Old farmhouse: How much will my floor hold

Amatuer21 · 10/06/2015, 12:12 PM

Moved into a new home and am quickly brainstorming ideas for a new build. But upon determing how big i want to go, i am not sure how strong my floor is. The house was built in 1875 and the floor where i have decided to put my tank seems like it bows down a little or is not 100% level. Do i need to base my decision on how much or little weight i can place on this floor? Has a floor ever given out due to a fish tank? Heres a few pics of the spot. Would a basement pic help?

nuxx · 10/06/2015, 12:17 PM

If you're uncertain... could just build a shallow tank?!?!

EllisJuan · 10/06/2015, 12:40 PM

I don't think anyone is going to be able to look at that picture with the information you gave and be able to tell you what the floor can hold.

RockOn681 · 10/06/2015, 12:44 PM

What is below your floor? Basement, crawlspace, slab?

Amatuer21 · 10/06/2015, 01:17 PM

Im actually attracted to shallower tanks. I dont plan on doing anything over 80 gallons

Amatuer21 · 10/06/2015, 01:17 PM

Sorry, its a basement below.

Amatuer21 · 10/06/2015, 01:20 PM

I do not know anything about floors, structures, basements etc so whatever info is needed i will do my best to provide.

dendrite · 10/06/2015, 01:23 PM

Had the same issue with my 180 with 60 gallon sump and metal stand in a 1950's ranch. Hire an architect or a structural engineer to come and have a look so that you don't have a disaster

billdogg · 10/06/2015, 01:39 PM

I didn't give it a thought when I put a 150g DT / 50g sump and another 120g DT with 40g sump in the dining room of my last house, built probably in the 1950's. Then one day I noticed that the floor was kind of "springy". I went downstairs to the basement and found that 2 floor joists (real 2" x 12") had cracked! Off the the hardware store I went. A couple 3 floor jacks and a few sistered beams and the floor was, once again, solid.

Moral of the story????

When in doubt, have someone actually qualified take a look at it for you!!!(and fwiw, nobody on the internet is qualified until they are in your house doing the looking!!!!!!)

nuxx · 10/06/2015, 01:39 PM

Could build a pretty nice shallow 60-80 gallon tank.

Amatuer21 · 10/06/2015, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nuxx

Could build a pretty nice shallow 60-80 gallon tank.

Exactly what im thinking!!

Amatuer21 · 10/06/2015, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billdogg

I didn't give it a thought when I put a 150g DT / 50g sump and another 120g DT with 40g sump in the dining room of my last house, built probably in the 1950's. Then one day I noticed that the floor was kind of "springy". I went downstairs to the basement and found that 2 floor joists (real 2" x 12") had cracked! Off the the hardware store I went. A couple 3 floor jacks and a few sistered beams and the floor was, once again, solid.

Moral of the story????

When in doubt, have someone actually qualified take a look at it for you!!!(and fwiw, nobody on the internet is qualified until they are in your house doing the looking!!!!!!)

Who do i call to check the floor for something like that?

Ocelaris · 10/06/2015, 02:12 PM

You can hire a structural engineer to tell you what you can support weight wise, but we may be able to give a ball park. Take some pictures of the beams underneath, that's going to tell you what you'll be able to hold. Not that I'm a structural engineer, but just because it's uneven doesn't necessarily mean it's not strong.

Your house may have been built before dimensional lumber (standard sizes) were common place, so try to get an estimate of width and depth of the support joists, and the length that it spans before touching a column to the ground.

bws · 10/07/2015, 03:26 AM

I cant speak for what the floor in your old house is but I can tell you my house was build in 1910 or so and the wood floor is actually a double layer with the bottom layer being on a 45 degree angle then the top layer is straight. so that's 2 layers of good old solid real wood not the modern day sub flooring, if you have a full size basement and are unsure. just go buy a pole jack and good solid thick board such as a 2x12 and use it to support the floor under the tank area. just do the math for weight if you want an 80 gallon tank.. the tank and stand will be maybe 200 pounds, another 100 pounds of live rock or so, then 80 gallons of water x 8 pounds a gallon..so 640 pounds.. pushing around 1000 pounds. get 4 big guys standing next to each other in a 4 foot space and jump a few times to see how soft the floor feels. im sure if you keep it next to a wall and position it so the tank sits cross ways on the floor joists, instead of going the same way they run.. you will be fine with no support but for less than 100 bucks you could add a jack pole in the basement

bws · 10/07/2015, 03:34 AM

also if it is a dirt bottom floor, it would be a good idea to dig a hole and fill the hole with a bag of cement to make a good solid footing for the jack. would be a good idea even if its a cement floor that was done after the house was built.. if the cement in the basement is just a inch or 2 thick the weight of the pole pushing down could break it.

alton · 10/07/2015, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bws

I cant speak for what the floor in your old house is but I can tell you my house was build in 1910 or so and the wood floor is actually a double layer with the bottom layer being on a 45 degree angle then the top layer is straight. so that's 2 layers of good old solid real wood not the modern day sub flooring, if you have a full size basement and are unsure. just go buy a pole jack and good solid thick board such as a 2x12 and use it to support the floor under the tank area. just do the math for weight if you want an 80 gallon tank.. the tank and stand will be maybe 200 pounds, another 100 pounds of live rock or so, then 80 gallons of water x 8 pounds a gallon..so 640 pounds.. pushing around 1000 pounds. get 4 big guys standing next to each other in a 4 foot space and jump a few times to see how soft the floor feels. im sure if you keep it next to a wall and position it so the tank sits cross ways on the floor joists, instead of going the same way they run.. you will be fine with no support but for less than 100 bucks you could add a jack pole in the basement

I like this idea, old wood was straighter and stronger than the junk we get today. As long as Termites didn't destroy anything, go buy your tank

sde1500 · 10/07/2015, 12:43 PM

Don't assume the old floor is still there, just an FYI. My house was built in 1780, and some of the floor has been completely replaced, sub floor and all. If you are at all worried, get a structural engineer out there. Or if you are a DIY kind of guy, reinforce your joists with some extra boards and throw one or two jack poles. May be over kill, but better than your floor caving.

nuttyd · 10/07/2015, 12:58 PM

typical houses are typically designed to take 40 pounds per square foot live load and concentrated load of 300lbs. Standard strucutral floor loading. Basically anything over a 40 gallon or so on a wood structure should have some reinforcing of the floor.

10/06/2015, 12:17 PM	#2
nuxx RC Sponsor Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Austin, Tx Posts: 3,990	If you're uncertain... could just build a shallow tank?!?! __________________ Peter TankStop - Fish and Coral 470G Display - Build Thread Current Tank Info: Retired - 470 Gallon Mixed Reef (120x29x31")

10/06/2015, 12:40 PM	#3
EllisJuan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 1,366	I don't think anyone is going to be able to look at that picture with the information you gave and be able to tell you what the floor can hold. __________________ 24x24x12 Rimless RR * Apex * Reeflink * Radion Pro G2 * MP10wQD * JNS CO-1 Skimmer * Advance Acrylics Custom Sump * Jebao DC2000

10/06/2015, 01:17 PM	#5
Amatuer21 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Cuyahoga Falls Posts: 1,303	Im actually attracted to shallower tanks. I dont plan on doing anything over 80 gallons __________________ Josh Current Tank Info: Waterbox

10/06/2015, 01:17 PM	#6
Amatuer21 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Cuyahoga Falls Posts: 1,303	Sorry, its a basement below. __________________ Josh Current Tank Info: Waterbox

10/06/2015, 01:20 PM	#7
Amatuer21 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Cuyahoga Falls Posts: 1,303	I do not know anything about floors, structures, basements etc so whatever info is needed i will do my best to provide. __________________ Josh Current Tank Info: Waterbox

10/06/2015, 12:44 PM	#4
RockOn681 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Bloomingdale, IL Posts: 326	What is below your floor? Basement, crawlspace, slab?

10/06/2015, 01:23 PM	#8
dendrite Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: denver Posts: 493	Had the same issue with my 180 with 60 gallon sump and metal stand in a 1950's ranch. Hire an architect or a structural engineer to come and have a look so that you don't have a disaster

10/06/2015, 01:39 PM	#9
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	I didn't give it a thought when I put a 150g DT / 50g sump and another 120g DT with 40g sump in the dining room of my last house, built probably in the 1950's. Then one day I noticed that the floor was kind of "springy". I went downstairs to the basement and found that 2 floor joists (real 2" x 12") had cracked! Off the the hardware store I went. A couple 3 floor jacks and a few sistered beams and the floor was, once again, solid. Moral of the story???? When in doubt, have someone actually qualified take a look at it for you!!!(and fwiw, nobody on the internet is qualified until they are in your house doing the looking!!!!!!) __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

10/06/2015, 02:12 PM	#13
Ocelaris Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: NJ Posts: 41	You can hire a structural engineer to tell you what you can support weight wise, but we may be able to give a ball park. Take some pictures of the beams underneath, that's going to tell you what you'll be able to hold. Not that I'm a structural engineer, but just because it's uneven doesn't necessarily mean it's not strong. Your house may have been built before dimensional lumber (standard sizes) were common place, so try to get an estimate of width and depth of the support joists, and the length that it spans before touching a column to the ground.

10/07/2015, 03:26 AM	#14
bws Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 143	I cant speak for what the floor in your old house is but I can tell you my house was build in 1910 or so and the wood floor is actually a double layer with the bottom layer being on a 45 degree angle then the top layer is straight. so that's 2 layers of good old solid real wood not the modern day sub flooring, if you have a full size basement and are unsure. just go buy a pole jack and good solid thick board such as a 2x12 and use it to support the floor under the tank area. just do the math for weight if you want an 80 gallon tank.. the tank and stand will be maybe 200 pounds, another 100 pounds of live rock or so, then 80 gallons of water x 8 pounds a gallon..so 640 pounds.. pushing around 1000 pounds. get 4 big guys standing next to each other in a 4 foot space and jump a few times to see how soft the floor feels. im sure if you keep it next to a wall and position it so the tank sits cross ways on the floor joists, instead of going the same way they run.. you will be fine with no support but for less than 100 bucks you could add a jack pole in the basement

10/07/2015, 03:34 AM	#15
bws Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 143	also if it is a dirt bottom floor, it would be a good idea to dig a hole and fill the hole with a bag of cement to make a good solid footing for the jack. would be a good idea even if its a cement floor that was done after the house was built.. if the cement in the basement is just a inch or 2 thick the weight of the pole pushing down could break it.

10/07/2015, 12:43 PM	#17
sde1500 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Glocester, RI Posts: 3,336	Don't assume the old floor is still there, just an FYI. My house was built in 1780, and some of the floor has been completely replaced, sub floor and all. If you are at all worried, get a structural engineer out there. Or if you are a DIY kind of guy, reinforce your joists with some extra boards and throw one or two jack poles. May be over kill, but better than your floor caving.

10/07/2015, 12:58 PM	#18
nuttyd Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Coral Gables Posts: 520	typical houses are typically designed to take 40 pounds per square foot live load and concentrated load of 300lbs. Standard strucutral floor loading. Basically anything over a 40 gallon or so on a wood structure should have some reinforcing of the floor.