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bradleysmall

Building loft, or 2nd floor in 12'x17' shed

BradleySmall
12 years ago

I have a 12x17 shed, and I would like to add either a loft, or if it isn't much more trouble, a 2nd floor. In either case, i want to build it with enough strength to be used for storage.

The walls are 2x4 framed at 16" on center, so I have calculated that I should be able to span 12' with 2x8 at 16 for floor joists or on 24 as ceiling joists.

Am I right in assuming that I should work with the span calculations for floor joists if I am going to store significant weight or actually utilize it as a second floor?

It it as simple as hanging/lagging them into the existing studs or do I need to jackstud them like under a header?

It has been suggested that I look at some of the engineered lumber i-beams such as the GPI-20. I have never worked with them before, but am willing to learn new things and try stuff. It would appear that lagging these to the side of a 2x4 is not really an option. Are the hangers for these a sufficient alternative or do they have to be jackstudded or is there some other technique for this?

Other than access and egress are there any other major concerns to consider in simply joisting the whole thing and making it a second floor?