Building regs steel joists

[Gareth J]

Speak to a structural engineer. One with sensible experience will be able to answer your queries. Off the top of my head, there's an acceptable amount of droop in use and an acceptable level of droop at x degrees temperature.

There may be scope for an oversized beam that won't sag (go plastic) unacceptably in a fire scenario. Just throw money at the problem!

But I don't know anything for sure. Might be all nonsense

 

[fizzy]

Seems to me the less wood in the place the better. Steel won't burn.

 

[Pete.]

Seems to me the less wood in the place the better. Steel won't burn.

It will in pure oxygen, that's how an oxy torch works. Anyway, the issue is not burning, it's warping. Steel just goes soft and saggy even from an average sized fire then if the ends are constrained or if it's carrying a load it twists and bends like a pretzel. Years ago (mid 90's probably) I had to do some work in a post office warehouse in Canning Town that had been on fire. The structure was still standing but in one corner the trusses looked like mister tickle's arms.

 

[mike os]

Steel becomes plastic at about 550c, (iirc) it then looses all structural integrity

In a fire that can be achieved quite quickly, so needs protection if it is structural or critical.

 

[Mark 2]

Where does a superbeam fit into this?

 

[Easywelder]

All the steel frame boathouses that I fit out with racking with a first floor for gym, bar etc have all the exposed steelwork painted with intumescent paint. I was at one today which they were painting in black, the finish looked good. Certainly wouldn’t stop me from having exposed steelwork in a residential building. Pinterest is really good for getting ideas from.

 

[fizzy]

All the steel frame boathouses that I fit out with racking with a first floor for gym, bar etc have all the exposed steelwork painted with intumescent paint. I was at one today which they were painting in black, the finish looked good. Certainly wouldn’t stop me from having exposed steelwork in a residential building. Pinterest is really good for getting ideas from.

I wonder how good this paint really is? Some of it is water based and as thin as water. I will have to do my own test
I wonder how many extra lives might have been saved if they hadn't removed all the asbestos cladding from the WTC? Another 30 mins or even an hour could have made a huge difference.

 

[Easywelder]

Good question, some of the paint is really thick and the contractors had left tags on it with dates and warning not to compromise the coating it wouldn’t look good in a house. What I I saw today was just like normal paint and they were rollering in it on.

 

[addjunkie]

Good question, some of the paint is really thick and the contractors had left tags on it with dates and warning not to compromise the coating it wouldn’t look good in a house. What I I saw today was just like normal paint and they were rollering in it on.

Intumescent coatings used to be like sprayed or plastered on and be quite thick. But I guess different coatings will have different exposure times also temperatures, for protection against jet fires for example.

 

[Nomad]

I looked at a few churches / chapels in the past to convert but never actually bought one.

One had started a conversion with huge I-beams on either side of the main space and timber floor joists between them to create the first floor, a simple principle but done using huge bits of metal & wood.
Beware if it's a listed building (making changes is a huge problem in England, not sure what it's like over the border).
Also remember the "Save the church roof" campaigns many years ago - if the roof needs fixing expect to bill to be massive.
Stained glass windows look lovely but cost £££ to repair (I was quoted £20k to fix stonework and replace some glass in a circular window and that was about 30 years ago, using cheaper resin repair not as-original stonework)
Methodist chapels are often the simplest to convert as they are a basic shape,
It will be a nightmare trying to keep the original character and the same time as adding insulation, expect heating bills to be massive.

A useful forum for renovation old properties https://www.periodproperty.co.uk/forum/

If you want to move from cool & damp Wales to cold & wet Scotland you can find some real gems being sold off by the church https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/about-us/property-and-church-buildings/properties-for-sale

Post up any links or photos - we're all agog

 

[fizzy]

I looked at a few churches / chapels in the past to convert but never actually bought one.

One had started a conversion with huge I-beams on either side of the main space and timber floor joists between them to create the first floor, a simple principle but done using huge bits of metal & wood.
Beware if it's a listed building (making changes is a huge problem in England, not sure what it's like over the border).
Also remember the "Save the church roof" campaigns many years ago - if the roof needs fixing expect to bill to be massive.
Stained glass windows look lovely but cost £££ to repair (I was quoted £20k to fix stonework and replace some glass in a circular window and that was about 30 years ago, using cheaper resin repair not as-original stonework)
Methodist chapels are often the simplest to convert as they are a basic shape,
It will be a nightmare trying to keep the original character and the same time as adding insulation, expect heating bills to be massive.

A useful forum for renovation old properties https://www.periodproperty.co.uk/forum/

If you want to move from cool & damp Wales to cold & wet Scotland you can find some real gems being sold off by the church https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/about-us/property-and-church-buildings/properties-for-sale

Post up any links or photos - we're all agog

Thanks for that!
It will be a while yet - house to do up and flog first.
Heating bills will be zero due to my pallet mate
I like Scotland but a bit far to commute and wee kranky put's me off