Span Support for Loft

[DROSS]

I am a new member.

I am NOT a builder or contractor.

We are adding a loft above our kitchen.
The loft is approximately 12'x20'.
We are concerned about span and load.
It the loft safe?

It currently has one inch rough sawn pine for the
ceiling of the kitchen as shown in the pics.
There is also 1/2 inch engineered hardwood flooring
above the ceiling lumber.

 

 

There are three 6"x10"x20' beams.
One beam is at the back wall.
One beam is 6' out from the back wall.
One beam is 12' out from the back wall.
There are 6"x8"x6' cross beams set at 24" centers.

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
DROSS

[SawyerTed]

It just my opinion but you might need professional help :laugh:!  I mean consider paying a contractor to advise you.  It would be worth a couple hundred dollars to be sure it's safe. 

[trimguy]

There's more to it than just beam size , how is it anchored and / or supported ? In my picture it looks like it is turned with the 6" vertical ? I would say that's a long span for a 6" tall beam . There will be somebody along that can answer your question better, I just wanted to welcome you to the forum.

[Don P]

It would be a rare contractor that could make any informed judgement on that. I'd bump it upstairs to an engineer and even there...  :D

Assuming everything is standing up vertically as it should be and that the joists are in some form of hanger, or, in other words the 6x10's are unnotched.

The flooring is strong enough, the joists are as well, the 20' 6x10's are the thing to check. The most heavily loaded is the center one supporting half the joists span on either side of it, so an area of 6' widex 20' long, 120 sf. Call the dead load 10 lbs/sq ft and assuming this is a sleeping loft call the live load 30psf for a total of 40psf x 120sf=4800lbs uniformly distributed along the beam.

I can't tell what species you have but I suspect you are in trouble with just about anything. You can plug the above in and your species and check it here;
https://forestryforum.com/members/donp/beamclc06b.htm

[low_48]

Really depends on what the load will be on the loft floor. I wouldn't want to see a bathtub up there!

[DROSS]

Here is an additional pic from below.
As you can see the beam on the back is supported fine.
You will see pantry on the back right and a mudroom on the back left.
There is about 8 ft in between the two.
The pantry and mudroom come out from the back wall 6 feet.
The middle beam sits on top of the mudroom and pantry front wall leaving a span of about 14ft for the middle beam.  It is the front beam I am concerned with.  The part over the island.
There are no hangers as you can see.  



 

[DROSS]

All beams and joists are vertical.

This is just a playroom for grandkids.  I don't plan to have a lot up there.
a few bean bags and toys.

[DROSS]

A better view of the front beam...


 

[Don P]

The front beam has half the load of the center one, looking white piney to me, how are the joists connected to the beam, or, is it diminished to under 6x10, if so use that diminished size in the calcs. I would check the center beam at its true span as well.I see wires so all depending on how much damage sparky did that might be something to consider or not.

[DROSS]

There are long screws in the sides of the floor joists to the main beam.
I wondered about hangers when the workers were screwing them in.

None of the floor joists are notched.

There is a groove about an inch wide and inch deep for the wire.

Railing added today with rebar....

Thanks for the comments.