The Weight

Posted by: Chris Metcalfe on 23 September 2003

Hopefully the structural engineers out there can answer this one.

Having recently moved to a very nice house built circa 1989 (not an estate – a two-off by a local builder to a fairly high standard), I managed to persuade the better half that I should house my extensive (1200+) LP collection in a new set of IKEA Bonde shelving at the far end of the ‘difficult’ third bedroom. Shelving has now been erected and the first tranche of albums are finding their way out of the boxes in the garage to their place up the stairs, so I’ve started worrying about their weight vs strength of upper floor.

As far as I can see, there’s a steel beam lenghways along the house. The shelving is against a wall, above the point where the living room divides from the dining room by a square double-door (with lintel), to the right of which is a concrete corner pillar adjoining said steel beam. Presumably such rooms are built to withstand a couple of 20-stone adults plus heavy furniture, so should 1000-2000 LPs plus shelves pose a problem?
Posted on: 23 September 2003 by Mick P
Chris

To be frank, I think there is more chance of the Ikea shelf collasping than the floor.

The joists will easily accommodate the Lp's, so stop worrying.

Regards

Mick
Posted on: 23 September 2003 by Linds
Calculated weight?

By weighing 10 LPs you can estimate the weight of 1000. Is it anywhere near the "2 adults" weight? What about if you had 4 adults at one end of a room?!?

!!! There's always money somewhere for the next upgrade... !!!
Posted on: 23 September 2003 by prowla
Think of your bookshelf of albums.
Now think of a 4-poster bed with two adults on it doing things that adults do...
Hmmm - which is more likely to go through the floor?

Paul Rowlands
Posted on: 24 September 2003 by Chris Metcalfe
OK I'll stop worrying.
We're insured anyway!
I think 2000 LPs is up to 60 stone though - that's 4 rugby players on a four poster bed....
Posted on: 24 September 2003 by Rico
quote:
that's 4 rugby players on a four poster bed....


Chris

that's an image I wasn't prepared for when I innocently popped into the forum for a browse, this evening.

Good luck with your shelving, mate.

Rico - SM/Mullet Audio