Timber Joist Floor Construction

Section r502 10 of the international residential code states that header joists can be the same size as the floor joists when the header joist span isn t greater than 4 feet but if the header joist span is more than 4 feet you ll need to double the header joist and ensure that it s capable of.

Timber joist floor construction.

The following table gives details of allowable spans and spacing between joists for the most common timber sizes used in floor construction. Timber floor joists shall be adequate for the spans and loads and be correctly installed. Solid timber joist sizes are provided in the bs 8103 3 span tables. Apa performance rated i joists pris are manufactured in accordance with pri 400 performance standard for apa ews i joists form x720 this performance standard provides an easy to use table of allowable spans for applications in residential floor construction allowing designers and builders to select and use i joists from various member manufacturers using just one set of span.

Between the joists the area called a joist bay and above the ceiling in some old houses is material called pugging which was used to deaden sound insulate and. A floor s framework is made up mostly of wooden joists that run parallel to one another at regular intervals. Both are horizontal members meaning they are installed level with the ground or floor below and both are supported on their ends and sometimes in their middles by load bearing walls columns or other types of vertical supports. Where the tables do not apply or where there are concentrated loads floor joists should be designed by an engineer in accordance with technical requirement r5.

This sample table gives minimum floor joist sizes for joists spaced at 16 inches and 24 inches on center o c for 2 grade lumber with 10 pounds per square foot of dead load and 40 pounds of live load which is typical of normal residential construction. How to construct a suspended timber floor as we described above the construction is relatively simple to understand which is why this type of floor construction is so popular. Additional support for the floor joists is achieved by nailing the ends of the joists into headers. The outermost joist in half timber construction may be of a more durable species than the interior joists.

True floor joist span calculations can only be made by a structural engineer or contractor. Floor joist span tables for surveyors floor construction. The weight of the timber floor itself consists of the timber joists the plasterboard ceiling underneath it except for suspended timber ground floors the floorboards and the nails or screws used to fix both of the aforementioned coverings. Ceiling joists are usually 2 by 6s or sometimes 2 by 4s if it is an older home.

Floor joists are typically 2 by 8s 2 by 10s or 2 by 12s. The width of these spans depends on the size of the timber used for the floor joists and more can be seen about joist spans in our loadbearing walls project. In a barn loose poles above the drive floor are called a scaffold.