Attic Joists Live Load

Consult local building codes for snow load capacity and reference the span tables for joists and rafters published by the american wood council awc.

Attic joists live load. Therefore if you have an attic space according to this scenario the ceiling joists can be designed for a live load of 10 pounds per square foot psf by using table r802 4 1. First floor live loads have higher requirements than second floor live loads 40 pounds per square foot vs. Use six 10d nails with plywood gussets or six 16d nails with 2x4s half into each 2x6 joist. The span table for a 30 psf live load 10psf dead load floor indicates a required fb value of 1 315 and a minimum e value of 1 800 000.

Attic ceiling joists with limited storage. Loads should be determined in accordance with this chapter. Span calculator for wood joists and rafters also available for the android os. In this case your joists are adequate to support a 30 psf live load and 10 psf dead load.

Strengthening attic joists for live loads by sistering. There are also factors such as deflection elasticity and wood species that come in to play. Use span tables for progressively heavier loads until you find the limits of your floor. A room used solely for sleeping might need to carry only 30 psf whereas a garage floor over a basement would need 50 psf or higher.

An inaccessible attic space on the other hand might have a live load of only 20 psf. Snow and wind loads. Where they connect to both the top and bottom joists each gusset pair will transfer approximately 100 pounds that s 50 psf of floor load times the 3 foot gusset spacing times the 16 inch joist spacing divided by the two joists. However if the attic is intended for storage the attic live load or some portion should also be considered for the design of.

Standard joist spacing for the installation of attic flooring materials is 16 inches on center oc meaning the distance from the center of one joist to the center of the next joist is 16 inches. In the case of 2x6 joists you can pair them up with additional 2x6 joists by nailing them together. If the attic joists are not adequate one way to strengthen the floor for live loads is to sister the old joists.