Quick shed question

How much weight can this loft rafter hold safely?

2x4s spanning 10’. 24” apart covered with 7/16” osb. 

Get a deck building book from your local library and look it up. 

Not a lot.  

No, you can't put an engine up there. 

It's Spruce.  Spruce 2x4's have NO rating as a floor joist.

A couple hundred pounds evenly distributed.  No more.  

SVreX said:

No, you can't put an engine up there. 

It's Spruce.  Spruce 2x4's have NO rating as a floor joist.

 

A couple hundred pounds evenly distributed.  No more.  

Too high for that. I'm using it mostly for light weight yard stuff. Possibly some wheels though. 

I’ve got a similar setup and only put tailgating chairs, carpet scraps, a piece of a box of flooring, etc. on it.  Nothing real heavy, but it’s not sagging at all.  

Spam tables say 30 Psf  live and 5 PDF dead are about 8'-6" for that member and don't offer lower loads. If completely dead load (storage not people and movement) you could probably get away with a storage load (very evenly distributed) of 30 psf with a workable deflection. Just don't put any people load on it.

In reply to itsarebuild :

Thanks! I may double up the 2x4s for added safety.

Put the wheels at the ends closest to the wall and the light stuff in the middle 

Sister a 2x6 to each 2x4, floor it with plywood and load that sucker up? 

Be safe!

itsarebuild said:

Spam tables say 30 Psf  live and 5 PDF dead are about 8'-6" for that member and don't offer lower loads. If completely dead load (storage not people and movement) you could probably get away with a storage load (very evenly distributed) of 30 psf with a workable deflection. Just don't put any people load on it.

I think you are mis-reading the span tables.  That sounds like the rating for 2x6 .

A #2 grade Spruce 2x6 on 24" centers with a 30 lb live load and a 5 lb dead load is rated for  8'-3" with a deflection of L/360.

The same specs for a 2x4 allow for a span of only 5'-3".

Here is a calculator:

American Wood Council span calculator

However OP, you will be fine.  You are not building a floor.  Doubling the 2 x 4's is a good idea.

In reply to SVreX :

i was looking at l/240. L/360 is overkill for deadweight storage.

Load it until it collapses.  Weigh that pile of crap.  Rebuild it exactly and reload it with 10% less crap.  Done!

Or follow the above suggestion and add some 2x4s to the span just for the sake of security.

If I was going to bother with sistering new boards in place, I'd go with 2x8's instead of just more 2x4's

KyAllroad (Jeremy) said:

Load it until it collapses.  Weigh that pile of crap.  Rebuild it exactly and reload it with 10% less crap.  Done!

 

Oh, ok same way you set the boost on a turbo. Add boost till she blows, rebuild and dial back 10%.  Lol

In reply to SVreX :

 Doubling the 2 x 4's is a good idea.

Would you sister the 2 x 4's or put them between to make them 12" OC?

Asking because my BIL would like to put a loft in his similar shed.

Hal said:

In reply to SVreX :

 Doubling the 2 x 4's is a good idea.

Would you sister the 2 x 4's or put them between to make them 12" OC?

Asking because my BIL would like to put a loft in his similar shed.

 

If it was my shed?  Most likely both.  

itsarebuild said:

In reply to SVreX :

i was looking at l/240. L/360 is overkill for deadweight storage.

 

L/240 still comes up at 6'-0"

I have a similar shed, and I've been in the loft moving things around.  I'm around 250, so  I can verify it will hold more than that.  I think it's more about the distribution than anything else.