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Building a loft/second floor in a metal building.

17K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  jlhaslip 
#1 ·
I know this is a semi common topic, but I was unable to find one that addressed my situation, if there is one I should have found, by all means let me know and I'll go read that.


I've got a metal building that the prior owners kept large vehicles in, and I use as a workshop.

I am finding that my shop is getting more and more full of tools and interlopers (interlopers in the form of items that end up needing to be stored somewhere that is not outside or in my house).

While eventually I'd like to either build another shop that is just for working in, or a shed that is just for storing things in, right now, I am of the opinion that the loft idea has the best return for my money.

The big doors are garage type, not roll-ups. Speaking of this, is converting that type of door (panels, uses normal garage door opener) into roll-up doors feasible or do those doors only work in specific types of framing?

Anyway, to get me some extra space, I'd like to frame up a loft/second floor in the rear of the building. The building height is about 26' peak, and.. I don't know the roof slope. I think it is tall enough though, and if some of the areas are not quite tall enough, I'll just use that area for storage only.

I don't plan to put tools up there, but if storage issues were over, I could see myself putting a desk and PC and maybe a couch or something.

I've never done this kind of framing, and in general I don't know what I don't know.

I don't want to overload the strength of the rear wall that the loft/second level would be up against, so my plan has been to frame it almost as though it were completely freestanding, if I can find a way to do that, that doesn't end up costing me all the space below it to cross beams and supports. I figured can make some metal brackets out of 3/8" or 1/2" to give extra strength if I needed to. That said, I'm not sure what the right way to frame this kind of thing is.

The metal building has 6x6's for supports around the outside, 2x6s between the 6x6s and the insulation, and then the metal skin screwed into the 2x6s through the insulation (I think, I haven't actually cut through the insulation anywhere to check that).

I want to use the right solution, but I am not sure what the right solution is.

I had thought that I might be able to simply build it a little like an outdoor deck, treating the 6x6s as as the main connection point against the wall, and then placing additional 6x6 or 4x4s out to support that floor. But again, I'm not sure how best to do it, and I don't know what I don't know about this type of framing.

advice or links to the right way to do this would be awesome, thanks.

If you need measurements or pictures of my junk filled shop, let me know.
 
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#2 ·
You really need to start by talking to your building inspector. Adding a loft could change the building use classification, which would have all sorts of impacts on the design, fire protection, that sort of thing. Your building manufacturer (assuming it was an engineered metal building) may also be able to help you out with a loft design that works with their framing.
 
#3 ·
That was my original plan. However, I've been unable to determine who made this building. I went through it when I first moved in looking for some kind of name badge, or name plate or anything. If it is there, it is well hidden.

Currently, the only fire protection is a few ABC extinguishers throughout the shop.

Maybe I've got it all wrong, but what is talking to a building inspector going to get me, aside from cubing my overall hassle level and putting myself on his radar. Last time I checked, they don't give you actual advice, just quote code at you that may or may not even be relevant and tell you if it is wrong or right. after the fact. Maybe I got unlucky in the past, but I've never had a building inspector willing to utter a syllable of advice.

I've only had to deal with inspectors three times in the last 25 years, but each time it was pretty much exactly that, no advice or help, just rules and call me when you're ready for me to tell you whats wrong with what you've done.

I realize that all comes across kind of negative, sorry about that. I wish it were otherwise, but negative is the only kind of interaction I've had with building inspectors. Not in the sense that my work doesn't get passed, just in that they aren't any help to me aside from after it's all done.
 
#4 ·
I've only had to deal with inspectors three times in the last 25 years, but each time it was pretty much exactly that, no advice or help, just rules and call me when you're ready for me to tell you whats wrong with what you've done.
That's their job and frequently they are closely connected to the higher ups in the city/county/state and possibly a relative.
 
#6 ·
In the interest of trying all advice, I called both the building inspector for the county I live in, and then later for the county I work in. Both of them gave me essentially the same answer, which boils down to:

"File a permit, and when you're done I'll come inspect it."

When I asked for some details, or even a reference to the building code that would cover this, they didn't have an answer for me.

So moving on, does anyone know how best to frame a loft inside a metal building? *Metal skinned, with a 6x6 and 2x6 wood frame inside, not a Quonset or something.
 
#7 ·
My initial reaction would be that you should be able to attach the second floor level to the posts and build off that connection BUT I don't know whether the posts, and the piles they are on, will be able to carry the weight. Not an Engineer.
 
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