Increasing Existing Ceiling Height

[RFreund]

Any good details for increasing the ceiling height of an existing residence by about 12".

Background for this project:
Existing home about 4,000 sqft. There is a 'main' home with (2) 'wings'. Wings are at 8' ceiling height, main is at 9'. They are adding a second story and want the first floor to be all at 9'. The exterior is brick veneer.
Comments/thoughts:

Sistering full height studs is probably too labor intensive as all the existing electric and plumbing is in the way.
Strapping on outside may not be possible due to existing brick veneer.

1.) Arch suggested building a knee wall then thru bolting from teh top of the knee wall to the underside of the double top plate of the existing wall.

2.) Some sort of steel side plates (this would a moment connection, sorta)

3.) fur the inside of the wall out and extended 1.5"x2" studs full height possible use steel or similiar. or in combo with option 2.

EIT

http://www.HowToEngineer.com

 

[msquared48]

You could build a short one foot pony wall to rest the new joists on, and put in diagonal kickers at 4 feet to stabalize the hinge.

Alternate would be to baloon frome to the top of the plate for the new addition and add the joists nailed off to a let in. This should also stabilize the connection at the existing plate.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

http://mmcengineering.tripod.com

 

[RFreund]

m^2 - Thanks for the response I didn't considered balloon framing. As for braces - That was my first option however the owner currently wants cabinets/bookcases up the ceiling so the Architect is telling me that option may not be possible.
"and add the joists nailed off to a let in."
What do you mean by this?

Sorry when I say 'knee wall' I mean 'pony wall' (samething maybe?)
Another thought.
What about furring out the lower wall with a flat 2x4 or 2x6 full height (2x6 would be like the flange of a T-section to the inside face). May need to still add some side plates. And you would not be able to just build the pong wall on top.

EIT

http://www.HowToEngineer.com

 

[TomDOT]

Sounds like it would be a lot easier to just build a new house exactly the way the owners want, and sell this one off.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Kind of like TomDot response. Anything can be done but at what time and cost?? I live in St. Louis and people always ask questions like this. And I say "Sure it can be done - but we could also move the the St. Louis Arch if we really wanted to". (It's 630' tall and 630' wide and goes to bed rock about 60' down)

 

[RFreund]

Right, right. I hear ya. They may decide not to do it. But it is a $4,000sqft home and they are putting another $4,000sqft addition on (almost). So I'm sure they are willing to spend some money to get it done and done right at that, but I'm sure there is some point that it may not be worth it, but I'm not sure where that point is.

EIT

http://www.HowToEngineer.com

 

[AELLC]

If you are using 4x2 wood trusses, have the truss mfr build in a 12" drop at the ends and provide a coffered ceiling if necessary. (Bottom of coffer at 8'-0")

 

[AELLC]

ps I was referring to floor trusses in my post above.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

You could always build "scissor" type trusses - floor or roof with flat ceiling center areas. Quite nice looking!!

 

[boo1]

Cound you use a knee wall w a structural (cabnet) soffit to take the hing action out?

 

[RFreund]

Boo - I have suggested that to the Arch as well, thanks.

EIT

http://www.HowToEngineer.com