Building a storage loft in a condo

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breckrider

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This condo was an industrial building that has been
remodeled into individual into individual units. The walls
are sheetrock over metal studs. The owner wants
a storage loft build over a 9' wide hallway.

She only wants it 4' wide so that the rest can remain
a hallway to the back bedroom. I need to know the best way
to attach wood framing to those metal studs. The joists
for the loft flooring will be 2x8s. The rest of the framing
will be 2x4 wood.
 
I'm confused. You want to block off 4' of a 9' hallway, but with a loft.

How high above the existing walking surface of the existing hallway?

Do you intend to hang the 4' end of the loft from the ceiling, or will the loft platform be 9' wide, and only 4' of it a storable surface?

What is the storage load?
 
I doubt the steel studs are structural enough to handle the load. They do make heavy duty ones but I'd bet yours are the lighter weight ones designed only to support the drywall attached to them. I'm with Snoonyb though, I don't get what your client wants, maybe some pictures and a drawing would help.
 
The dotted line will be the new wall that will enclose the closet.
I think the drawing is detailed enough.

1650995840946.png
 
So is the area under the loft going to be a new closet? The sliding doors are access to the the closet? Is under the dotted line a wall for a closet? If this the case, I'd have a rim joist on both sides with the joists in joist hangers. I'd run a post down the wall at both ends of both rim joists and support this directly on the floor rather than trying to hang it off the very likely non-structural steel studs. What kind of weight is the owner looking at putting in the loft?
 
Also, is this presently a single story space?
Is the existing floor concrete or wood?

As sparky mentioned, the existing steel stud framing is very likely 25ga., and non-structural.

If the closet/loft dimensions are 3 X its width, in length, you'll to provide shear at both ends.
 
So is the area under the loft going to be a new closet? The sliding doors are access to the the closet? Is under the dotted line a wall for a closet? If this the case, I'd have a rim joist on both sides with the joists in joist hangers. I'd run a post down the wall at both ends of both rim joists and support this directly on the floor rather than trying to hang it off the very likely non-structural steel studs. What kind of weight is the owner looking at putting in the loft?
Yes and yes. So, I believe I just need to frame in the closet as if it's a new build.
 
Also, is this presently a single story space?
Is the existing floor concrete or wood?

As sparky mentioned, the existing steel stud framing is very likely 25ga., and non-structural.

If the closet/loft dimensions are 3 X its width, in length, you'll to provide shear at both ends.
Wood floor. Second floor. This was a cotton classing building that had very heavy carts and long tables in it. Putting walls to make a closet aren't going to hurt it. The ceiling is at least 12' high.
 
Given all that, I think you'll need to support it with a post down to the floor instead of trying to hang it off the walls. There are heavier structural steel studs but I doubt they were used on interior partitions when not needed to hold up anything besides the sheetrock on the walls.
 
Given all that, I think you'll need to support it with a post down to the floor instead of trying to hang it off the walls. There are heavier structural steel studs but I doubt they were used on interior partitions when not needed to hold up anything besides the sheetrock on the walls.
Agreed
 
Were it I, I would structure it so any bearing point occurs directly on top of and existing floor member, not in between.
 
Since this loft/closet will only be about 4' wide, can I use 2x6s 16 on center instead of 2x8s for the joists?
 
Since this loft/closet will only be about 4' wide, can I use 2x6s 16 on center instead of 2x8s for the joists?
Yes, 2x6 are more than strong enough unless you're going to put heavy machinery or water tanks up there.
 
And now the customer has a design change. To stay with the
industrial feel of her condo, she wants to use pipes as the framing
and railings with deck boards for the flooring. I know that pipes
have been used to hold up porch roofs. What I need to know
is the spacing of the pipes and then ideas of how to attach the
framing for the flooring. I believe the spacing of the pipes would be
dependent on how long a 2x4 and span which I think is 4' and then
use the correct size pipe flange and doubled 2x4s on top of the flange
to hold the 2x4 joists?
 
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