Supporting row of bookcases between open truss joists
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This home features dramatic interior spaces enhanced by views of the surrounding trees and stream.
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Replies
1. talk to an engineer. may be the cheapest way to avoid unnecessary work.
2. load path below the joist isn't explained in the post. open span at the 1st fl ceiling is different from partition wall below.
3. replacing sheathing may make condition weaker since it usually spans under the partition wall. typically need to offset joints in floor sheathing.
4. dumb way is to add a lvl under the wall to take load, including any supports to take point load down to foundation.
5. crazy way would be to turn the wall partition into a shear wall and make cabinets super strong and hang them off the wall.
6. if you want to do the research with the manufacturers, then figure that there weren't many companies making open truss joists for residential in the 80's. look at old FHB to see who was advertising back then. also support for an open web truss today won't be much different than it was 40 years ago.
7. talk to an engineer.
Thanks, was trying to get in touch with an engineer, but no one was getting back to me. Finally got a reply today. In any case, there's a 1st floor wall directly under the 2nd floor wall and yes the subfloor panels span under the wall. There was one part that was replaced at some point in the past (see photo).
You are over thinking this. In 50 years of construction I have never heard of an engineer being consulted for the placement of residential furniture. The average book weighs about 8 oz. Assuming an average thickness of 1", that's 3000 inches of books. That's 250'. That's more than twice the amount of shelving you are planning on. Residential floor loads are usually figured at 50 psi. But that doesn't you can't put more than that in one place. That's
for the whole floor. Assuming that 2' in front of the bookcases will have no load except when someone is standing there, your floor will easily support the intended loads. Don't. worry about it.