Expert: Dan Griffin - 11/27/2009

Question
Dan,
I installed a new fitness equipment that weighs a total of 230 Ibs in one of the bedrooms on the second floor of the house. I also placed a treadmill in the same room trying to make it the exercise room.
The fitness equipment if occupying a space 60" x 36" with the loads actiong as a concentrated load close to the window. Each weight plate is 10 Ibs and they are 9 plates.


Am I taking a risk of damaging the floor if the beams breakdown due to the extra load? Especially that adding the weight of the person who will exercise will make it worse.

I weigh 290 Ibs. Please advise

Answer
Emad, think of it like having two good size fellas standing in the same spot you have put the gym.  230 pounds is not a board breaker.  If the loads are out at the bearing end of the joists it is even better.  I don't know which way your floor joists are running, though you mention a window.

I would not worry.  YOur first piece has a 15SF footprint for about 300 pounds.  That's about wo pounds a SF.  The man is a temporary load and even assume it doubles the load, you're at 40 #/SF.  Floors are designed for a code minimum of 30, many are 40 live load per SF.