Gym Upstairs -- Structurally safe?

clodola · 13-01-2022 1:08pm #1

Hi

I want to put a gym up stairs , will I come through the ceiling?

Equipment

180 kg in weights intention to store on the powerrack (150 kg) , olympic bar 20 kg, bench (38kg)

Possibility of 388kg in a 134 cm X 134 cm area (Powerrack dimensions) , the force you excerpt when training

Curl bench 55kg , 20kg weights , 12 kg bar in another area

cycle bike X 1 (25kg)

Upstairs area

Mellor · 14-01-2022 2:14am

Not enough information to say for sure. But If I had to give an answer based on the above I'd say probably not unless it was previous considered.

Missing information: any structural reinforcement for the roof space? Is this designed as a gym or an attic conversion. Flooring material (this is critical).

200mm joists are normal, and the spacing is better than normal. Flooring is important. 350kg is a lot, a domestic floor will take spread over a large area (two large people and a bed). The issue with weight training is that you are point loading it. The weight might be ok on the rack. But when you squat or deadlift a weight, it all goes through your feet. I've no idea of you size/strength. But say you are 80kg and deadlift 180kg. That's 260kg on the flooring at you feet. Plus at some point you'll drop a deadlift t the floor with some momentum, focused on the plates.

If those points are on the floorboards between the joist, they could go through. I've had all sorts of projects over the years, but a huge portion were commercial gym. I've seen raised timber floor broke in free weights areas be barbells.

Sheet flooring would be better than floor boards. 22mm better than 18mm. Ideally it was design to be habitable, or converted with additional structure.

Putt down rubber flooring for the sake of your ceiling below.

Victor · 14-01-2022 3:21am

My brother put a home gym into the spare upstairs bedroom. Even using the treadmill made the room downstairs uninhabitable.

Mellor · 14-01-2022 4:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118471845#Comment_118471845

A project I previously did was acoustic remediation work for a chain of commercial gyms. The two areas that consistently caused the most issues were free weights (obviously) and treadmills - which were just as bad.

clodola · 14-01-2022 9:56pm

Thanks , this is an outhouse used as an office space ,no worries about noise, planning permission for a gym but highly doubt it was designed specifically

Deadlifts etc , I won't be dropping from a height

I am 85kg , may deadlift 140kg

Was thinking along the lines of a power rack , with trolley arms to minimise floor impact , impact cushions but I won't be dropping the weight on the floor (I stop a few cm before it touch s the floor)

Would plywood platform suffice to distribute the load ? Some rubber mats

Worse case might have to setup downstairs

Power rack setup

https://youtu.be/PJfhyNiaStk

Gym pound mats

Gumbo · 15-01-2022 1:20am

I’d have to say no. Not without proper floor structural work.

might be fine for the first few months or weeks or days……

Mellor · 15-01-2022 4:57am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118477013#Comment_118477013

By dropping I don’t mean from the hip. Obviously that’s out. I just meant the last 2” when setting down. Even when it doesn’t touch the floor, the load has to go through the floor.

Max maybe 140 now. I’d imagine 175 is easily achievable with a home gym. Which means when your holding it at the top of a rep, 260kg is going through your feet, focused on a few floorboards.

Which is why I said flooring is key. Ply flooring would go a long way to spread the load. Ply instead of floorboards, fixed to joists, not laid on top.

Personally, I’d be looking for a way to get the same effort with minimal weights. Dumbell presses (W/pound mats), single leg squats deadlifts, kettlebells. Same muscle stress, lower load on the floor.

Gym Upstairs -- Structurally safe?

Comments