I am putting a storage loft in a shop/garage 30 wide by 36 feet long. The loft will be 12 feet by 30 feet across one end of the shop. I want work space under this loft so I am looking for a clear span, wall to wall of 30 feet. This beam will have to support a live load floor above it. Should the 2X12 floor joists be sit on top of the beam, or can I use hangers and place on the side of the beam? I will be using 1-1/4 inch plywood flooring on top of the floor joists.

You need to know what the maximum expected loads are going to be to calculate that figure.

I am expecting 40 psf on the loft floor.

I also know this will have to be an engineered beam, plywood on edge?

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have to be an engineered beam

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That would be correct.

Why not consider using TJI joist spanning the 30 feet?

Visit this web site. Under Product Literature click on "TJI 110, 210, 230, 360, and 560 Joist Specifier's Guide ".
http://www.ilevel.com/floors/f_TJI_joists.aspx

Study charts. I have not really studied the charts but it looks like a TJI 360 or 560 on 16" center would meet your needs.

Why 1 1/4" flooring? Are you going to put a 800 lb safe up there to hold all your money?

The supporting beam will go wall to wall across one end of the shop, spanning the 30 ft. The floor joist will go from the beam to the wall at the end of the shop spaning only 12 ft. These joist will be 16 inches on center 2X12's. The reason for the 1-1/4 inch floor is the storage that will be in the loft, car parts, engines transmissions being the heavest. Gouges are to be expected from them. There will be a jib crane that will hoist these parts up and down. The safe with the money will be on the concrete floor under the loft. :)

The question is about this supporting beam that crosses the width of the shop, a full 30ft. I don't want a supporting post, just a clear span. Will the web site mentioned above have such information? I will go look anyway.

thanks for your answers. Bob

Did you ever get the answer to this question? I'm adding a small storage loft in my garage spanning 26' x 6.5' I can't find an answer to the question of what size beam to install stretching that 26' span unsupported.

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Originally Posted by desert_fox11

Did you ever get the answer to this question? I'm adding a small storage loft in my garage spanning 26' x 6.5' I can't find an answer to the question of what size beam to install stretching that 26' span unsupported.

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Hello,

I just read your posts about a 30 span from 2012. I am doing the same and wonder how/if you ever did yours and how it worked out?

Paul