I just installed a pellet stove in my woodshop which is above a crawlspace, not on a slab. The floor is 2x8 joists, 16" on center, with a span of about 22 feet. I have the pellets stacked in a corner right now, about 2/3 of a pallet. I was wondering if there's a general rule of thumb for stacking pellets not on a slab floor as far as weight is concerned?
Safe pellet weight on floor
- Thread starter TheLastDeadMouse
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil. -
Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
- Status
Generally, if you put too much in you'll know
mik_kane
Feeling the Heat
I'm not 100% sure. I've never been down below, it's pretty snug down there. I'll try to check if there's a support later.
Are you sure of your span ?
the max span of a 2x8 on 16 in center is 12 feet
This is for spf Other types of wood have shorter or longer spans
the max span of a 2x8 on 16 in center is 12 feet
This is for spf Other types of wood have shorter or longer spans
little open ended. You say a corner, which to me says its supported close to a beam. if so, prob not a problem
DneprDave
Minister of Fire
Peterfield
Minister of Fire
I wouldn't take the chance. Send them over to me where they'll be properly stored in my space-age facility. I'll send you a few bags every so often throughout the winter so your floor won't be over-stressed.
TimfromMA
Minister of Fire
If they crash through to the floor below, you might be a tad over the limit.
I was always concerned about this. I have the weight of my stove on the floor, plus the 2 bags of pellets it holds, and I like to keep 10 bags in the house when its the dead of winter so I don't constantly have to go to the garage to get some more. as a safety measure the stove spans 2 joists and it sits right near the center support beam, not in the middle. then I keep 5 bags stacked not on the same joists and the other 5 bags on yet another set of 2 joists.
I don't know if that's all necessary but I've been doing that many years and so far the floor isn't busted through, and there is no sign of any changes in the basement.
I don't know if that's all necessary but I've been doing that many years and so far the floor isn't busted through, and there is no sign of any changes in the basement.
That includes the entire floor load. Not in one single square foot.. So you could have a 10X10 room with a minimum load rating of 50psf, so your total floor load is 5000lbs. Generally, this converted, you can have 5000lbs in any one section of the floor, as long as every other section of floor carries no live load... For a ton of pellets on a raised wood structured floor, I would spread out the stacking area to no less than a 6X6' area...
I disagree with this. Based on this rational, if you had a room that was 10' wide and 40 ft long, you could load a 20,000 lb load on one section. If that room was 80' long, now you could have 40,000 lbs on one section, I think you can see that logically, you're going to run into an issue. The statement that BrotherBart had with "Floor loading standards are for 50 pounds per square foot distributed over it" is accurate. It specifically says that the load is "distributed over it", which implies even loading. The total floor rating in a 10x10 room is, as you state, 5000 lbs, but if that entire load is focused over one or two joists, I can assure you that you'll have problems.
Now, your final statement of 1 ton over a 6'x6' area is far different. This equates to 2000 lbs on 36 sqft, which equals a little over 55 lbs/sqft. Now that's probably well within the factor of safety that would be implied with a 50lb/sqft rating.
Good luck!
TimfromMA
Minister of Fire
Just store the pellets in your basement on the concrete and bring up bags as you need them. Potentially damaging your workshop seems like a pretty high price to pay to save a few extra steps.
Now you all got me worrying the corner of my mudroom is going to collapse into the abyss. I calculate the load at roughly145lbs per sq ft at the farthest corner. It's an outside wall by the window--if that helps any.
![[Hearth.com] Safe pellet weight on floor](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/163/163850-5885e2a95c3094e4b4e1abc275640cdb.jpg?hash=uqobDmx81- "[Hearth.com] Safe pellet weight on floor")
TimfromMA
Minister of Fire
It's a little better considering your near the supporting wall in the corner but still......
TimfromMA
Minister of Fire
To answer your signature line:
Yes, yes again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again............
Yes. That did sound rather awkward didn't it.
. The last statement was what I was more implying. Distributing the weight is the key no doubt.I have your weight load (dead, live, and running) figured all the way out. Take a few bags outta da middle. Den toss'em up in deh're on dem dehre damn sides. Ya wiff me now?
Suddenly you now no longer need that couch so that can leave which reduces the load. Which one? Next move would be rolling the Lazy Boy out...... The wife would gladly help, besides,, she finds it tacky, obtrusive, and another thing to complain about. The entire time the NEW BROOM sits idle in the corner which adds another option in case you need to store a few extra bags.
Here we go now... Right there the witch and broom weighs? How much? We will be conservative. The broom weighs 80 lbs and the witch can fill in the blank. ( Here they come chiming in)))
Let's get back to that ugly Lazy Boy. Now that is gone along wiff da broom and pilot. SHAAZZAM! Life and pellets are good! Storing pellets has become easier already. More floor space and a whole lot less chit. Enough said.
Now be a man and stack'em up into a Lazy Boy motif and sit down and relax. She will learn to love that old crusty Lazy Boy out front, in the cold mind you, and when you hear DING....Dong. Just sit back in the new one ton fancy chair and say Halloween isn't til the 31st. Come back then!
Suddenly you now no longer need that couch so that can leave which reduces the load. Which one? Next move would be rolling the Lazy Boy out...... The wife would gladly help, besides,, she finds it tacky, obtrusive, and another thing to complain about. The entire time the NEW BROOM sits idle in the corner which adds another option in case you need to store a few extra bags.
Here we go now... Right there the witch and broom weighs? How much? We will be conservative. The broom weighs 80 lbs and the witch can fill in the blank. ( Here they come chiming in)))
Let's get back to that ugly Lazy Boy. Now that is gone along wiff da broom and pilot. SHAAZZAM! Life and pellets are good! Storing pellets has become easier already. More floor space and a whole lot less chit. Enough said.
Now be a man and stack'em up into a Lazy Boy motif and sit down and relax. She will learn to love that old crusty Lazy Boy out front, in the cold mind you, and when you hear DING....Dong. Just sit back in the new one ton fancy chair and say Halloween isn't til the 31st. Come back then!
- Status
Similar threads
