The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls

Arcade Collecting => Miscellaneous Arcade Talk => Topic started by: HaRuMaN on September 09, 2011, 10:09:48 am

Title: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: HaRuMaN on September 09, 2011, 10:09:48 am
My gameroom is in the 2nd floor loft.  My brother made a comment about not putting too many games up there without knowing the weight limitations of the floor.  Now he's got me thinking about that.  How would I even go about finding that out?

Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: Vigo on September 09, 2011, 10:48:12 am
Generally, a house is designed to take a lot of weight, newer houses are usually built to code to be strong enough to hold the weight of a car. Older houses are usually just made with heavy duty material, and if it isn't deteriorating, it will be strong enough for a lot of weight. Going to a common heavy object in a 2nd floor of a house, a filled cast iron bathtub has a weight of over 600 pounds in a very small area. 

That said, it kinda depends of the condition and quality of the house build, and without an inspector its hard to get an estimate. You would need to find out how big the floor joists are and how far apart they are spaced. Unless you have an exposed attic area to see this, it is probably not even worth checking.

If most you stuff is against the walls, it will really help to prevent any floor sagging that could occur, but some heavy stuff in the middle is fine because the weight will distribute itself out between the floorboards. Throw as much as you can against the walls, especially the walls that make up the outside perimeter of the house, they are made to take more weight.

I think what you need to do is take the total weight of everything you are going to put in the room (including permanant fixtures, if any), and divide it by the room area. I believe the limit on a 2nd floor should be built 30-50 lb/sq. ft. I probably would only feel comfortable going up to 15-20 lbs. Certain things you just don't want to test the limits of.
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: HaRuMaN on September 09, 2011, 11:04:26 am
My cabs are currently against the walls (outside walls).  There is a pool table in the middle, but nothing else.

I figured it was ok, just my brother got me thinking about it.
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: Rick on September 09, 2011, 11:19:47 am
There is a pool table in the middle, but nothing else.

Don't let 600lbs worth of sex happen on it, and you should be ok.

 :applaud:
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: lordnacho on September 09, 2011, 11:34:57 am
Don't let 600lbs worth of sex happen on it, and you should be ok.

 :applaud:

If 10 girls, it's  :notworthy: 
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: BadMouth on September 09, 2011, 11:47:57 am
Know any architects?

They should be able to tell you based on the size of the the floor joist(or truss) and span.
Got blueprints?
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: Donkbaca on September 09, 2011, 11:50:29 am
10 girls?  @ 60 lbs a piece?  You better have your math wrong.

I think all buildings should use the "how many pounds of waterbed sex" can it hold metric.
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: lordnacho on September 09, 2011, 11:54:36 am
Yep, sorry about that. Midgets are heavier than most think.
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: Vigo on September 09, 2011, 11:58:19 am
I'd be all for forgetting about saving the house and go for 10 chicks with 1200lbs of sex.
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: Donkbaca on September 09, 2011, 12:25:32 pm
That would probably be the best minute and 25 seconds of your life....
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: RayB on September 09, 2011, 12:43:52 pm
That thought has crossed my mind as well (cab weight, not the 200lb midget sex) , even in when thinking about cabs on my main floor (creaky 1950's floors!). 4 cabs weighing 250lbs each, plus a pin weighing what, 200?, and a cab weighing 300 = 1500 lbs. That's 0.75 of a metric ton.  :o


Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: t3design on September 09, 2011, 02:15:19 pm
Here is a great article about loading your floor. Turns out it is not very easy to determine just how much stuff you can pile into your house before the floor caves in.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/aquarium_weight.php (http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/aquarium_weight.php)

This article is about aquariums (which weigh way more than cabs) but the principles and issues are exactly the same.

t3
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: jennifer on September 09, 2011, 02:43:37 pm

       Ive had the same question myself [once upon a time]. Yes there is a formula, The library in my town was going to move and they had to call in
the professers. How they concluded the new building wouldnt hold the weight is beyond me.......
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: BadMouth on September 09, 2011, 03:54:19 pm
....and the topic sways to people who require tools to wipe their ass....

How many of them were we picturing having sex?
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: HaRuMaN on September 09, 2011, 04:20:09 pm
This thread is officially ruined  :'(
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: Donkbaca on September 09, 2011, 04:21:44 pm
The moral of the story: Don't store your cabs in an apartment under over sexed morbidly obese people; they will get water damage.
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: jsb98 on September 09, 2011, 07:06:12 pm
If you're worried about the cabs breaking the floor and falling through, attach them to the walls or suspend them from the ceiling.
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: Ed_McCarron on September 15, 2011, 07:58:39 pm
I believe the limit on a 2nd floor should be built 30-50 lb/sq. ft. I probably would only feel comfortable going up to 15-20 lbs. Certain things you just don't want to test the limits of.

So you don't stand with your feet together on second floors?
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: Rick on September 16, 2011, 09:33:30 am
Personally, I've got a wide stance.

(http://www.foxnews.com/images/306258/1_62_craig_larry_frontmug.jpg)

As do I, for different reasons.

(http://htmlgiant.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/JohnHolmes_.jpg)
Title: Re: Second floor weight limitations...
Post by: FrizzleFried on September 16, 2011, 10:31:34 am
Mr. Craig and Mr. Holmes posted in the same response... how appropriate.

 :laugh2: