Should You Replace Floor Joists

Typically floor joists are repaired or replaced working from below in a basement or crawl space.

Should you replace floor joists.

While it is a good idea to replace rotted material with 2x8s it may require some notching to fit between the sub floor and ledger board. Inspecting joists for issues. The easiest way to tell that your floor may have joist problems is to simply walk across. Costs will vary widely depending on the extent and nature of the original problem.

Remove the floorboard closest to the damage and then use the hole you make exactly to see which ones need replacing. It can be a challenge to maneuver a joist into place over a. The inspection 300 to 500 will tell if you have structural problems such as undersized joists that will require professional repairs. However you can usually remedy sagging problems yourself by sistering new joists alongside the existing ones this also works for stiffening bouncy floors.

But larger is not always better when builders are constructing a home or adding a room addition. If you don t have any carpentry experience you may want to call a professional carpenter to handle the project. Before you replace damaged floor joists you must exterminate the insects or improve the drainage and ventilation so the problem won t reoccur. Replacing a floor joist incorrectly may weaken the structural integrity of your house putting your safety and your house s value at risk.

Step 2 mark the old locations. You can notch and bore joists without sacrificing critical strength but you must follow the rules. If your home is more than 20 years old your floor joists are most likely solid wood 2x8s 2x10s or 2x12s. Common sense tells you that large floor joists can carry more load and spacing joists closer together also increases the load bearing capacity of a floor.

Even in lumber joists severe breaks sagging cracks and twisting require a structural engineer to inspect the area and offer recommendations on repairing the damage. The extra two inches of vertical distance when a floor is framed with 2 x 10 joists rather than 2 x 12s can be quite important for example. What you should know signs of floor joist problems. Due to their technical nature floor trusses and i joists usually require the assistance of a structural engineer and should not be repaired or replaced by yourself.

A good look at the floor joists will also help you determine if any need to be replaced. Replacing a floor joist is a big job. If the bounce and squeak is caused by a broken floor joist sistering or laminating a new joist to the old broken one is a good option.