loft space cylinder and joist loading

[jimk280]

Hi all, looking to fit an unvented cylinder in a bungalow loftspace. &nbsp;Anybody know if there's a calculator online or has calculation formula for working out if the roof joists are up to handling the proposed 180 litre cylinder. &nbsp;Last thing I want is the cylinder dropping through on customers lap. &nbsp;Can't handle the hassle;-).<br><br>Jim

 

[ecowarm]

Spread the weight over a supporting wall?

 

[jimk280]

Don't mean to appear thick (but I am). I take it you mean put the cylinder next to a wall then support the weight with some kind of planks under the tank across the roof joists?

 

[ecowarm]

No, I mean the bungalow will have supporting walls so in the roof space position the cylinder over this but still span the joists to spread the weight.


If in doubt you will have to get someone in, btw 180l = 180kg plus the dry weight of the cylinder and ancilliery pipework. 200kg+

 

[AWheating]

as ecowarm suggested try and position over a load bearing wall. Tamz has a great guide on how to build a tank stand showing how to spread the loading over the roof timbers if i am remembering correctly, maybe useful to you and others.

im sure he will point you towards it if you ask nice like.

 

[SimonG]

Best one I ever saw was one a builder built for me in a converted byre. Two 10' concrete lintels across two load bearing block walls with 1" ply secured on top. Talk about overkill, but the tanks were going nowhere.

 

[tamz]

180 litres = 180 kilo plus the weight of the tank. About the same weight as 2 men. It don't take a lot of supporting but use your head and spread it a bit preferably over a wall.

 

[jimk280]

thanks guys for taking time to offer sound advice

Jim

 

[lambchop]

Agree with the other lads about siting near a supporting wall but if not possible build your own platform. The ceiling joists centres should be approx 400 - 600 mm apart, your platform done in 18mm ply (not chipboard as Ive seen in the past, if any leaks destroys board quickly), the bigger the platform the safer it is because it spreads load over the ceiling joists. Underneath platform screw lengths of 4" x 2" centres of 300mm, the flatform rails/feet should be perpindicular to the ceiling joists (have seen them paraleel doh)

Hope this is resonably clear explanation, no good on computers so cant do drawing