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.
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.
