Weight distribution over carpet (>500 pounds)

[thecoolnessrune]

Feels like forever since I made a thread on AT. Anyways, while I'm sure this will garner a bunch of useless answers, I'm looking for a sprinkle of genuine help with an issue in weight distribution.

I have a Rack in my home for studies and other stuff. The rack currently sits on on a carpeted floor. Over time, the rack has increased in weight to a bit over 600 pounds. I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas to increase weight distribution of the rack over the floor area. A primary reason for this is that as the rack's weight increases, I'm trying to avoid any issues of warping the floor. A side benefit is reduced carpet destruction.

I considered hardwood over the floor, but I'm not sure if that would work in the standard thicknesses without warping or even cracking.

It basically needs to be modular, to be able to be moved into the room. I think ultimately the best route might be to build a sort of modular deck out of 2x12's bolted together, but I wanted to see if anyone else has ideas I may not have thought of.

 

[KillerBee]

useless answer #1 just distribute evenly ...

 

[jaedaliu]

500 pounds shouldn't be that much that it causes floor warping.

It's rather difficult to move the application of the load from 1 area of the floor to another. What you can do, though, is spread it out over a larger area (which is what it sounds like you want to do) Some interlocking rubber floor mats that they have in gyms would work. They're expensive, though. Otherwise, some 3/4" plywood should be strong enough without needing reinforcement ribs if there isn't much deflection possible.

 

[Smoblikat]

Your best friend is surface area. You need to find a large flat piece of material (wood, rubber etc..) and make sure its thick enough to be able to apply load to all of its sides.

 

[cbrunny]

I had similar concern with an aquarium that, when full of water, weighed about 1100 pounds. It lived on my main floor for about a year and a half, mostly because I couldn't move it by myself. It now lives in the basement on concrete floor.

If it's spread across joists, the more joists the better really.

 

[highland145]

while I'm sure this will garner a bunch of useless answers

:\

 

[heymrdj]

I forget, are you on casters? I recommend the appropriate size caster cup mounted to some 3/4 plywood. That would create a firm seat for the rack casters to sit on the plywood (reduce rolling tendency) and spread the weight over the whole surface area of the plywood. If you're not on casters, or your casters lock, you could get away without the cups. As the guy who built a server rack out of plywood and 2x4's, I can tell you plywood is amazing .

 

[thecoolnessrune]

500 pounds shouldn't be that much that it causes floor warping.

It's rather difficult to move the application of the load from 1 area of the floor to another. What you can do, though, is spread it out over a larger area (which is what it sounds like you want to do) Some interlocking rubber floor mats that they have in gyms would work. They're expensive, though. Otherwise, some 3/4" plywood should be strong enough without needing reinforcement ribs if there isn't much deflection possible.

Yep, distribute the weight over a larger area is exactly what I'm trying to do

:\

Didn't mean it as harshly as it may have come across. This is ATOT, and ATOT does a huge amount of trolling. I expected quite a bit of random posts before I received a helpful answer. I don't mind the ribbing at all, and people are welcome to in this thread, it's just those kinds of posts aren't really helping me out

I forget, are you on casters? I recommend the appropriate size caster cup mounted to some 3/4 plywood. That would create a firm seat for the rack casters to sit on the plywood (reduce rolling tendency) and spread the weight over the whole surface area of the plywood. If you're not on casters, or your casters lock, you could get away without the cups. As the guy who built a server rack out of plywood and 2x4's, I can tell you plywood is amazing .

Yeah bro, the rack is on locking casters with stabilizing feet near each caster.

 

[Stopsignhank]

3/4" plywood.

 

[heymrdj]

Yep, distribute the weight over a larger area is exactly what I'm trying to do

Didn't mean it as harshly as it may have come across. This is ATOT, and ATOT does a huge amount of trolling. I expected quite a bit of random posts before I received a helpful answer. I don't mind the ribbing at all, and people are welcome to in this thread, it's just those kinds of posts aren't really helping me out

Yeah bro, the rack is on locking casters with stabilizing feet near each caster.

I'd just put it on a 3/4" sheet. Measure your rack footprint and leave a little room. Local hardware store may give you a deal on a half sheet or less that was ripped.

 

[highland145]

Didn't mean it as harshly as it may have come across. This is ATOT, and ATOT does a huge amount of trolling. I expected quite a bit of random posts before I received a helpful answer. I don't mind the ribbing at all, and people are welcome to in this thread, it's just those kinds of posts aren't really helping me out

It was too early for me to come up with a smart ass response.

+1 for the plywood. Dad had a 5' tall, 800lb safe on 3/4 plywood, no problems.

 

[edro]

Yeah, sounds like 3/4" plywood would help.
I think it would be fine as it is though.

Or buy a 2x12 and cut 2 or 3 smaller boards and put one under each pair of wheels.

 

[heymrdj]

Yeah, sounds like 3/4" plywood would help.
I think it would be fine as it is though.

Or buy a 2x12 and cut 2 or 3 smaller boards and put one under each pair of wheels.

I think the main concern is carpet pile. While the floor itself will hold 600 pounds just fine (that's a bed, with two people, and a full dresser, or a fully loaded washer/dryer combo weight territory), the carpet pile will be destroyed with 4 casters hold that weight in specific spots. Spreading the load will help preserve the carpet.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Treadmill is 270 pounds. With one of us on it, it's not 600 pounds, thankyouverymuch, but 470-500 pounds bouncing up and down isn't insignificant.

3/4" plywood underneath has been adequate - we've moved it and the carpet underneath was fine.

Anyway, if you have 600 pounds of computer equipment, it sounds like it's time to efficiency-ize for other reasons.

 

[ultimatebob]

500 pounds shouldn't be that much that it causes floor warping.

You would be surprised. I have a bookshelf with about 400 pounds of books in it, and it thoroughly warped the Pergo floorboards that it was sitting on over a few years.

 

[Rakehellion]

Just put a plank of wood under it. But 600lbs isn't that much. That's about as heavy as any other piece of furniture.

 

[Humpy]

I have a Rack in my home for studies and other stuff. The rack currently sits on on a carpeted floor. Over time, the rack has increased in weight to a bit over 600 pounds.

Your wife's name is Rack?

 

[NoTine42]

Just fill your pantyhose with calcium chloride and lay that on your roof

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/m/skill-builder/0,,211604,00.html

 

[Meghan54]

Just put a plank of wood under it. But 600lbs isn't that much. That's about as heavy as any other piece of furniture.

Where do you shop for furniture? Bedrock's WeBeConcrete furniture?

I've got a 25.5 cu ft Samsung Dutch door refrig. and it only weighs ~300#. I cannot imagine any "normal" furniture weighing more than a refrigerator.

 

[rsbennett00]

Where do you shop for furniture? Bedrock's WeBeConcrete furniture?

I've got a 25.5 cu ft Samsung Dutch door refrig. and it only weighs ~300#. I cannot imagine any "normal" furniture weighing more than a refrigerator.

Isn't a fridge mostly air and foam?

 

[Red Squirrel]

I'd put it on plywood. You can even paint/varnish the sheet to make it look decent. This should also minimise the "holes" it will do in the carpet.

Though to make you feel better, this is about 1,000 lbs:



Was a bit nervous about it mind you, I had stacked them there temporarily as it was faster when going in and out with door wide open in middle of a blizzard, without realizing just how much weight I moved. Ended up moving them all in the basement.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

...while I'm sure this will garner a bunch of useless answers...

Every one so far.

Putting it on 3/4" plywood will do almost nothing.

Though I doubt you need to do anything, you could make a platform by reinforcing the plywood with 2"x4"s or 2"x6"s and set the reinforcement to run perpendicular to the floor joists. This would indeed spread the weight over the entire 4'x8' area. You could make it nice by carpeting the platform.

1 sheet 4'x8'x3/4" plywood
5 2"x4"x8' lumber
1 piece of 5'x10' carpet (remnant or edge-bound carpet scrap rug)
Nails, screws, and glue
Under $100

You can increase or decrease the basic size and shape of this project accordingly. Most home stores will cut your materials to size within reason. You would need three inches cut off the ends of 4 or the 2"x4"s and one cut in half.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

You would be surprised. I have a bookshelf with about 400 pounds of books in it, and it thoroughly warped the Pergo floorboards that it was sitting on over a few years.

Because Pergo is foam. He's essentially talking about warping 2x8 floor joists.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Your floor isn't going to warp, but it may leave impressions in the carpet. I imagine lots of furniture approaches that weight without permanently damaging the carpeting.

But you can use pretty much any type of rigid sheet to distribute the weight. Personally, I'd go with as thick of a sheet of MDF as you can find - probably 3/4". Plywood can splinter and is much more susceptible to warping, so may not stay flat. Your rack is what, something like 2ft x 4ft max? I don't see the need to make your platform modular. A 2'x4' sheet of just about anything should be easily moved by one person.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

Your floor isn't going to warp, but it may leave impressions in the carpet. I imagine lots of furniture approaches that weight without permanently damaging the carpeting.

But you can use pretty much any type of rigid sheet to distribute the weight. Personally, I'd go with as thick of a sheet of MDF as you can find - probably 3/4". Plywood can splinter and is much more susceptible to warping, so may not stay flat. Your rack is what, something like 2ft x 4ft max? I don't see the need to make your platform modular. A 2'x4' sheet of just about anything should be easily moved by one person.

lol