What size lumber do I need for a mezzanine floor to support a 20,000 lbs load

load-bearing

I am thinking of putting a mezzanine in my garage to support 20,000 lbs of load, not including the weight of the floor. On the floor the area is 20' deep X 32' wide; I was looking at 4" X 12" timbers for floor joists and 3" X 12" timber boards on top for floor.

  1. What is the maximum distance I can run 4" X 12" fir timber joists without beam support?
  2. What is the maximum distance between the 4" X 12" floor joists if I have a 3" X 12" plank timber floor on top?

Best Answer

There's a really simple answer to this question.

You find a structural engineer, and you pay them to answer the question. It seems like you probably have a special situation, and none of the standard tables out there are going to work.