Timber Framers Guild

Renovating a carriage barn floor frame

Posted By: audi

Renovating a carriage barn floor frame - 11/22/09 12:03 PM

Hello all,

I'm in the planning stages of renovating an old 19x20 carriage barn on our property, ideally for use as a garage, among other things, something akin to Jack Sobon's "Saltbox Garage" from his book Timber Frame Construction, p. 171, but smaller in footprint. It's 20' across the front, where I would install a pair of garage doors.

My main concern is sizing the beams/joists for the main floor. I'm familiar with some basic engineering principles, and have taken the Design/Joinery class at Heartwood awhile back, but I'm not sure how to resolve the point loads associated with parking a vehicle on the floor (nothing commercial, just personal vehicles). I'd be using EWP, #2BTR at least, and can add footings/sleepers as necessary to support floor beams. I was considering using 2 supporting beams (@ 6'4" on center) across the 20' dimension to keep the joists smaller. Of course, a concrete floor would solve everything, but is cost prohibitive for me at this time, and wouldn't be a solution.

Any help/insight/a-point-in-the-right-direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Audi Pauliukonis

Posted By: Jim Rogers

Re: Renovating a carriage barn floor frame - 11/22/09 12:47 PM

Audi:
If you're concerned about the point load of the vehicle on the floor, just put the sleepers under the wheel path, so that the loads will be properly supported.
Posted By: Dave Shepard

Re: Renovating a carriage barn floor frame - 11/22/09 02:18 PM

Welcome to the Forum Audi.
Posted By: audi

Re: Renovating a carriage barn floor frame - 12/20/09 11:18 AM

Thanks, Jim - I got to over-thinking the thing a bit, and didn't see the obvious solution. I appreciate it.

Thanks for the welcome, Dave.
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