourbarewalls Posted March 21, 2003 Share Posted March 21, 2003 Does anyone know how to calculate the loads that you may exert on the beams in these ancient barns found in many of these old barns. We are planning on using the original beams to hang our new mezzanin floor on.Any hints tips and advice you can sure with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Flamands Posted March 21, 2003 Share Posted March 21, 2003 If you have the chance, check the beams under load - many barns have tons of hay stored on the first floor and it is worth taking the opportunity to see if any of the beams are sagging or splitting before removing the hay. When you refit the beams to form the mezzanine you will generally need to set them much closer together (40 cm centres is the ideal). You will also probably find that any beams that have been set in a stone wall will be soft at the end and will have to be shortened.RegardsCharles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted March 30, 2003 Share Posted March 30, 2003 HiWe have had a UK expert over (he is a friend, qualified architect and also works with English Heritage on similar buildings in the UK and France) to check out our barn (we would have been too old if we had waited for a French architect!). He did our figures and mentioned that the beams were already over-spanned.Our solution is to do what they do with old timber framed churches in the UK, build a timber framed building inside the building to make the mezannine. We have the extra problem that the main floor is the the first floor, the ground floor being partly into the hill and also only about 6ft 6ins high. We have the concrete footings in to take the beams and they will go through to the ground floor and be bolted to the main beams on the first floor - ensuring that the walls do not take any load as they currently only keep out the weather, not offer structural support.We have also been informed that we have to remove the concrete that is over the 'rest' of the first floor (quite a few tons) as this is adding to the problems. Luckily this is not the area under the mezannine, so we can do the big build before we have to remove the concrete - so being able to use that for bases for paths and the car parking area.This is actually a fairly cost effective way of building the mezannine and we were surprised once we costed the architects plans just how reasonable the cost is (after getting a few quotes for wood) and also we will know that we are not putting any extra strain on an old building. We are using a registered carpenter as this is not a 'single handed' or even 'two handed' job due to the size of the timbers involved.Hope this helps.Dihttp://www.iceni-it.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Redman Posted March 31, 2003 Share Posted March 31, 2003 The Build Centre stock books on tables which enable you to work out how what cross sections are needed for various loadings. I have not found anything on line. The branches of Waterstones where there is a local univercity with nuilding or architecture on the corricula also normally stock them.Failing that the UK building regs which are on line give some information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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