Cutting Floor Joists

As a remodeling contractor and carpenter one common structural framing issue i see alot of in bathroom remodeling jobs are floor joists that were cut drilled notched or need to be cut out to accommodate plumbing pipes and drains.

Cutting floor joists.

Start by cutting out a small 1 2 in 2 5 5 1 cm section of the floor joist with a reciprocating saw. These joists may need reinforcin g to reduce bounciness sagging or excessive deflection in the floor or ceiling. In situations when sistering damaged floor joists with lumber of similar dimensions it can be easy to notch and slide the sister board into place. In order to maintain the support integrity of the ceiling or floor joist or rafter system it is important that if joists are cut that the load that was bearing on those joists be transferred to a modified support system.

It is very easy to over cut the notches and remove the waste in two swift cuts but over cutting the notches in this manner weakens the structural integrity of the replacement lumber. Additional support for the floor joists is achieved by nailing the ends of the joists into headers. To minimize problems with ductwork. Position bathroom vent fans so the ducts can run parallel to the joists right up to where they exit the house.

Framer jim anderson demonstrates solid techniques for cutting floor joists to length quickly and accurately. If you need to cut through a joist firm up the floor as shown in fig. Brought to you by fine homebuilding magazine and. Tack a beam under the sagging joists.

Structural floor joist repairs. Cutting and or removing joists to provide an entry or access can be the most difficult part of the overall project. Then set new joists same height as existing ones alongside the old. Notches will compromise the strength of the new joists but some notches are acceptable depending on their location.

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. 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. Nailing two 2x4s together will work to span about three joists unless the sag is under a weight bearing wall. If the cut outs are too large or in the wrong location the joist can be weakened and unable to support the load it was designed for.

Then use pry bars and your reciprocating saw to pry and cut the floor joist away from the subfloor. This will create a weak spot.