Floor Joist Alternatives

There are 2 ways to sister joists.

Floor joist alternatives.

Open joist triforce. Other than engineered joists which are also made of wood products the only alternative are steel i beams with a wood nailer. Engineered floor joists are custom cut at the factory to the precise length required so time and waste are minimized on the construction site. This open joist triforce is a compelling alternative in engineered wood floor systems well worth investigating.

Dimensional floor joists are the old method for framing floors. Here are some alternatives to floor joist replacement that will save money and keep you from tearing up the entire floor. Engineered joists are straighter more uniform resist warping and twisting and provide a larger nailing or gluing surface when compared to standard dimensional lumber used for wood floor joists. Engineered floor joists are one of these new wonder products that give the architect.

It has the added benefit of being adjustable onsite. A compelling engineered wood floor alternative triforce costs less than open web trusses yet is as strong and as rigid. With the wide range of joists used in house construction i thought i would show three common alternatives to traditional timber joists. I joists provide a high performance alternative to dimension lumber joists for floor and roof applications.

Sistering is the process of installing a second joist to each existing joist and is the best method for reinforcing an existing floor. Basically a tree is cut down and milled to produce 2 10 s or 2 12 s. That is of course you want to go complete commercial with steel and concrete panel floors. These are the right choice for both residential and non residential floor and roof joist construction.

Generally newer home floor joists are made from 2x8s or new engineered i beams older homes however may have 2x6s instead. The installation methods are pretty standard and are therefore known by most carpenters. Engineered wood products have pushed the design boundaries to lengths that seemed unachievable a few short years ago. Also called dimensional lumber these floor joists are easy to get and require no special design for installation.

Let s examine three of these materials. 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. You better have a very fat wallet and an engineer to sign off for the modification in mass. Modern alternatives are lighter use less wood and can span greater distances than the solid joists.

Several popular options include solid lumber lvl wood i beams steel joists and open web floor trusses. These composite joists are lighter and use far less timber than a solid joist for an equivalent span.