Toilet Room Live Load
Toilet Room Live Load
(OP)
For a public facility, what Live Load do we use for toilet facilities?
This is an existing building alteration to a tavern.
I'm trying to use the existing wood floor joists and I would like to justify a lesser than assembly = 100 PSF live load in this specific area. It's hard to install new "reinforcing" joists without pulling up the existing floor.
The facility is being "architecturally" classified as an A2 Assembly facility.
From IBC Table 1607.1:
4. Assembly area / Fixed seats = 60 PSF <<< Could I justify this?
9. ... restaurant = 100 PSF
Do toilet rooms really need to be designed for 100 PSF?
Please advise... Thank you!
This is an existing building alteration to a tavern.
I'm trying to use the existing wood floor joists and I would like to justify a lesser than assembly = 100 PSF live load in this specific area. It's hard to install new "reinforcing" joists without pulling up the existing floor.
The facility is being "architecturally" classified as an A2 Assembly facility.
From IBC Table 1607.1:
4. Assembly area / Fixed seats = 60 PSF <<< Could I justify this?
9. ... restaurant = 100 PSF
Do toilet rooms really need to be designed for 100 PSF?
Please advise... Thank you!






RE: Toilet Room Live Load
RE: Toilet Room Live Load
RE: Toilet Room Live Load
Sorry....couldn't resist.
RE: Toilet Room Live Load
If I were able to visually verify that plumbers haven't hacked the joists under the toilets, I'd feel comfortable deferring to the commentary mentioned by jdeng. above, table C4-1. There's also other precedent for this. For example, the NYC code (Reference Standard 9) calls for 40 psf for toilet areas.
RE: Toilet Room Live Load
Would also be mindful of what kind of finish they plan to put on the floors which may dictate reinforcing the floor joist regardless of the live load you check against.
Could get behind the rational for 60 psf or even 75 psf for Bowling alleys, poolrooms, and similar recreational areas.
RE: Toilet Room Live Load
RE: Toilet Room Live Load
Juston Fluckey, SE, PE, AWS CWI
Engineering Consultant
RE: Toilet Room Live Load
I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.
RE: Toilet Room Live Load
100PSF is certainly possible, but it would be a very tight fit.
Due to the individual bathroom stalls and sinks, I think it would be tough to reach 100psf. 75PSF sounds very reasonable to me.
RE: Toilet Room Live Load
But look even more closely for dry rot, wet rot, mold, mildew, sewage spills and long-term wet water damage from spills or overflows from the toilets and sinks down around the outside of the toilet and sinks - like from years of mopping and "just let it evaporate" urine and mop water, sewage leaks and plumbing drains from inside the seals out to the wood and underfloor, and sprays or water damage from a below-floor leak. It is likely that you will actually need to replace the floor anyway.
RE: Toilet Room Live Load
If it is a Golden Corral, I think 150 psf may be more appropriate.