Upper Levels Loft Level Sagging

[betty]

I have a newly added 2x1 loft on my 2x4 C&C cage. The middle of the loft is sagging a bit (about 1-2 inches). I have a grid attached that supports the loft right now, but it is blocking off a section of the cage and making it more difficult to catch my pig and clean the cage. What can I use to support the loft and how do I attach it?

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[lissie]

You can support the loft with a 2x2 lumber (they're 1.5 x 1.5 inches)


Or turn the grid in an angle to support the loft so it won't inturupt the running space. Notice the grids used as brace on the 2nd floor.

 

[kathlaaron]

When I had my old cage ( a 6 x 2 with a 2x2 hayloft) I found out after the fact, how hard it was to clean and "get under" there. What I ended up doing, ( much to the chaffing of my husband) was to move their hayloft section almost all the way back off the bottom level, and added some old Hood milk crates underneath the loft, which supported it completely. It worked supremely well ! Do you have something that you can stack underneath the loft which would support it's weight ?

 

[betty]

When I had my old cage ( a 6 x 2 with a 2x2 hayloft) I found out after the fact, how hard it was to clean and "get under" there. What I ended up doing, ( much to the chaffing of my husband) was to move their hayloft section almost all the way back off the bottom level, and added some old Hood milk crates underneath the loft, which supported it completely. It worked supremely well ! Do you have something that you can stack underneath the loft which would support it's weight ?

No, unfortunately the whole cage is on a table in an area that is just wider than 4 grids. We do not have any more space in our home, otherwise I would have a much larger cage with no lofts or levels.

 

[Kimberly713]

I have a 2x2 that hangs over 1x2 over the outside of the cage. I used two grids and ziptied them diagonally to the side of the bottom level and the bottom of the loft grids for support. Inside the cage part (1x2) I simply put a grid in the middle of the two and zip tied them tight! It makes it so it can't wobble or move as much. I also overlapped the grids to meet the loft entrance and put another support grid on the top for even more strength. It doesn't sag and doesn't move when they run up the ramp or anything either. This is the only picture I have of my loft at the moment, hopefully you can understand my madness

 

[sewlittle]

I zipstripped bigger L brackets under my upper level. I have them on every joint. they work like a charm!