Milk House renovation

[EddieWalker]

Your joists are just really shims to level and support your decking, and since they do not span anything, you can use the smallest lumber you need. Spacing is more important. 24 inches apart is standard for 3/4 ply or bigger. I prefer 1 1/4 for decking, but it's more money and super heavy. You can also go closer together if you are going to have some heavy loads. 19.2 or 16 inches will only add a few boards to your job, but give you a lot stiffer floor.

 

[Egon]

The joists may not have full contact with the floor when level. Depends on the unsupported length of joist.

What clearance will you need for plumbing? (Joist height) ?
What will be the he future use?
Type of heating? (In floor) ??
Prevalent moisture in buildings?

Just questions to ask yourself.

 

[riptides]

The joists may not have full contact with the floor when level. Depends on the unsupported length of joist.

What clearance will you need for plumbing? (Joist height) ?
What will be the he future use?
Type of heating? (In floor) ??
Prevalent moisture in buildings?

Just questions to ask yourself.

Yes all valid.

Plumbing and heating are of no concern, the moisture question will have to be addressed.

It's a man cave. No just don't tell the wife.

Eddie I will make it stiff and able to support a nice pool table.

 

[EddieWalker]

Egon brings up a good point. While I doubt you will have more then a few inches where the 2x doesn't touch the floor due to irregular dips in the original floor, the more contact you have the better. After cutting, I would use liquid nails or something similar to secure the 2x's and shim any gaps you might have. Take the time to get it 100% solid now because you never will have this opportunity in the future, and a springy, or squeaky floor only gets more and more annoying over time!!!!

 

[Cord]

Looks like I'll be pounding wood down!

Concrete on top of concrete, the self-leveling stuff....how does that hold up over time for flooring?

Self leveling is pretty low psi stuff. I've seen it dust up at door ways before the rooms could be finished leaving a trench that needed to be filled. I would never recommend it be left unexposed.

If you raise the floor, you'll screw yourself on the doorway. Honestly, if you "need" the floor to be level, I'd bust it out and repour. This way you can hit your sill height and still have a flat floor.

I'd suggest funding this project by selling the bulk tank. The maple syrup guys will snatch it up for close to $1,000 this time of the year.

 

[riptides]

Self leveling is pretty low psi stuff. I've seen it dust up at door ways before the rooms could be finished leaving a trench that needed to be filled. I would never recommend it be left unexposed.

If you raise the floor, you'll screw yourself on the doorway. Honestly, if you "need" the floor to be level, I'd bust it out and repour. This way you can hit your sill height and still have a flat floor.

I'd suggest funding this project by selling the bulk tank. The maple syrup guys will snatch it up for close to $1,000 this time of the year.

The bulk tank went on the market twice in my general area. It since made an adventurist move into the barn. Part of me says it can stay there forever, or until my brewery days come calling again.

I have opted on raising the floor, and will raise three doors (one outside, two inside) in the process. Two other outside doors will be closed off and the building will be re-wrapped with vinyl. It's a lot of work, well not really, just a lot of busting out the old wet sheet stuff on the inside. I have worked in there already, repairing all the holes in the walls, and it has a fresh paint job. It use to be my laundry room as I was "remodeling" the farm house. LOL. A truly multi-use building over its lifetime.

 

[EddieWalker]

It should be easy enough to raise the height of the doors. A lot of old buildings didn't even have headers over the doorways. But if you are going to do it, might as well make it as strong as possible and put in new jack studs with a header.

 

[riptides]

It should be easy enough to raise the height of the doors. A lot of old buildings didn't even have headers over the doorways. But if you are going to do it, might as well make it as strong as possible and put in new jack studs with a header.

Yes, you are correct. And I will do just that.

These old buildings are built tough. Many a saw blade dulled and broken when working with the original wood.

 

[NormaMangels]

4 inches changes everything. You wouldn't want to do that with self leveling for sure!!! I would hire it out if pouring concrete, but if you did that, you would want to raise the high side at least two inches, which doesn't have any advantages over building it up with wood. Seeing your picture, I think I'd frame it up level and put down plywood or Advantech subflooring.

It looks great!

 

[smokinmad]

In a Barn....a raised floor will be Greatly Appreciated by every Barn Mouse and Rat.....I'm with CORD, bust it out and pour new.
As for the walls....That is called a Stuco Wall Covering and that vat would make a Nice Hot Tub in a Man Cave....