Ok doing some rearrangement in the garage, and I'm going to build a platform for storing stuff over one of my project cars. It will be about 10-12 foot long by about 6 feet wide. The wall side will have a stringer attached to the wall, and the other side will be supported on three legs. So what kind of load will I be able to put on this if I use 2x4 vs 2x6 joists? Decking will probably be OSB in the 1/2" range too keep cost down. I have not thought joist spacing yet... Assuming 16" or so. Any thoughts??
Building a platform for storing over a car.
Ingersoll444
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Ok doing some rearrangement in the garage, and I'm going to build a platform for storing stuff over one of my project cars. It will be about 10-12 foot long by about 6 feet wide. The wall side will have a stringer attached to the wall, and the other side will be supported on three legs. So what kind of load will I be able to put on this if I use 2x4 vs 2x6 joists? Decking will probably be OSB in the 1/2" range too keep cost down. I have not thought joist spacing yet... Assuming 16" or so. Any thoughts??
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Ok doing some more measuring and thinking, looks like I would be better off at making it 10x8. 8' wide would make less cutting of the ply, and give more working room on the car under it.
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I would use 2 x 6's on every thing.. & under the OSB use 16 inch on center 2 x 6's.. make the legs outta 2 x 6's doubled up with one on top flat.. anchored to the floor on a flat one.. make this as an assembly then stand upright.. lay the10-12 footers on top of the flat one.. I would also double up the top one too
now then I would put the heavy stuff near the supported ends of the shelf.. the light stuff in the middle.. weight could b near a ton if placed in right places..
now then I would put the heavy stuff near the supported ends of the shelf.. the light stuff in the middle.. weight could b near a ton if placed in right places..
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I was going to use a 4x4 for the legs, or a dubbled 2x4. I was not planing on attaching them to the floor though. I was planing on connecting them together though.
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I have been tempted to build a raised platform at the rear wall of my garage too,tall enough off the floor so my tractors can be parked under it without taking my head off,or my truck's bed or hood will fit under it--so I can free up more floor space...probably have a few stairs on one or each side ,so I can walk up onto the platform..
I have some 6x6 posts I was going to use for legs,and I would tie them together with an "X" brace if the platform wasn't anchored to the floor,so it cant tip over if an unbalanced load was placed upon it..I'd use 2x6's for the "joists" and put them on 12" centers,then you wont ever have any issues with overloading it...and use metal joist hangers,not just nail into the end grain too..
At one time I had enough pallet racking left over I could have used,that was 10 feet wide,but it was only 24" or so "deep",and I'd need more space than that...it'd be a lot easier to use the racking though,than stick build it from wood...
I may wait and see if I can score some more racking,every so often I see some at a local junkyard or on craigslist...
If I doubled them up,so I had a 10 foot by 4 foot platform that would be better,and I wouldn't need to anchor them to the floor,and a sheet of plywood will fit without cutting it lengthwise...they would even be strong enough to put a few tractors up on the platform too,but I doubt I'd go that far,its pretty tricky trying to get one up off the floor that high...my friend had a setup like that and used a winch to pull his "extra" tractor up onto the platform,but it proved to be a pain,every time you wanted to use one of them...
I have some 6x6 posts I was going to use for legs,and I would tie them together with an "X" brace if the platform wasn't anchored to the floor,so it cant tip over if an unbalanced load was placed upon it..I'd use 2x6's for the "joists" and put them on 12" centers,then you wont ever have any issues with overloading it...and use metal joist hangers,not just nail into the end grain too..
At one time I had enough pallet racking left over I could have used,that was 10 feet wide,but it was only 24" or so "deep",and I'd need more space than that...it'd be a lot easier to use the racking though,than stick build it from wood...
I may wait and see if I can score some more racking,every so often I see some at a local junkyard or on craigslist...
If I doubled them up,so I had a 10 foot by 4 foot platform that would be better,and I wouldn't need to anchor them to the floor,and a sheet of plywood will fit without cutting it lengthwise...they would even be strong enough to put a few tractors up on the platform too,but I doubt I'd go that far,its pretty tricky trying to get one up off the floor that high...my friend had a setup like that and used a winch to pull his "extra" tractor up onto the platform,but it proved to be a pain,every time you wanted to use one of them...
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Just as a aside... I'm planing on making the leg nearest the garage door removeable, and a hook on the cealing for a removeable support chain. That way I get more room to move the project car in and out if needed in the future.
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So is the LTD, or the Mustang, going to be getting some attention this summer?
I'd build it as heavy duty as you can Paul, better safe than sorry. If your going to set a chain up anyhow, why not engineer it and just use the chain to hold it up? Some good quality 1/2" "J" bolts that screw into ceiling rafters (one per joist) and hang the platform from it. The "J" bolts on the platform could be drilled with nuts and washers to the platform. If one edge is hard connected to a wall, I'd think the chained side would be plenty stable and hold plenty of weight.
I'd build it as heavy duty as you can Paul, better safe than sorry. If your going to set a chain up anyhow, why not engineer it and just use the chain to hold it up? Some good quality 1/2" "J" bolts that screw into ceiling rafters (one per joist) and hang the platform from it. The "J" bolts on the platform could be drilled with nuts and washers to the platform. If one edge is hard connected to a wall, I'd think the chained side would be plenty stable and hold plenty of weight.
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If you build out of steel, rather than wood,,,, the upper area could be loaded more based on the structure of the soil under it rather than the strength of the wood.
I hate wood for anything other than compression loading.
When you load wood with loads other than compression, you will find the knots and other defects,, fast.
Typically those overhead type storage areas of wood should be limited to 50 pounds per square foot.
That includes you climbing around to find that distributor cap,,, :hide:
:sidelaugh
One of my overhead storage areas (built out of steel) spans 24 feet,,,
I would not be afraid to park a car up there,,,
(behind the basketball backboard)
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I hate wood for anything other than compression loading.
When you load wood with loads other than compression, you will find the knots and other defects,, fast.
Typically those overhead type storage areas of wood should be limited to 50 pounds per square foot.
That includes you climbing around to find that distributor cap,,, :hide:
:sidelaugh
One of my overhead storage areas (built out of steel) spans 24 feet,,,
I would not be afraid to park a car up there,,,
(behind the basketball backboard)
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I prefer steel too,because it rusts slower than wood rots around here,and its easier to join with welds,than screws,nails or bolts,it's stronger,and I can move an assembled pallet rack (empty) by myself,if need be...a wooden platform will weight a good 500 lbs probably .....I dont like knots or other hidden defects in wood either,it has a bad habit of breaking at the worst moment possible..
The idea of using chains is plausible ,but your limited to the load the ceiling joists can bear..the side of the platform anchored to the wall could be hinged too,with some super duty barn door hinges,then you could flip the platform up against the wall if you needed the room...
One friend of mine built a raised platform in his garage to make a "stage" for his band's jam sessions,by stacking up a double row of cinder blocks,that he held together with 2x8's laid across the top,and put 3/8" threaded rods thru them on both top & bottom ,so the blocks cant shift around,and putting some landscaping timbers across them for a base,to screw plywood too..he can take it apart in a matter of 10 minutes,if he needs the full space in the garage..
The idea of using chains is plausible ,but your limited to the load the ceiling joists can bear..the side of the platform anchored to the wall could be hinged too,with some super duty barn door hinges,then you could flip the platform up against the wall if you needed the room...
One friend of mine built a raised platform in his garage to make a "stage" for his band's jam sessions,by stacking up a double row of cinder blocks,that he held together with 2x8's laid across the top,and put 3/8" threaded rods thru them on both top & bottom ,so the blocks cant shift around,and putting some landscaping timbers across them for a base,to screw plywood too..he can take it apart in a matter of 10 minutes,if he needs the full space in the garage..
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I built this for light stuff:
http://www.mytractorforum.com/4300265-post2.html
Sometimes, just getting ANYTHING off the floor is a huge step forward...
Mike
http://www.mytractorforum.com/4300265-post2.html
Sometimes, just getting ANYTHING off the floor is a huge step forward...
Mike
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Mike the plan is to move the cars out, move the mustang over to the wall under the platform. With it under there I hope to slowly do some body stuff on it, but the main thing is to get the ltd out so I can get it running. I figure I'll move the work area over to the center and leave the house side open to bring in the convertible. The main use of the platform will be to store all the junk that's now on, and in the two cars. Plus no needed toys and tools. No real heavy stuff, but I might build a cabinet or two on it.
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Ok so the mess in my garage is legendary around these parts. So here it is... I have plenty of height. There is a beam but a ton of height on eather side.
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That's a great idea then, free up as much floor space as you can to start puttering on the projects! The LTD shouldn't be too hard to get going, worst case is the gas tank needs to be replaced if it's sat for a long time with old gas. Inspect the tires, brakes, lines etc. maybe a fuel pump and a good tune up too. It'd be cool to have it ready for the warm spring and fall months, and maybe some hot summer jaunts too!
Does NY have Antique or Collector car plates? They're usually cheaper to have and insure. I got a quote from Haggerty's and it would be $200 a year for the Olds, with agreed value of 5K, until it's done and appraised.
I was speaking with my buddy Ray last night and I'm trying to hatch a plan to start working on the project car too. At the very least I want to start sanding panels and get primer on them. Spot out problem areas to be tended to and get a better idea of what needs to be done overall to get her painted. Here's hoping.....
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needs a full fuel system. Tank to carb. That was needed when it was parked. Small hole in the floor needs patching. and it has a broken wire somewere. AFAIK its nothing major
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That's a good thought. Ill have to check into this. My ins is not that bad though, so might be just as easy to reg it normal, and not having to sweet the restrictions.
Well at this point it looks like Saturday is "Go Day". A kinda worm, non rainy, and the key...a FREE weekend!!! Those don't come up often!! Ill post pics of the progress
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Ok works starting... This is before.
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Getting there.....,,
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One out.... One to go.
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Ok so we can see a little better now.... The platform will attach to that wall. First guesstimate will bring it just under the shelf that's there now.
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