How long can a balcony slab withstand in a monolithic house? Instructions for installation and repair of balcony slabs. Balcony restoration stages

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, specialists from the Seismic Protection Research Center have found 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.

Despite the alarming statistics, teams involved in glazing balconies quite often offer a so-called “removal” device that allows you to expand the space. This structure is assembled on the basis of steel pipes or angles that are attached between the plates, without calculating the preliminary weight of the welded structure. Moreover, in Melitopol, few places use effective methods of transferring the load from slabs to the walls of a building. Paying attention to such balcony designs, you guess that many and don't think twice about exceeding the safe load on the balcony slab. "

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).

Let's summarize:

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

Removing the balcony is possible, but you should carefully calculate the weight of the new balcony structure, and not hope that others have it and everything will be fine with us.

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

Can a balcony slab really...? In Ryazan, a balcony collapsed along with a woman, and this happened on August 31, 2013. Ryazan is, of course, a city in Russia, but the houses in which we live were built in the same country and at the same time. "

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...

The balcony slab is the basis of your balcony. The performance properties of the balcony structure depend on its strength characteristics and dimensions. Read.

Specifications

Types of balcony slabs, their main parameters and dimensions are regulated by GOST 25697-83.

Balcony slabs are divided into the following types:

• PB – flat solid beams;
• PBK – flat solid cantilever;
• PBR – ribbed cantilever.

Balcony slabs are manufactured in lengths from 1200 mm to 7200 mm, widths from 1200 mm to 1800 mm. Standard dimensions of balcony slabs: length – 3275 mm, width 800 mm.

The thickness of the balcony slab in brick and panel houses or in Khrushchev varies in the range from 150 mm to 220 mm, depending on the type of slab, its size and weight.

A series of balcony slabs consists of several groups of numbers and letters; the series is deciphered as follows: the main group of letters and numbers is the type of slab, the length and width of the slab in decimeters. Additional groups of numbers and letters may indicate the following information: if the balcony slab is equipped with an emergency exit, then indicate which side of the slab it is located on, left or right; class of prestressed reinforcement, type of concrete, if it is light; for heavy concrete indicates the type of finishing of the upper front surface.

Permissible loads on the balcony slab are regulated by SNiP 2.01.07-85* “Loads and impacts”: on a 0.8 m wide section along the balcony railing – 400 kgf/m2; over the entire balcony area - 200 kgf/m2. The standard design load on a balcony slab in a brick house is 112 kgf/m.p.

Kinds

• Balcony slabs PB are reinforced concrete hollow-core floor slabs. Dimensions of balcony slab PB 1: product length 3440 mm, product width 1400, product thickness 160 mm.
• In the monolithic version, the balcony slab can be integral with the floor slab.
• The cantilever balcony slab is fastened by pinching it into the wall on one side or two opposite sides. Suitable for buildings with heavy walls, such as brick with reinforced concrete floors.

Calculation and device

The balcony slab for brick walls has a special ledge to ensure that the slab enters a special niche in the wall formed by reinforced concrete underlays walled into the wall. Load-bearing brick walls, as a rule, are made of two or more bricks, so the penetration of the balcony slab into the wall is 300 mm or more.

The unit for supporting a balcony slab on a brick wall is a junction of horizontal and vertical planes. Moreover, the support unit can only be implemented on a load-bearing wall. The support unit is calculated to determine the permissible loads, in accordance with GOST 956-91.

The stability of a balcony slab against overturning is calculated by comparing the overturning moment with the restraining moment from the weight of the structure.

Installation technology

The technology for fastening balcony slabs depends on the material from which the building is constructed.

When building a brick house, the balcony slab is attached to the masonry walls.

In a large-panel building, balcony slabs are sandwiched between the building blocks. In both versions, balcony slabs are welded to reinforced concrete lintels and floors using anchors connected to the reinforcement frame.

Extension of the balcony along the base of the slab

Strengthening

To reinforce the balcony slab, a reinforcing mesh is used, mounted from wire with a diameter of 5 mm, the rods of which are connected by welding or special soft wire. The mesh is laid on the slab and filled with concrete.

Strengthening a balcony slab in a panel house can be done using a cement screed method.

Repair of balcony slabs

Work to restore the balcony slab is considered a major overhaul. This type of work is carried out if the destruction of the slab has not yet reached the base, and the reinforcement is damaged by corrosion no more than 10%. The process of restoring a balcony slab includes: cleaning the slab, renewing the reinforcement frame, installing formwork, applying concrete screed, and strengthening the parapet. Slabs with more significant damage are classified as emergency and must be replaced. If destruction of the balcony slab is detected, it is necessary to contact the management company with an application to create a commission and draw up a report on the degree of destruction of the balcony and possibly recognizing it as an emergency.

A balcony is a decoration for any home, as well as an excellent area for relaxation and performing small chores. Strengthening and repairing a balcony slab on the wall structure of a building has its own characteristics and depends on the material of the building itself.

Features of fastening balcony slabs

People ignorant of construction believe that a balcony slab is a protrusion of a floor slab. This is far from true. In construction, a wide variety of methods for attaching balcony slabs are used:

• clamping or pinching in the structure of the outer wall of a building;
• use of cantilever floor slab;
• resting on consoles of columns or consoles of internal walls (in frame buildings);
• hanging a balcony slab from internal load-bearing transverse walls or from the ceiling;
• resting on attached reinforced concrete, steel or wooden structures.

In brick buildings, the balcony slab is strengthened using the pinching method. Reinforced concrete overhead and underlay elements are walled into the outer wall of the building, which form a niche for the balcony slab. The edge of the slab adjacent to the outer wall must be thickened. In cases with brick houses, the entry of the balcony slab into the wall is quite large. The slab must be welded to reinforced concrete elements using steel anchors.

In panel-type houses, balcony slabs rest on reinforced concrete structures using floors. Strengthening the balcony slab in frame buildings is carried out using beam technology. In this case, there is no load on the building wall, since the balcony slab rests on column consoles.

Why not a solid slab?

It would seem that it is really impossible to make floor slabs with a projection under the balcony? After all, a whole product is always stronger. But this method will shorten the lifespan of not only the balcony, but also the entire house. Corrosion of the reinforcement will penetrate deep into the slab, and the ceiling will lose strength. This threatens emergency conditions and demolition of the house.

What if you pass the balcony slab through the wall?

It seems that the support area in this case will be larger. But building structures cannot withstand long-term multidirectional loads. If a balcony slab is passed through a wall, its inner edge will press on the wall, trying to lift it. This situation threatens sudden catastrophic destruction.

In what cases is repair of a balcony slab required?

There are several types of repair of balcony slabs:

• small;
• average;
• emergency;
• capital.

Important: Remember, it is difficult for an ignorant person to determine how damaged the balcony slab is. Defect assessments should be carried out by professionals.

If cracks appear on the surface of the balcony slab, do not cover them with mortar. In this case, it is necessary to determine the degree of corrosion damage to the reinforcement. The cracks may be very deep, which will not be noticeable from the outside. If minor damage turns out to be shallow, then minor and medium repairs can be done independently.

The need for a major overhaul of the balcony slab is visible to the naked eye. This is indicated by the destructive appearance and large cracks throughout the slab. Major or emergency balcony repairs should only be carried out by professionals.

The following signs indicate the emergency condition of the balcony and its slab:

• exposed reinforcement;
• the appearance of deep cracks at the junction of the slab and the wall;
• destruction of concrete on top of the slab and its peeling off from below the slab;
• collapse of slab fragments.

In this case, to repair an emergency balcony you will need more than one piece of special equipment and a team of qualified installers. Such a slab will most likely have to be broken out of the load-bearing wall.

Who is responsible for repairing balconies?

Not a single regulatory document or law clearly states: is a balcony part of a supporting structure or a living area? In this regard, the question may arise: if the balcony is in disrepair, where to go and what to do? In theory, the balcony slab should be repaired by the management company, and the parapet, railings, and gratings should be repaired by the owner of the apartment. But some confusion in the legislation does not provide an exact answer to this question. On this basis, disagreements often arise between homeowners and utility companies.

Conclusion: Do not let the balcony fall into disrepair. Any search for the truth will not restore the balcony slab. To avoid emergency situations, repair the balcony slab yourself.

If you notice signs of destruction of the balcony slab, you must inform the utility service about this fact in writing as soon as possible. The document is certified by a housing office specialist and registered in the appropriate journal. It makes sense to attach several photographs of the collapsing balcony slab to the document. Your neighbors below must put their signatures on this document.

Then you can do the following: restore the balcony slab yourself, but with guarantees of recalculation of the rent. Or wait patiently for utility services to take over the repairs. If none of the options suits you, feel free to go to court.

How to repair balconies

The main cause of damage to balcony slabs is moisture. Penetrating inside the slab, water can activate corrosion of the reinforcement. In old houses, the protection of concrete from moisture is reduced; water easily penetrates to the reinforcement. Corroded reinforcement loses its load-bearing capacity, expands and destroys concrete.

Restoring a balcony slab involves several working steps:

1. The repair begins with cleaning the balcony: everything unnecessary is taken out, garbage is removed, and crumbled concrete is carefully removed.
2. Exposed fittings are cleaned of rust. The top layer of rust is easy to clean off. Next, the reinforcement bars must be treated with a special anti-rust agent.
3. Welded reinforcing mesh is laid on the surface of the slab and fixed with special dowels. It must be completely recessed into the concrete screed. To do this, a gap is left between the plate and the mesh.
4. Formwork boards are attached around the perimeter.
5. A solution of sand and cement is poured onto the reinforcing mesh and “ferruginized” (the screed is covered with dry cement and rubbed down).
6. The lower surface of the balcony slab must be plastered, having previously treated the surface with a primer.

Remember that the thickness of the concrete screed must exceed the thickness of the reinforcing mesh by two or even more times.

If the reinforcement frame is severely corroded, the balcony slab will need to be strengthened - this is a more extensive job:

1. Rolled steel beams are installed on the sides of the balcony slab and cantilevered to the wall.
2. The reinforcing mesh is welded to the beams.
3. Then the work of pouring concrete described above begins.

When the reconstruction of the balcony slab is completed, it the surface needs to be waterproofed, which is mandatory if the balcony is open. Various roll-type or coating-type waterproofing materials are suitable for this. In particular, penetrating waterproofing Penetron has proven itself well. It is applied to a pre-wetted surface in two layers, after which the surface must remain moistened for three days, and mechanical stress and temperatures below 0 degrees are not allowed.

Installation of balcony railings

Of course, the old fence may still be quite strong. But a major overhaul of the balcony slab already implies the installation of a new enclosing structure. In addition, if in the future you plan to glaze the balcony and insulate it, then it won’t hurt to think through a high-quality base in advance.

When installing fences, welding is indispensable. Even a beginner can work on a compact inventory welding machine that runs on mains power. But there are two more options:

• invite a qualified welder;
• secure the balcony railing using anchors; in this case, welding is not required.

The frame of the new fence is made of a rectangular profile pipe. This fence is easy to install and will have an attractive appearance. Next, a galvanized steel ebb is attached around the entire perimeter of the balcony slab. This will protect the edge of the slab from precipitation. screed on the balcony and what you will need for this.

Removable balconies

Residents of city apartments with balconies have a unique opportunity not only to insulate and glaze this area, but also to increase the area of ​​their housing. Now you can install a fence under the glazing with removal. What does it mean?

When installing the fence frame, using a professional trick, you can move the glazing beyond the parapet by about 30 cm. Considering that this action is performed on three sides of the balcony slab, the increase in space will be significant. This option is especially ideal for owners of very small balconies.

Advantages of remote balconies:

• Increasing space by expanding the area of ​​the balcony slab.
• Getting a wide window sill.
• Strengthening the load-bearing structures of the balcony slab.

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.

Do not forget about the appearance of balconies (loggias). Metal fencing, black steel drains, and flower boxes should be periodically painted with weather-resistant paints. The color of the paint must correspond to that specified in the color passport of the facade.

The location, shape and fastening of flower boxes must correspond to the adopted design and architectural design of the building. Flower boxes should be installed on pallets, with a gap from the wall of at least 50 mm; If the project does not provide for special external fastenings, the boxes should be installed on the inside of the balcony (loggia) railings.

If the balcony is glazed, the windows should be painted once every 5 years.

In a number of apartment buildings, balconies or loggias, equipped with an external staircase, connecting balconies or loggias floor by floor, are considered emergency exits.

Doors leading to staircases should not have locks or other locks on the outside. In addition, balconies or loggias through which evacuation is carried out should not be glazed.

It is also not allowed to clutter loggias or balconies with household items (furniture, containers, etc.).

Special attention should be paid to the possible load on the balcony, since many residents of our country use it as a storage room. In accordance with SNiP 2.01.

07-85 “Loads and Impacts”, a uniform strip load on an area 0.8 m wide along the balcony railing should be 400 kg/m2. Over the entire area of ​​the balcony slab – 200 kg/m2.

The horizontal load on the handrails of the balcony railings is 30 kg/m2.

How to calculate the load on a balcony slab?

If we rely on the SNiP “Loads and Impacts” data, then the maximum load along the edge of the balcony (0.8 m wide strip) will be 400 kg/m2, i.e. load per linear meter of the balcony edge is 320 kg/m.p. Standard design load is 112 kg/m.p. But each series of houses may have its own indicators!

According to you specifically, I don’t know! But in any case - no more!

In your option - along the blind part of the balcony (side walls) the load will be about 240 kg/m.p. when using slotted bricks and 340 kg/m.p. when using solid brick. I wonder how to seal a slotted brick on an edge? Plaster! And the weight of the plaster! The front wall with double-glazed windows will give a load of about 180 kg/m.p. (solid brick at 1 m height).

I hope the exterior and interior decoration will be light, for example, siding!

This means that you do not reach the maximum load, which seems good! But you significantly exceed the standard load. This is already bad! Your house is not very new. Wear is probably more than 30%, which means the load-bearing capacity of the balcony slab is also reduced. About the same, by 30%. It’s true that they built with reserves! But with what, and how were they built?

You can hope you get lucky! And if not?

In general, you need to do a technical inspection of the balcony! It’s better to use lighter materials. Double-glazed window with a bottom blind sandwich,

lightweight insulated partitions, etc.

Every time before deciding to weld a balcony with a dubious slab, I suggest that the client load the balcony slab, naturally having first examined its wear. Gradually loading the slab up to 300 kg per sq.m.
In the regulatory document SNiP 2.01.

07-85* “Loads and Impacts” gives permissible loads on various structural elements of buildings, including balcony slabs. Standard values ​​for uniformly distributed temporary loads on floor slabs, including balcony slabs, are given in Table 3 of this standard (clause 3.5, SNiP 2.01.07-85*).

Position 10 of Table 3 indicates that the standard load values ​​for balconies and loggias, taking into account the load, are:

a) uniform strip on an area 0.8 m wide along the fencing of a balcony or loggia - 4.0 kPa (400 kgf/m²)

b) continuous, uniform over the area of ​​a balcony or loggia, the impact of which is not more favorable than that determined by position 10a - 2.0 kPa (200 kgf/m²)

According to the SNiP 2.01 standard.

07-85* load-bearing elements of floors, coverings, stairs and balconies (loggias) are checked by manufacturers of reinforced concrete products for a concentrated vertical load applied to the element in an unfavorable position on a square area with sides of no more than 100 mm (in the absence of other temporary loads). In this case, the values ​​of standard concentrated loads, if higher values ​​are not provided for in the construction specifications based on technological solutions, the following should be accepted (clause 3.10, SNiP 2.01.07-85*):

for floors and stairs - 1.5 kN (150 kgf);
for attic floors, coverings, terraces and balconies - 1.0 kN (100 kgf).

The value of the payload, such as equipment and people, is determined by the purpose of the building and space. For an apartment in a residential building, the payload is 150 kgf/m².

To calculate the value of the total loads acting on the balcony slab, it is necessary to multiply the weight of the floor and the payload by the safety factors:

g f - reliability coefficient for load (floor weight - g f = 1.2 and payload of an apartment in a residential building - g f = 1.3); g n - reliability coefficient for the purpose of the building (residential and public buildings - g n = 0.95, one-story residential buildings – g n =0.9).

However, you need to keep in mind the degree of deterioration of the balcony, which is determined by the table of this document, as well as the deterioration of the walls, which is determined according to the document DEPARTMENTAL BUILDING STANDARDS VSN 53-86(R) “RULES FOR ASSESSMENT OF PHYSICAL WEAR OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS” (APPROVED BY ORDER OF THE USSR GOSPEL BUILDING DATED DECEMBER 24 1986 N 446)

Laying a foam block parapet on a loggia

When glazing a loggia with plastic windows, in most cases it is necessary to make a masonry parapet and side partition walls from foam blocks or hollow (lightweight) bricks. Let's look at cases where the use of foam block masonry on loggias is mandatory. We will also consider the advantages of masonry produced by LOGIA.RU specialists

8 advantages of our masonry:

Foam block masonry is additionally reinforced by us with metal inserts into the side reinforced concrete/brick walls of the loggia - this gives high stability to the masonry! Foam block masonry over 3 meters long in a straight line is additionally reinforced by us in each seam with a metal mesh (photo>>) and/ or metal reinforcement > 10 mm in diameter - this gives high rigidity to the masonry and is strictly necessary so that the masonry does not swing and does not move freely. Foam block masonry on each loggia attached to the room, regardless of its length and location (number of floors) additionally We reinforce each seam with metal mesh and/or metal reinforcement > 10mm in diameter! This is strictly necessary to ensure and increase the level of your safety! The masonry is made from high-density foam block grade D600 - which means that the density of the foam concrete block is 600 kg/m3. Foam block brand D600 belongs to the structural and thermal insulation type of foam concrete, i.e. is a material of thermal insulation class and is intended for the construction of load-bearing walls (strength class - B2.5 and higher). The foam block of this brand has a frost resistance coefficient of F15-F35, which makes it possible to use it in our winter conditions. The acoustic properties of such a foam block are such that sound is absorbed in it without being reflected, unlike walls made of heavy concrete or brick. It absorbs low noise frequencies especially well, which is very important for apartment owners whose windows and loggias overlook noisy automobile avenues. Due to long internal maturation, the thermal insulation and strength properties of the foam block only improve over time. The foam block masonry is additionally protected from precipitation by installing plastic siding/sheets and corners made of galvanized straight or corrugated steel/asbestos cement sheets on the metal parapet with additional processing of all joints and junctions with silicone or polyurethane one-component low-temperature sealant. We produce foam block masonry in winter conditions down to minus 10°C using a specialized anti-frost additive (potash). The freezing point of a solution saturated with this additive is minus 37°C, which allows the solution to dry in the cold rather than harden! The reliability of the masonry depends on the quality of the mounting mixture used for interblock joints. We use a strictly factory mixture of the M200, M300 brands. The laying of the parapet is carried out in compliance with the horizontal and vertical levels, which is necessary for the subsequent installation of glazing and carrying out work on insulation and finishing of the loggia.

Laying a foam block parapet is necessary when:

a metal parapet is initially installed on the loggia, on which plastic windows cannot be installed - in this case, we lay the parapet from a foam block parallel to the metal parapet

a reinforced concrete parapet is initially installed on the loggia, which is in the air and attached to the walls using metal plates/corners and welded joints - in this case, we lay the parapet from a foam block parallel to the reinforced concrete parapet

between your and the neighboring loggias there is a metal shield-partition made of asbestos-cement sheet. The partition is dismantled and in its place a partition wall from floor to ceiling made of foam block is erected (it is advisable to obtain the consent of the neighbor)

the level of the concrete parapet and the upper ceiling (i.e., the ceiling of the loggia) do not coincide in vertical level. In this case, thanks to the laying of a foam block parapet, it is possible to obtain an accurate window opening, and after installing PVC windows, freezing and water leakage onto the loggia can be avoided.

It is important to know! We lay the parapet and side partition walls mainly from foam blocks and very rarely from lightweight ceramic bricks. Depending on the permissible load on the concrete floor of the loggias (SNiP 2.01.07-85 load and impact), foam block or lightweight brick is used.

We recommend using foam block, because... Foam block masonry is much lighter than ceramic brick masonry. For comparison: weight 1 sq.m. a wall made of a single ceramic hollow brick is over 160 kg, while the weight of 1 sq.m. walls made of foam concrete D600 is no more than 70 kg! The difference is obvious.

When making masonry from a foam block, a prerequisite is the creation of additional protection from weather conditions, namely from direct moisture on the foam block itself. To do this, we install foam block protection on the parapet. At the same time, in order not to stand out from the general mass of loggias on the facade of the house, we offer several options for protecting the foam block from the street side.

The most common option for standard series of houses is to sheath the parapet with straight or corrugated sheets of galvanized steel. Sometimes plastic siding is used. The steel sheet is attached to the parapet using metal rivets, and each connection is treated with silicone sealant.

Another common solution in many series of houses is the installation of an asbestos-cement (aceid) sheet on the parapet as protection for the foam block. In this case, asbestos cement sheets are bolted to the metal parapet.

In some cases, on loggias with metal parapets it is possible (necessary) to enhance the support stability for the load under plastic glazing. In this case, additional horizontal and vertical reinforcing elements from a metal corner > or corrugated pipe > are installed and mechanically fastened onto the main metal parapet of the loggia.

We also offer and carry out an option without laying a parapet with foam blocks - this is glazing the loggia with plastic windows from floor to ceiling. It is important to correctly calculate the design of windows using reinforcing, expansion (additional) profiles and temperature compensators.

Most of all, such glazing is installed in modern monolithic brick houses with common facades.

It is important to know! When carrying out masonry work, you should know and remember that erecting masonry directly on the parapet itself in order to reduce the opening is a prohibited type of work. This not only distorts the architectural appearance of the building, but is also unacceptable according to the permitted loads on loggia floors (SNiP 2.01.07-85 loads and impacts)! Here are some examples:

It should also be understood that installation and masonry work on loggias should be entrusted to professionals in this field.

Sources:

http://www.lodjiya.ru/artlpages.php?id=74

Source: http://pilorama-lp.ru/nagruzka-na-balkon/

What weight can a balcony in a panel house withstand: how much can a balcony slab 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 it is important to consider the maximum load weight. Moreover, violation of SNiP may result in an administrative fine.

Rice. 1 The maximum load on the balcony is 200 kg/m2

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 support its own weight.

Under such circumstances, calculating the balcony slab is pointless.

In everyday practice, to find out how much weight a balcony can support, you need to:

• during repairs, glazing, insulation. sheathing;
• when you intend to install wooden / plastic windows;
• when you use it as a greenhouse, winter garden, the only / additional storage room, storing old unnecessary things there;
• you are going to combine a balcony with a room, keep pieces of furniture and household appliances there.

In the case of combining a balcony with a room/kitchen, a BTI employee may be required to determine whether the balcony will withstand the expected load or not when coordinating the redevelopment with the combination of premises. It is necessary to find the exact technical data of the passport of a residential building when developing a project.

All plans related to the need to keep a large number of things there must be coordinated with the technical parameters of the balcony slab. It should be borne in mind that the load capacity of the slab, which is about 1800 kg, and the permissible load are not identical concepts. There are many nuances here.

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.

In total, in an average panel house, balcony slabs can withstand about 0.72 tons.

Rice. 2 When calculating the load, we take into account the weight of the cladding, glazing and precipitation

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 state of disrepair 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.

Rice. 3 In dilapidated buildings, going out onto the balcony is simply dangerous

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.

Maximum load on a balcony slab: how much can a balcony in a panel house withstand? Link to main publication