[gregthompson]

I've been reading a lot about framing lately and I saw this really cool loft. I started to wonder how second levels like that are framed.

Say you have a small structure. Something not that wide. You have your four walls on the ground floor, and you are putting a loft on one end of the structure that will be as wide as the structure.

So you frame the floor joists and put it on top of the walls below. Well not there is a difference in heigh between the top plate and the top of the loft's floor joists by several inches.

How would that be framed to make up the difference in height? Any examples or publications I can read about this sort of thing? What is it called?

 

[woodworkbykirk]

i dont know what exactly your asking about hte difference in floor joist heights... come again.. draw a sketch

 

[carpdad]

The height of each space, below and the loft, should be 7' or more, anything less you are wasting the space.
The 4th open side would need a beam (as well as supporting posts if beam alone is not good enough) and stairs. Both loft and stairs will need guard rails.

 

[theJcK]

Construction Instruction is a pretty cool app that might apply.. they have a little video about advanced framing that may give you some more ideas.

 

[gregthompson]

i dont know what exactly your asking about hte difference in floor joist heights... come again.. draw a sketch

Here is a very rough sketch of what I mean. This isn't meant to be detailed or to scale. It is just meant to represent what I'm talking about. You see on the right side there is framing for a loft. Then there is a difference in height around the rest of the top plates of the walls. How is the difference usually framed?

Bonus question. Say you wanted a short wall before your rafters to add a little more height. Something like 3'. Would those 3 foot wall sections be framed any differently than the walls below them to support the weight of the rafters?

I've been reading different books and haven't seen these topics covered.

Thanks.

http://imgur.com/GETKY6V

 

[mae-ling]

One way is 2 frame the wall in 2 sections joining at the edge of the loft. So the section under the loft is framed say 8' high then the section before the loft is framed say 16 foot high. the high section may need bigger studs and blocking, depending on your location.

 

[mae-ling]

Bonus question - No normal framing just light a normal 1 story house that holds the roof weight.

 

[gregthompson]

Bonus question - No normal framing just light a normal 1 story house that holds the roof weight.

So the small section of wall sitting on the larger lower level walls are framed just the same? That makes the most sense since stud would be on top of stud.

 

[mae-ling]

That is a good way to "stack" the studs.

Do some reading on Stacked framing. The studs, joists, rafters land on each other carrying the loads from the roof to the foundation.

 

[gregthompson]

That is a good way to "stack" the studs.

Do some reading on Stacked framing. The studs, joists, rafters land on each other carrying the loads from the roof to the foundation.

Thanks. I will. The two wall section mentioned above. What are some others and what are the different advantages?

 

[woodworkbykirk]

ok that clears things up.. the only thing i would change is the direction of the floor joist. first double up or triple the joist thats over the garage space to act as a beam and then hang short joists off it to reduce the span

 

[gregthompson]

ok that clears things up.. the only thing i would change is the direction of the floor joist. first double up or triple the joist thats over the garage space to act as a beam and then hang short joists off it to reduce the span

I don't follow? Also, i'm not actually building anything. Im just curious of different methods to make the height even where the loft floor ends.

 

[mae-ling]

another wall is to Balloon frame the area with the loft. This used to be done with a let in "ribbon" but now can use special joist hangers.

Google Balloon framing.
Here most would frame as I suggested before with 2 wall sections of appropriate height.

 

[gregthompson]

another wall is to Balloon frame the area with the loft. This used to be done with a let in "ribbon" but now can use special joist hangers.

Google Balloon framing.
Here most would frame as I suggested before with 2 wall sections of appropriate height.

What are these special joist hangers called? If you were to frame it in two sections would it be better to frame the two walls in front of the loft as high as the loft and then use a plate to tie the higher walls to the loft? And then if you wanted a 3 foot section to add height frame it over that plate?

 

[mae-ling]

I have never used the joist hangers for this so not sure what they are called.

I frame the wall infront of the loft full height, then the loft under the floor joists and the say 3' wall above the floor joists then tie the walls together with the doubled top plate just under the rafters.

Now if this is just a small loft in a shed or garage I build it completely differently as someone stated above as the weights are not as great.

 

[Mingledtrash]

What are these special joist hangers called? If you were to frame it in two sections would it be better to frame the two walls in front of the loft as high as the loft and then use a plate to tie the higher walls to the loft? And then if you wanted a 3 foot section to add height frame it over that plate?

The best way to build a loft is to have manufactured trusses made that are made for the loft. Here is an example.

and just to note: balloon framing is rarely used unless it is more efficient time wise or required structrally but that is a rare occasion. most of the time we do platform framing, its just way more efficient. Typically they try to keep floor heights the same so any wall below a second story floor will be the same height but its much easier to change the ceiling height so these wall heights can change but they all have to be designed so that all the roof planes work out.