wall to wall bench supported by a joist?

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I want to put a 3' deep bench along a 10'6" wall. The problem is that it can't be supported by legs, so I want to run a joist between the end walls.

My plan is to take two small pieces of the the joist timber and screw them to each end wall so that I can use a couple of easy joist hangers to support the actual joist. Is this a sound idea? (I did look for some L shape joist hangers to screw directly into the wall but I could only find S brackets. I do not want to buy S brackets and dig out the mortar between the breeze blocks...)

Last, would a 2 by 6 joist be strong enough to span the 10'6" bearing in mind that the surface will be fairly rigid? The joist timber I can buy is scandinavian redwood.

Also, I cannot have a second joist running underneath the center of the bench since I'll have a bed underneath the bench at floor level.

I'll really appreciate any input on this thanks.
 
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what use are you putting the bench too!!!!

your go to get a fair bit of spring over that span if your hammering at all!!

why not have 1 or 2 legs that can be easily removed to get the bed out !!
 
It's not a workbench so no hammering but it might have to take a fair continuous load. It would be nice if it would take my weight (10 stone) so that I can get to the shelves I intend to put above it.

The reason for not wanting legs isn't ergonomic or aesthetic. This might get me some flak but the floor has a sunken joist caused by the last piece of furniture to occupy this space (it had been stable for a long time and the width of the room is only 6 feet), so on the uneven floor I nailed thin blocks of wood cut to the appropriate thickness for their location every square 6 inches, and then I put a 9mm chipboard deck above the blocks, arriving at an even floor. That was 6 years ago and I haven't looked back since so to speak but I don't want to push my luck.
 
alex79 said:
Is this a sound idea? .....................

OK so far

Also, I cannot have a second joist running underneath the center of the bench since I'll have a bed underneath the bench at floor level.

:eek: :eek: :eek: I hope you aren't going to occupy the bed?????
 
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Short answer yes :) would also be nice if the bench itself could double as an emergency guest bed...
 
Also, I cannot have a second joist running underneath the center of the bench since I'll have a bed underneath the bench at floor level.

not sure i understand this point!!!!

if you have a 6" joist at the front edge what difference would one make half way back as it would give you the same clearence as the front!!!!
 
I can deal with the 6 inches at the front as I roll in or out, but a joist along the middle wouldn't let me sit up. I'll run some 1 or 2 inch battons between the joist and back wall to support the top. Not sure if I can find a 10 foot long surface so the joist and the batton along the back wall will have to support everything.
 
At least arrange it so you can roll the bed out into the open when you need it. Sleeping undet that shelf sounds positively hazardous. :confused:
 
aaaahhh i assumed you where pulling the bed out to kip on it :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
could you not at least pull the pillow end out!!!
how much clearence between matress an the 6"joist!!!

and what are you putting on top!!!
 
It has to be underneath like a bunk bed. if a 6 inch joist is enough, there'll be a 2 feet high gap between the top of the matress and the joist to roll in or out. Whatever joist I use I'll be able to sit up once I'm actually in it. Like I said it would be nice if I could stand on it so that I can get to some shelves above. Do you think is a 2 by 6 strong enough?
 
what use are you putting the bench to!!!!!!


if the only reason its heavily engineered is so you can stand on it why not engineer it for the task in hand and and use a ladder to access the shelves
then you could have the bench folding back against the wall for sleeping
 
A couple of computers, desk work. I want a lot of space, don't want it to be temporary. A ladder to the shelves might be an idea however..
 
ok several new thoughts on this one

your bed needs to be narrower than the top to allow your legs to go underneath

personaly i think a top about 5ft long [this would only overlap the bed by a foot or so] with a leg on the outside corner you could then support it with 4by1" underneath as the supporting edge

you could then sit in a position with a normal chair in the 4ft space and the end off the bed as a second position

this will also free up the space immediatly above the bed appart from the foor or so at the bottom
 
ok, thanks for all the input. Coincidentally I can't use the left wall how I wanted so I'm already trying to figure how to wall mount that corner. I'll start a new thread for this question..
 

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