Strengthening Joists

[Old Moparz]

I ran across this topic on another forum & thought some of you might want to read it over for your own projects. One place it looks like it would help out in, is the garage ceiling. It might increase the ceiling joist strength so you could get an increased load capacity in attic storage.

Attaching a 2x4 to the bottom of an existing joist doesn't lose much headroom. It's also a great idea for the house too, one that is much easier & cheaper to install than sistering joists or using some other method. I have to do something in my basement since the idiot electrician & plumber drilled 80% of the 2x8 joists with 1-1/2" holes to run pipe & wire through.  

The floors in my house move & shake when you walk through the room, & when my kid has friends over, well, it seems they may end up crashing through to the basement when they jump around.  

http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=54371

[twodko]

Jesus man, I'd be having a serious face-to-face with the plumber/electrician. if they were pros they should have known better than to degrade the structural integrity of the floor system.
Thanks for sharing good tip. 

[Old Moparz]

I wasn't the 1st owner of my house or I'd have fired the contractors that did all that. No, I mean I'd have shot him with all that was wrong in this place.   

You should see this topic on the Garage Journal forum. I posted it over there too & it's getting a lot of criticism. Part of the problem is that not everyone read the entire topic & made a lot of assumptions. (Not reading? now there's a shock...lol) The debate on any method is good though, it might show a flaw or point out a better way to do something.

I would never think of doing the flat 2x4 on the bottom of a joist as a method to increase the load capacity on a new project, but for a remedy on an existing problem it makes sense. Are there other ways to do it better? Probably, but there are limitations to most of the accepted ways. Sistering another joist to the existing one would be the best I think, but how would you do that without removing all the copper pipe for the water lines & the heating system? There is also the wiring that runs all over the place for the entire house. 

[twodko]

You're preaching to the choir Bob, I'm in your camp for sure. What can you do after the fact? Not much. Were the tables turned I dunno what course I'd take. It would depend on access. There might not be enough room to slide a piece steel in there perpendicular to the floor joists and who wants several posts supporting the floor in what should be a usable basement. A post or two may be the best choice. You'll work with what's there and it will be a job well done when you're finished. I have faith in ya!
I was unaware of the other forum thread on this. It just blows that you have to deal with this. If I lived in your area I'd be happy to help you fix it......I'm gooood at making kindling outta perfectly good lumber! 

[Old Moparz]

You're preaching to the choir Bob, I'm in your camp for sure. What can you do after the fact? Not much. Were the tables turned I dunno what course I'd take. It would depend on access. There might not be enough room to slide a piece steel in there perpendicular to the floor joists and who wants several posts supporting the floor in what should be a usable basement. A post or two may be the best choice. You'll work with what's there and it will be a job well done when you're finished. I have faith in ya!
I was unaware of the other forum thread on this. It just blows that you have to deal with this. If I lived in your area I'd be happy to help you fix it......I'm gooood at making kindling outta perfectly good lumber! 

I'm not upset, I actually get a kick out of debating something as long as it something other than politics & religion. 

Here's a link to the garage journal site. http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=88914

There are some very good counterpoints made, but the one problem is the same as anywhere, people don't read everything.

[BigBlackDodge]

I'd go with the 2x4's screwed & glued to the bottom of the joists. Looks like an easy enough fix and avoids messing around with pipes/wires etc...


BBD