One hundred feet may seem like a very long distance, but when it comes to building heights or home ceilings, it can be hard to get a sense of just how high that is. Using images of familiar objects can help people understand how high or low a certain height is, but the word “story” itself has a bit of a mystery about it. In this article, we will explore what a story is, and how many feet are in 30 stories.
The word “story” has two meanings, one designating the general height of a building or structure (like a 2-story house) and the other referring to a tale for entertainment. This article will be focusing on the first meaning, as it is the one most relevant to building height.
A story is a level in a building that is designed with a floor and a ceiling, although some levels are designed to be taller than others. The standard height for a story is about 14 feet, but this can vary depending on the building’s ceilings, floor thickness and building material.
A typical commercial building or residential building will have a floor to ceiling height of about 10 feet, but the first floors in retail buildings may have higher ceilings to accommodate air conditioning ducts and plumbing and electrical systems. Some specialized buildings, such as theaters, may have ceilings that are a few feet taller than the average.
