Load on a balcony in a monolithic house • pkvitrina.ru

Today in our article we will talk about what indicators such a part of the home should have and what methods it can be calculated.

What does the law say?

So, first of all, it is worth noting that any type of work in construction is done strictly based on legal norms. Such requirements are enshrined in codes, laws, GOSTs, as well as SNIPAs. A separate SNIP paid attention to calculations of loads for buildings and structures back in 1987. In accordance with the requirements of this document, for calculations it is worth taking into account standard values - full, as well as reduced.

If we take into account the initial construction of the house along with the balcony, then the maximum permissible load on the extreme line of the balcony is 400 kg/m², and on the edge - 320 kg/m². The uniform distribution of the load throughout the balcony, according to the standards, is 200 kg/m².

But each house may have its own indicators. Many citizens would like to independently expand their living space and therefore are often interested in how to calculate the load on the balcony in this case. In this case, it is especially important to pay attention to indicators such as:

Age of construction;
The quality of construction work performed during the construction of a house.

According to standard rules, balcony slabs can withstand a load weighing 200 kg/sq.m. However, the legally established load indicator is 112 kg/sq.m. A standard balcony slab with dimensions of 0.8 by 3.2 meters is designed to withstand a weight limit of 286 kg. The open type of balcony structures, which have been in use for more than forty years, have lost their strength by seventy percent. Therefore, it is better not to overload such balconies to prevent them from collapsing.

But, despite this, our citizens are forced to escape the cold. Many companies help to glaze a balcony in Dolgoprudny (https://okna-kom.ru/dolgoprudnyi/osteklenie-balkonov-i-lodzhyi.html) and other areas at affordable prices, but not all of them do this in accordance with building regulations. But such a transformation of the balcony is also an additional burden for it.

For a clear example, let’s take the weight indicators for glazing and external finishing of a balcony of 1 linear meter, a plastic stained glass window, the height of which is 1.5 m with a double-glazed window - 55 kg. One meter of siding with finishing will be 5 kg, plastic finishing will be about 5 kg. The total load on the fence will be 65 kg. The standard should be 50kg. Fifteen kilograms end up being extra.

Therefore, you should first make an inspection and correctly calculate the load on such a section of the room. For those balconies that can withstand only 300 kg of weight, glazing is quite dangerous. In other cases, it is better to use lighter materials, such as siding, sandwich panels, and so on.

Operating rules

According to established rules, storing heavy objects or debris on the balcony is not allowed. Unauthorized construction of the space between balconies is also prohibited. To prevent leaks or freezing in the duct, high-quality sealing and insulation must be performed. This can be done using foam rubber, felt or tow. To maintain sufficient temperature and humidity, the openings should be equipped with special polyurethane foam gaskets, which will need to be replaced after at least 5 years.

What do you need to know about the operation of balconies?

]]> ]]> Today we will talk about how to properly operate balconies and what the permissible load on a balcony should be.

According to Gosstroy Resolution No. 170 “On approval of the rules and standards for the technical operation of the housing stock,” littering, pollution, improper use, as well as placing bulky and heavy things on balconies and loggias, unauthorized installation of balconies, loggias, and building up the space between balconies is not allowed. .

In the event of an emergency condition of balconies and loggias, it is necessary to close and seal the entrances to them, carry out security work and take measures to restore them.

To prevent leaks and freezing in places where walls meet and fill window (balcony) openings, the perimeter of window (balcony) frames must be sealed and insulated (felt, tow, foam rubber, etc.) with a compression of 30 - 50%. In order to save fuel and improve the temperature and humidity conditions of the premises, window (balcony) openings should be equipped with sealing gaskets, preferably made of polyurethane foam (foam rubber), which must be replaced at least once every 5 years.

Appearance

Everything that serves as decoration: various fences, water drains, and flower boxes should be periodically updated. They should be painted with paints that are resistant to weather conditions. The paint color must be selected so that it matches the shade of the facade. The shape, as well as the location of the florist, must correspond to the legalized architectural design of the building. They must be installed on special pallets, maintaining a gap from the wall of approximately 0.5 m.

In some apartment buildings, loggias have an external staircase, which connects the balconies in stages and is an emergency loophole.

Doors leading to these stairs must not contain any latches on the outside. Loggias through which evacuation will take place should not be glazed.

Construction portal No. 1

Question. Hello!
Please tell me how a balcony without supports (cantilever) should look structurally? The house is two storey, brick. Wall: facing ceramic hollow brick plus ceramic block PAROMAX – 250. Monolithic reinforced belt, ceiling – hollow reinforced concrete slabs. The balcony must be attached to two adjacent walls, reach 1.2 m, length 2.5 m. The balcony will be open. The perimeter of the balcony slab will be faced with brick flush with the facade. How to properly install (secure) the consoles, install the fittings in order to avoid a cold bridge and so that it is on the same level with the floor slabs? Thank you. Oleg.

Answer.

Structural load

How can you find out how much weight a loggia can withstand in different houses? Any building during construction has special calculations. These documents indicate how much the structure can be loaded and how many people can be on it. There are certain indicators by which you can make calculations and find out the required standards.

A separate SNIP has all the calculations of loads on certain structures. When calculating, it is necessary to take into account the full and reduced values of the requirements.

Taking into account the initial construction of the entire house, you can find out what the permissible load on the balcony will be:

Balcony view	Permissible load
Suspended, mounted on consoles	1170 kg
Attached, having the slab reinforced on the sides with pylons	1776 kg
Loggias that do not protrude beyond the outline of the building	1776 kg

Calculations

If citizens independently expand their living space, then another question arises: what can be the maximum load on the balcony? In this case, it is worth paying attention to the year the house was built, as well as the quality of construction.

According to standard rules, the maximum load on a balcony slab can be 220 kg/km2. But, another indicator is established by law - 112 kg/m2.

The slab, which has a size of 0.8 x 3.2 m, is designed for 286 kilos. It is important to consider the number of years it has been used. After all, if it is already more than 40 years old, then its strength is lost by about 70%. Such structures should not be overloaded to prevent them from collapsing.

Glazing is an additional load on the balcony

Lately, to escape the cold winters, many residents have glazed their balconies, and this is also an additional burden. To make calculations, it is important to know the following indicators:

The weight of the exterior finishing of the balcony is per 1 p/m.
Stained glass window made of plastic, 1.5 m high and double glazing, weighing 55 kg.
Siding with finishing elements per 1 m2 - 5 kg.
Plastic trim – 5 kg.

Taking these indicators into account, the final load is 65 kilos, while the standard load is 50 kilos. It turns out that 15 kilos are extra. Therefore, before making calculations, it is necessary to carry out a preliminary inspection of the balcony. Light materials should be used for finishing: sandwich panels or siding.

On loggias, which themselves are heavy, glazing is extremely dangerous.

What weight can a balcony withstand in a monolithic house?

There are fundamental differences between balconies and loggias that affect their functionality.
The fact is that the base of the balcony is usually a reinforced concrete slab protruding beyond the facade, which has strict restrictions on the permissible load. For example, balcony slabs in Khrushchev-era buildings are initially designed for a load of no more than 100 kg per linear meter of parapet. But due to the effects of moisture and temperature changes, the strength of the slabs decreases every year. In particular, research specialists have established that over 40 years of open operation, the cross-section of the reinforcement due to corrosion is reduced by four times, and the actual permissible load limit is reduced by half - to 50 kg per linear meter. The situation is even worse with balconies in “Stalin” buildings built in the 1930s-60s. – steel or reinforced concrete beams were used there, the service life of which is already coming to an end. So, in houses older than 40-50 years, it is not recommended to overload balconies with either additional heavy structures or massive furniture. Unfortunately, cases of collapse of dilapidated balcony slabs occur quite regularly. For example, in 2012 in Kharkov, a balcony in a Khrushchev building collapsed during glazing work.

Just call one of the many companies that will fulfill your every whim for your money. The only problem is that the wishes of apartment owners can sometimes run counter to the rules of operation of the housing stock and even the laws of physics.

The balconies of many old houses can only withstand fairly lightweight structures with single or double-glazed windows. At the same time, moving the welded structure beyond the parapet, which many clients insist on, seriously increases the load on the slab. Balcony glazing should be light enough so as not to overload the balcony slab. Typically, in such cases, translucent structures based on PVC balcony systems are used (with standard glass 4-6 mm thick).

-glazing with sealed balcony systems will protect the balcony slab from moisture, which means it will extend the life of its safe operation

I hope our article will draw your attention to such an important component of the safety of hanging balconies as the permissible load of 210 kg/m2 over the entire area (normative).

On the afternoon of August 31, 44-year-old Svetlana went out onto the balcony to take off her underwear. The 3-year-old daughter tagged along with her mother, but the woman drove the restless child away from her: “Don’t come here, there’s a draft.” She sent the child and stepped onto the balcony. The woman tells everything else from her husband’s words, because she herself doesn’t remember anything: the balcony, the flight, the slippers.

“When my husband dug me out and brought me to my senses, the first thing I asked was where were my slippers,” Svetlana smiles sadly. “Then he called an ambulance.” There are bruises all over the body, and here,” the woman shows her right arm in a cast, “a fracture.” My husband and I still can’t believe that we got off so easily. What if my daughter was with me?

This is the reality of our region. The cheerful balcony fell. Please note that the remaining reinforcement in the torn slab clearly shows that this is not a frame capable of supporting 2500 kg

The construction of any building is not complete without special calculations. Determining the load that will fall on the structure due to the presence of a large number of people, furniture and various objects on its territory is also an important factor. The same applies to balconies, where many of our citizens love to spend time in the summer. Today in our article we will talk about what indicators such a part of the home should have and what methods it can be calculated.

What does the law say?

Posted on

Aug 24, 2013
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Permissible loads

To perform accurate calculations, it is necessary to build on existing indicators. You can find out how much weight a kilogram of finishing or insulation can hold on a balcony if, for order, we take the load-bearing capacity of the loggia - 1770 kg. Distribute the weight loads over several points:

on average, three people weighing 80 kg is 240 kg;
various devices and items – 175 kg;
load of rainwater or snow – 200 kg.

It turns out that the unglazed balcony receives a load - 615 kilos in our case. Taking into account the indicator before glazing, the mass is 922.5 kilos. This means that 847.5 kilos are needed for all materials to complete the finishing. For details on how to properly decorate a balcony, watch this video:

Materials and their weight

Now you need to find out what weight a balcony in a panel house will withstand after glazing. To do this, you need to calculate the weight of the materials: PVC blocks together with double-glazed windows - 80 kg x 6 = 480 kg. There remains a reserve of 367 kg. But, in any case, leave 100 kg in reserve. 267 kg are needed for cladding materials.

Before placing any objects on the balcony and planning the functionality of the room, you should accurately calculate the required load that it will withstand.

Balcony load

Samar wrote: Well, you interpret SNiP coolly.

I just worked with them, I know how much reserve is included in each formula.

Samar wrote: will increase the load on the slab by 30%

But you are in vain. Removing the glazing will only produce a bending moment on the fence; it will not change the load on the slab.

Samar wrote: I would not load the stove with more than 1 ton.

You should visit a construction site during the construction of masonry, see how 3-4 pallets of bricks (1.5 tons each) and a couple of buckets of mortar (at least a ton) are placed on the floors - you would have more confidence in the slabs

Other. Architecture and construction

Please tell me: will such a balcony withstand such insulation, and if so, what additional load can be installed on it so as not to fear for your own and others’ health?
Thanks in advance for any answer! I can't find the project. “individual project” could you please clarify if 0.8m is from the free side or from the wall of the building? and why is there such a big difference in the two calculation options? as far as I know (according to the words of a person who observed the construction of the building), in each connection with the balcony slab there are 4 rods for the entire length with a diameter of about 40 mm. does this affect anything?

Message from roman111 : You can install the sofa. Screeds are heavy and walls (partitions) cannot be used. Don't gather more than three)

not encouraging. =) but what about the safety margin of 1.5-2? and does the 1-end docked to a monolithic wall really mean nothing?

Message from mainevent100 : 240 kg/m2, i.e. in total about 4m2*240=960 kg or 480 kg/m2 on a 0.8 m strip along the fence, this is about (2.1+1.1+0.6)*0.8*480=1460 kg (if we count exactly, a little less than 1200 kg).

still please explain 960 or 1200? Why is there such a difference between different calculations for the same balcony?

Message from Nikita125 : still, please explain 960 or 1200?

Both conditions are checked and the worst case is accepted in the project. This is if they considered it as expected

—— added after 42 sec. ——

Message from Nikita125 : where can I get data on slab reinforcement if the house is an individual project, or the exact load-bearing capacity?

At the project customer or in the design organization

Message from Nikolay G .: Both conditions are checked, the worst is accepted in the project. This is if they considered it as expected

—— added after 42 sec. ——

At the project customer or in the design organization

Thank you. In general, violets until I find the project.

Message from Nikita125 : Is 0.8m from the free side or from the wall of the building?

Message from Nikita125 : what about the safety margin of 1.5-2?

the margin may even be greater than 2, but there is no certainty about this; you need to know the actual reinforcement.

Message from Nikita125 : in each connection with the balcony slab there are 4 rods for the entire length with a diameter of about 40mm

4 rods - plausible; diameter about 40 mm - some kind of fantasy)))

These are loads that theoretically should have been taken into account by the designer. No one knows what he thought in reality. In this regard, the drawings of a specific slab are interesting, and not some kind of bureaucratic waste paper.

—— added after 33 sec. —— ugh damn it all is described in letters in the 2nd post.

Message from Poreth : These are loads that theoretically should have been included in the calculation by the designer. No one knows what he thought in reality. In this regard, the drawings of a specific slab are interesting, and not some kind of bureaucratic waste paper.

—— added after 33 sec. —— ugh damn it all is described in letters in the 2nd post.

please explain to me the difference between points a and b. in 1 case my balcony will carry 1200 kg and in the second 800. 400kg is a big difference! which point to focus on.

In theory

the designer had to count on the worst case scenario.

—— added after 45 sec. —— That is looking at one option. The second one is looking. According to which more reinforcement is needed, it is oriented. In theory.

2 minutes. —— didn’t you go to the management company? Can't find who designed it?

Message from Nikita125 : I invited window workers, they propose to build a second contour parapet from aerated concrete 10 cm high 125 cm (35 blocks = 350 kg) on which a double-chamber double-glazed window with a height of 150 cm will be installed

Well, I wouldn’t install a window on 100mm aerated concrete; it might fly away in a good wind. In your case, I would try to make a new metal fence and attach it to the monolithic walls, especially since they are next to you. And now put a window on the fence. Then the insulation is all a matter of frame technology. The floor is also made of plywood (etc.) on joists with insulation, naturally. Although most likely (but not definitely) the reinforcement of your balcony is sufficient for a brick parapet + screed, but this needs to be checked.

Message from Poreth : didn’t you go to the management company? Can't find who designed it?

walked. I stated the answer in the first post. I found architects. Manager I wrote to them, they ignore me.

Message from mainevent100 : The balcony must be designed for temporary load from the weight of people: 240 kg/m2

I'm sorry, I re-read the topic and didn't quite understand why 240? In snip it’s like 200

Maximum load on a balcony slab: how much can a balcony in a panel house withstand?

Almost every apartment has a balcony or loggia. The difference between a balcony and a loggia is that the slab on which the entire structure rests protrudes above the facade of the house, while the loggia is a kind of niche, i.e. does not go beyond its limits. The structural feature of the balcony is such that three of the four sides of the monolithic slab are not supported, and this poses a potential risk of collapse due to increased pressure. This fact should make the owners think about what the maximum load on the balcony slab is. There are many situations where considering the load weight limit is important. Moreover, violation of SNiP may result in an administrative fine.

Construction portal No. 1

How do you know if a balcony can withstand new cladding?

Why is it important to know what load a concrete slab can withstand? First of all, for reasons of safety of yourself and others. There is always an example where a collapsed balcony slab caused a human tragedy and caused great material damage by falling on someone’s car or underlying infrastructure.

Even relatively new houses, built 10-20 years ago, have load restrictions, even if the builders used reinforcement for the balcony slab. And what can we say about Khrushchev, over 60 years old? Many old houses have an emergency status, this implies a constant danger of an accident when the balcony slab may not even withstand its own weight. Under such circumstances, calculating the balcony slab is pointless.

Strengthening the balcony

If the loggia is in disrepair, you can do without replacing the balcony slab; you can strengthen it. You can do this yourself, and there are several options:

Use of supports. Suitable for lower floors. At the outer corners of the slab, stands are placed that rest against the ground. Typically, this option makes it possible to increase the size of the loggia. Requires a reliable foundation for supports. The downside is that the foundation can sag, so it must be strong enough.
Bottom cuts. Metal brackets are attached under the slab, resting against the walls. If you add additional channel lining and reinforcement to the slab, you can increase its size.
Upper cuts. A groove is made along the perimeter of the slab, the slopes are welded to the reinforcement and attached to the wall. To seal the grooves, frost-resistant concrete must be used.

If the slab is still strong, you can get by with making piping around the perimeter and additional reinforcement. A steel angle or channel is used for strapping.

Carrying out such work does not simply restore the structure. Thanks to the increased load capacity, the balcony can be turned into a full-fledged room. And the range of finishing materials is expanding significantly - it’s no longer so important what their weight is.

You need to understand that repairing a loggia is much more important than repairing any other living room. Making any changes requires engineering precision - the cost of error can be enormous. This is the very case when it is very useful to remember the rule - “Measure seven times - cut once.” Better yet, consult a specialist. It’s simply impossible to do otherwise.

Main technical parameters of balcony slabs

The maximum permissible load on a balcony is specified by SNiP 2.01.07-85 with the calculation of kilograms per square meter. So, for a panel/brick house in normal operating condition, the maximum load is 200 kg/m2. Therefore, to calculate how much weight balconies in a panel house can withstand, it is not difficult, knowing the standard dimensions. Taking a slab of 1.2 x 3 meters as a sample and calculating its area, we find out the permissible load; for us it is 720 kg. In total, in an average panel house, balcony slabs can withstand about 0.72 tons.

But this does not mean that you can immediately place heavy furniture and household appliances there with a total weight of more than 700 kg. It is important to consider other parameters:

degree of wear (age) of the structure;
presence/absence of glazing;
weight of sheathing, insulation;
apartment layout, balcony location (corner/facade);
weight of possible precipitation (snow, rainwater).

The maximum load on the balcony, taking into account the weight of all structures (they include windows, transoms, wooden / plastic trim, used individually by the owners for insulation and finishing) can be reduced by 100-150 kg. It is also important to provide for the possibility of precipitation in winter in the form of snow, which can weigh up to 200 kg. In total, it becomes even easier to determine how much furniture/equipment can be stored and how much weight the balcony can support. We subtract the weight of windows, sliding window structures, cladding, precipitation from the resulting 720 kg, and we get 370 kg.

Don’t forget to take into account that people will periodically enter the balcony, so take the weight of three more people up to 80 kg, this will further reduce the load by 240 kg. In total, we have 130 kg left for storing personal belongings, equipment, furniture, plants, and various materials. And this is if we take a new panel house as a standard. For Khrushchev buildings, the maximum possible load can be up to 50-80% less than what we calculated for the panel one, i.e. 360-576 kg. Considering the emergency condition and dilapidated balcony slabs, it is easy to understand: some balconies are not only unsuitable for storing things, but are simply dangerous. You cannot stand on them or go to the edge of the slab, because... There is always the possibility of collapse. Remember, the load along the edge of the balcony will always be slightly higher according to the law of physics. Moreover, the thickness of a balcony slab in a Khrushchev-era building may be less than that of a panel slab.

Important! The load on the loggia is not calculated as for the balcony, due to structural differences. Since the loggia is, in fact, part of the main floor slab of the house structure, the same SNiP standards apply there.

DIY balcony repair

Urgent repair needed

First, you need to decide on the nature of the work: major repairs or cosmetic repairs - for this, a structural inspection is carried out and an assessment of the damage is given. It is better to turn to specialists, since independent actions can only aggravate the situation, and incorrect calculation of loads and installation can cause complete collapse of the structure.

Restoring an emergency balcony

Signs of an emergency condition are:

Destruction of concrete pavement.
Exposure of reinforcement or its partial destruction.
Significant corrosion of cornice and fencing.
The fence is loose and in danger of collapsing.

Important: Destruction of a balcony can occur not only from time to time; this is often caused by poor-quality materials used in construction, improper waterproofing and too much load.

At whose expense are the repairs carried out?

When the structure is in disrepair, in order to prevent the balcony from collapsing, urgent repairs are required, which are carried out at the expense of the housing office if damage is found on the underside of the slab or, worse, through. It is necessary to conduct an examination and obtain a conclusion about the emergency condition, take photos of the damage, and send documents to the appropriate services.

If the management company (MC) is delaying the repair, then you can carry it out yourself, and recover all costs from the management company upon completion of the work through the court, but for this you need to provide an estimate, all receipts and invoices indicating the costs. In other cases, repairs are carried out at the expense of the apartment owner.

Repair of emergency balconies should be carried out by qualified specialists with the necessary equipment

Where to start renovating a balcony?

Sometimes it is enough to change the screed on the base slab and install a new fence, but in case of extensive damage, it is impossible to do without strengthening the balconies. Let's consider the process of repairing a balcony using reinforcement.

First of all, you need to determine how much weight the balcony can support. The maximum load is about 1.77 tons (includes the weight of six people of 85 kg each, 175 kg of household utensils, the estimated weight of snow or storm water of 200 kg). The load capacity is multiplied by two, since the minimum safety factor for a balcony is double. If the balcony is glazed, then the weight of precipitation can be neglected and the load factor taken as 1.5. Thus, the load for a closed balcony is 1027.5 kg: (85x6+175)x1.5. The difference between the permissible load and the resulting one will be 742.5 kg; this is the figure that should be used when choosing materials for insulation and finishing.

Restoration begins with cleaning the base slab from crumbling concrete and exposed reinforcement from corrosion. The old metal fence is first dismantled. The concrete is removed using an angle grinder and a wire brush. Rust is carefully removed from the fittings.

Types of balconies and methods of their fastening

Many residents of apartment buildings do not know the difference between a balcony and a loggia. In fact, these two types of additional premises have one main difference.

A balcony (from the word beam) is a separate structure outside the house, fenced with a parapet, sometimes glazed. The width of these structures according to SNIP cannot exceed 1.5 meters.

The loggia is fenced on both sides by the walls of the house itself; under your feet there is not a separate reinforced beam, but part of a common floor slab. This structure is much stronger than others; its collapse is impossible, since it is part of the ceiling. But, nevertheless, the load on the loggia also has maximum permissible limits.

One more type of balconies can be distinguished - an attached one, when the support for the structure is provided by racks. These columns rest on a solid foundation, so they hold the slab securely.

About the insulation of loggias. Part 1 about expediency

Good afternoon He promised to cover in one thread the issue of insulating a loggia in a monolithic house. But this post, I hope, can be useful not only to owners of apartments in monolithic buildings, but also panel and brick ones. Preface is over, let's go!

So first, let's decide on our desires! How would you like to use the space? Another warehouse of useless things may not even require investment. And an additional room (if technically possible) can be very useful, but costly. The most popular solutions:

1) An uninsulated, unglazed room, ideal for breathing fresh air, especially if you have above-zero temperatures for at least ten months of the year, the most common implementation is in the form of a balcony with a decorative parapet, especially in warm countries.

2) An uninsulated glazed room - the purpose of the glazing is to protect it from wind and dust, as well as from cigarette butts and debris flying from the upper floors of assholes, and guests, at least in the form of birds. It's better suited for storing trash because it won't rain and the cigarette butt won't set it on fire. Sometimes the decision is due to insufficient supporting structure of the parapet.

4) Insulated glazed not attached to the room - the basis option for creating a new living space, or vegetable storage if the entrance is from the kitchen. It can also be used for hanging out and relaxing (perhaps except for the coldest months of the year). The decision is somewhat controversial in terms of feasibility, because without heating, the room will most likely get cold while it is not being used (while the balcony door is closed), because... The walls of houses, especially insulated on the balcony side, give off an insufficient amount of heat to warm up this room. Let me remind you that according to building codes, moving the radiator of a centralized heating system onto a loggia or balcony is a mortal sin!

If points 1 and 2 suit your wishes, then these are the most simple and low-budget alterations, most likely you don’t need to read further. If your point is No. 3, perhaps you should think about changing your home to a government institution, where they will also provide food.

But the temptation of options 4 and 5 can be broken by technical difficulties and costs, when the game is not worth the candle, or by the budget of the event, because partial implementation will not provide the expected functionality.

Now let’s decide on the feasibility of the measures and answer the question of what can be done in this area. To do this, we will answer the following questions:

1) What is the area of the room? those. Is it even worth bothering with, for example, two square meters, how much will it cost and what will be the cost of implementing your ideas?

2) This is a loggia or balcony - without going deeply into details, there are two fundamental nuances - 1) the type of enclosing structures (can be from floor to ceiling, or a parapet, roughly speaking, just above the waist) 2) The load-bearing capacity of the structure. If you have a protruding piece of slab surrounded by a small parapet on all sides, this is a balcony; on both sides, this is also a balcony. But if you have walls from floor to ceiling on the left and right, and in front of you there is a parapet, this is probably a loggia. In such cases, usually the permissible load on the slab can be higher, which means better operational capabilities.

Since this post is about a monolith, then most likely there will be a loggia even if there is a parapet on both sides.

3) What is the shape of the room? If the room is rectangular, then there should be the least amount of problems with its decoration. If it is round or triangular, then prepare in advance for some difficulties and nuances, starting with window structures and ending with the inability to use some corners of the room. Also, if there are load-bearing columns (which is not uncommon for a monolith), they will reduce the functionality of the room and complicate the finishing.

4) What enclosing structures are used? For example, if the developer uses a single glazing contour on the entire facade of the building, the feasibility of the alteration looks very doubtful, because most likely, this cold glazing and insulation looks hopeless. If there is a parapet made of brick, this can greatly simplify the process; if it is made of blocks, then the question is their load-bearing capacity. If the parapet is made of metal, then it is of little use for insulation.

which varnish for lining on the balcony is better?

5) What budget are you willing to allocate for the implementation of your ideas? A partial solution is unlikely and impractical.

The result of this simple economic and technical examination should be a decision made on the feasibility of the decision-making process, I recommend being guided by the following points: evaluate (measure) the usable area that you plan to get after the alterations (considering that at a minimum you will need insulation and finishing from 5 to 10 cm with each sides, except for the wall adjacent to the room), if after insulation and finishing the width of the room is less than a meter, additionally think about the ease of use of the room and its functionality. Next, multiply the resulting square meters of space (I strongly recommend not counting those occupied by cabinets!) by the market value of a square meter of housing in your home. Well, to make a decision, compare the amount received with the budget for work, it is desirable that the budget be at least 2 times less. I did this twice, and I don’t remember the exact numbers, but I’ll give you a rough estimate of the area of one room before the alteration: 6.25 m X 1.7 m 10.62 km.m. after the alteration 1.6 X (6-0.8*) = 8.32 * 40 thousand rubles = 333 thousand rubles The budget was approximately 40 thousand rubles for window structures and about the same for insulation and all the finishing, which I did myself . As a result, the budget to the estimated cost is 4 times.

The second room was 1.22 * 6.25 = 7.62 before the renovation and 1.1 * 5.9 = 6.5 sq. m. 260 thousand rubles, the budget was approximately the same as in the first case, the finishing was also done on our own. Total budget to cost 3.25 times

So the first step I recommend to everyone is to decide on the feasibility and budget. The second step will be to consider technical solutions, their importance and cost. (But since the post has already turned out to be long, I’ll do it in the second part, hopefully today). If anyone is very curious, I’ll try to post a photo in the comments, but who needs that?

Methods of their fastening

To securely secure a balcony slab in the walls of a panel house, several methods are used:

Groove fastening is common in Khrushchev buildings. In these houses, the slab extends into the wall only 22.6 cm, and minimal loads are allowed on it. Such a balcony cannot be combined with a room, and any repairs or reconstruction must be agreed upon with specialists.
End fastening prevails in panel houses, when the slab is placed 30 cm inside the wall, which makes it quite strong. Such a balcony can be combined with a room without strengthening it. In this case, it is forbidden to touch the load-bearing wall.

All standards for permissible load on balconies and loggias in a particular house can be found in the technical passport for this object.

WHY DOESN'T THIS FALL?

The balcony slab is a one-piece cantilever structure. It is clamped into the load-bearing wall of the building, thereby resting on only one base, and not on 2, 3 or 4 supports. Finding itself sandwiched between the elements of the building, the slab is tightly pressed, which, however, does not negate the presence of the maximum permissible load.

balcony above the porch in a frame house

According to SNiP, the value of the standard strip load on a balcony (taking into account the payload) is about 400 kgf/m², taking into account the weight of the slab itself. Balcony slab with dimensions 3190×1240×150 mm. and a total weight of 1100 kg. (BP 32-6 plate) can withstand up to 300 kg. load per square meter.

Load on the loggia and balcony

Recently, balconies have begun to be considered a common area of the building, which means that in the case of redevelopment or major repairs, the approval of BTI employees is required. They will help you correctly calculate the load on the balcony slab depending on its technical characteristics, the age of the house, and the type of repair.

It is necessary to know how much weight a balcony can support in the following cases:

installation of new glazing, especially for the first time;
repair with further wall covering;
organizing space for storing household equipment, arranging a storage room;
organization of a greenhouse.

Particular attention should be paid to the characteristics of the balcony slab when combining it with a living room. In this case, the load will increase, and some pieces of furniture will take up additional space. The approval of such projects must be carried out in the BTI for your own safety.

Methods for attaching a balcony to a house

Depending on the design of the house, there are several options for attaching balcony slabs:

End fastening. Used in panel houses. The slab extends 300 mm inside the wall. This provides it with sufficient strength. In the case of combining a loggia with a living room, you cannot touch the common wall - if it is removed, the slab will collapse over time.
Groove fastening. Balconies in Khrushchev buildings are attached to the groove. The size of the slab's entry into the wall is 226 mm. This is the minimum acceptable value. Therefore, combining a balcony with a living room in a Khrushchev building is out of the question. Even simple repairs should be started after consultation with specialists, because... These slabs can withstand light loads.
Into the massive wall. Used in a brick house. Due to the specific nature of the brickwork, the slab expands towards the base and narrows towards the edge. By the way, this design creates additional support on the wall, so slabs in brick houses sag less and withstand greater loads compared to panel ones.

How to calculate the load on a balcony slab

According to SNIP 2.01.07-85 “Loads and Impacts”, the maximum norm per 1 square meter of an external slab in a panel house is 200 kg, for loggias this figure is twice as much - 400 kg. The permissible load on a balcony with parameters of 1.2 * 3.0 m for a standard panel house will be 720 kg.

This value also takes into account the weight of the trim, transoms, and glass that are already installed on the balcony. It can reach up to 100-150 kg, therefore, 580-630 kg remains for other types of load. If we subtract from these indicators the weight of possible precipitation during rain and especially snowfall (about 200 kg), 380-430 kg will remain.

The maximum load on the balcony is 200 kg/m2

When arranging a place to store things or relax, the weight of people who can be on the balcony at the same time is also taken into account. Three adults weighing 75-85 kg on average will weigh 240 kg, then 140-190 kg will remain for upholstery and furniture. These calculations are relevant for new panel houses; if the house is more than 20-30 years old, then the permitted load will decrease by another 50-80%.

Now the law provides for a maximum load per square meter of a balcony slab of 112 kg. And this will reduce the figures by several tens of kilograms.

Strengthening the balcony slab in Khrushchev

Depending on the type of building and the scale of the problem, there are several ways to strengthen a balcony slab:

If the reinforcement of a partially destroyed balcony slab from below is damaged no more than 10%, then it can be treated with a special compound - concrete contact.
For concrete walls, a suitable option is to strengthen the balcony slab, when an additional slab is attached end-to-end to the bottom one. Elements of steel reinforcement must be connected to each other by welding.
The balcony can be strengthened with diagonal elements - jibs. This type of work can only be performed by a specialist.
Strengthening the balcony and its slab can be done by replacing the parapet and railings with more durable structures.

Strengthening the balcony slab is carried out using the following technology

The service life of a balcony slab in Khrushchev during construction was set at 15-25 years, and now almost all balconies require reinforcement. Procedure:

Dismantling all old balcony elements
The floor is cleared of debris.
The next stage is dismantling the cement screed.

You can use a hammer drill, but you need to dismantle it carefully so as not to transmit vibration to the stove. Thus, about 200 kg of weight is released. If there are gaps on the balcony at the junction between the canvas and the wall, then after cleaning they can be sealed with roofing felt, having previously been coated with liquid bitumen. Additionally, this place needs to be reinforced with a metal corner mounted on an anchor. If the railing is rusted at the base, then it definitely needs to be replaced. The end part of the canvas is leveled, then the 63rd corner is laid on a special compound along the entire perimeter and scalded. Special braces are installed on both sides, which partially redistribute the load from the balcony slab to the load-bearing wall.

A metal structure made of a profile pipe under a metal-plastic frame and roof is attached to a solid base.

This algorithm of action is suitable for strengthening all types of balcony structures, with the exception of the French-type balcony (those small balconies with a small projection, or without, and a forged fence). The structure of such a building element differs from the usual balcony. The purpose of these extensions is completely different, namely:

the possibility of using panoramic windows with a full opening function for ventilation,
organizing space for flowers,
admiring the beautiful view.

Repairing a balcony requires knowledge of all the nuances of the technical structure of the structure, correct calculation of the permissible load and compliance with safety precautions (since the work is carried out at height). Therefore, it is better to delegate these works to specialized companies that will invite experienced specialists and, if necessary, bring in special equipment.

What determines the permissible weight for a balcony?

In addition to SNIP data and the calculations obtained, the load on the balcony slab will depend on many factors. This should also be taken into account when drawing up a plan for repair work or glazing:

age of the house and structures (for example, for a house 40 years old, the safety margin is reduced by 70%);
degree of wear of slabs, reinforced concrete structures, beams;
the weight of possible precipitation (especially for the top floors);
apartment layout, balcony location (corner, in the center);
the number of people simultaneously operating the structure.

The listed factors have a great influence on how much weight the balconies can withstand and what the maximum permissible load on this structure will be.

Balcony slab

Rules No. 1: general provisions

Despite the fact that the dimensions of the balcony slab may be different, they often have the same problems, this is a weakening of the structural strength, since it extends beyond the facade and is subject to atmospheric influences.

Console plate PBK 24.12-5a

GOST for balcony slabs 2569783 divides them into:

multi-hollow (only for loggias);
solid flat;
ribbed;
the entire load in a monolithic or brick house is transferred to two or one side, pinched in the wall at two edges.

Balcony installation method

Fastening in a brick house and in a panel house is essentially the same and the same problems also arise, especially in old houses. For example:

in the well-known “Khrushchev” buildings, the design permissible load per linear meter along the wall was 100 kg, but under the influence of moisture it decreases over time;
It is noteworthy that in some houses of this type, over 40 or more years of operation, the cross-section of the reinforcement in the slab has decreased four (!) times, therefore, at the moment the permissible load is 50 kg;
the situation in “Stalin” buildings is much worse, since they are older and reconstruction has long been needed there, because the service life of the slabs has already come to an end - they are more than 50-60 years old;
therefore, it is not recommended to allow any additional loads - in some cities, slab collapses were observed and people were injured;

Weight of cladding and double-glazed windows on the balcony

When carrying out glazing and wall cladding on an external structure, the load on the balcony should not exceed permissible standards.

When calculating the load, we take into account the weight of the cladding, glazing and precipitation

The following materials can be used for glazing:

Glazing using a “cold” aluminum profile installed on the railing (without removal). The weight of this structure will be approximately 14-16 kg per linear meter.
The use of wooden frames installed on the railing will give a load of 16-18 kg per linear meter.
If glazing is carried out with the profile removed, you need to add 4 kg to the weight of the aluminum or wooden profiles.
Single-layer glazing with plastic systems will already weigh 20-26 kg, depending on what kind of plastic is used.
Glazing made of “warm” aluminum profile weighs 21-23 kg per linear meter.

Having decided on the type of glazing, you need to select suitable materials for covering the walls. If the maximum load does not allow the use of too heavy materials, you can pay attention to siding panels. In second place in terms of bulkiness is gypsum board, then you can choose lamellas or PVC panels. If the load is not terrible, then you can use euro-lining made of wood, MDF panels, decorative stone and even clinker tiles for cladding.